WESTFIELD — The Westfield Public Schools district recently announced a series of staff achievements that underscore the high level of commitment and professionalism within the district’s educational community.
Among the notable accomplishments, Westfield High School (WHS) Boys Tennis Coach George Kapner reached his 700th win on April 9, highlighting his dedication to excellence and his impactful guidance on athletes over the years.
Supervisor of Athletics Sandra Mamary noted that this major milestone distinguishes Mr. Kapner as “the winningest coach in Westfield Blue Devil history.”
In early March, WHS Technology Education teacher Laura Doyle was among the outstanding technology and engineering educators honored by the International Technology and Engineering Educators Association at its annual conference in Memphis, Tenn. Ms. Doyle received the 2023-2024 Teacher Excellence Award, one of the highest honors given to technology and engineering education classroom teachers in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the profession and their students.
Visual and Performing Arts Supervisor Shawna Longo joined other music educators for a congressional briefing March 11 in Washington, D.C., organized by the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) and the Country Music Association Foundation (CMAF). Ms. Longo, who received the CMAF Teachers of Excellence Award last fall, served on a panel that briefed lawmakers and others in attendance about the importance of music education. She also has been appointed to the NAfME Artificial Intelligence Task Force, which will examine the use of AI in music education.
WHS Cross Country/Track and Field Head Coach Christopher Tafelski, who teaches science at the high school, received national recognition earlier this year by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association as a 2023 High School Cross Country State Coach of the Year. One boys’ coach and one girls’ coach from all 50 states and the District of Columbia were selected based on their teams’ performances throughout the 2023 cross-country season.
District administrators and faculty often are invited to present at county, state and national conferences. Most recently, on March 18, at the New Jersey Association of School Administrators’ Women’s Leadership Conference, Lincoln Early Childhood Center Principal Tiffany Jacobson, Ed.D., provided a session for women who are working full time in K-12 education and considering the pursuance of doctoral studies.
“These recent achievements, and the many that come before them, reflect the high standards and commitment our educators uphold in their roles,” said Superintendent Raymond González, Ed.D. “The honors and recognitions are reflective of the district’s collective effort to foster an environment that encourages both staff and students to excel. We are immensely proud of our educators and their dedication to our students and the school community as a whole.”
