ALBANY, N.Y. Sept. 16, 2014 — New York State United Teachers today applauded the selection of Charles Giglio, a Latin teacher at Gloversville High School, as the 2015 New York State Teacher of the Year.
NYSUT President Karen E. Magee said Giglio, a resident of Guilderland, has devoted his life and career to students. She added Giglio's work teaching Languages Other Than English (LOTE) and service as an education ambassador to his community make him a perfect selection to represent the more than 200,000 outstanding teachers in New York state.
"New York's classrooms are filled with highly skilled, dedicated teachers who make learning come alive for students every single day. Mr. Giglio is representative of that excellence. His knowledge, skill and passion are on display every single day for students in Gloversville," Magee said. "We congratulate him and know he will make a fantastic New York State Teacher of the Year."
NYSUT Vice President Catalina Fortino (pictured above) said Giglio is well known and highly respected in his community, and beloved by parents and students — including hundreds who keep in touch with their former Latin teacher after graduation.
"Charles Giglio is dedicated to his students both inside and outside the classroom. He is an exceptional educator and an exceptional person. He represents what it means to be a great teacher. He supports students to achieve high standards and creates lasting, positive relationships with them," Fortino said.
Fortino praised Giglio for, among other selfless acts, donating his car to a needy student heading off to college; volunteering to tutor a student with lymphoma and paying the registration fees for students who cannot afford the cost of exams needed to earn college credit. He is also a church organist and is training his dog, Tanner, to be a service animal. Giglio succeeds Ashli Skura Dreher, the 2014 New York State Teacher of the Year.
New York State United Teachers is a statewide union with more than 600,000 members in education, human services and health care. NYSUT is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers, the National Education Association and the AFL-CIO.