Roseann Maurantonio, a member of the Niskayuna Teachers Association, received an unexpected award — a $25,000 check from the Milken Family Foundation.
The foundation annually recognizes teachers who exhibit excellence in the classroom. Maurantonio is the only teacher from New York among the 40 educators selected for the prize.
"(Maurantonio) is a professional learning community facilitator in her district, where she has engaged five elementary schools in how to implement writing workshops to teach English language arts, and she has introduced professional development resources that have helped shape how the entire district teaches reading and writing. Her collaborative, caring and engaging manner is as effective working with peers as it is with her students," the foundation noted.
"I couldn't believe it was me, just because there are so many wonderful educators [who] I work with," Maurantonio told Capital Pro, an online news service. "It was just a complete shock, really."