Phi Delta Kappa, Columbia University Honors Superintendent
Patricia Synan & Inclusion Pioneer Teachers

Superintendent Patricia Synan, District 14 in Brooklyn and 10 special education teachers from District 75 who pioneered inclusion, (the integration of special education children into regular classrooms), were honored at Phi Delta Kappa (PDK), Columbia University, spring awards banquet. The teachers represented schools in Queens, Brooklyn, Staten Island and Manhattan. Principal Joan Washington of P 811Q and Dr. Catherine Rikhye, supervisor from District 75 cited them for their talent in rewriting and adapting curriculum to fit the needs of their students and for their bravery in implementing their beliefs about inclusion despite opposition.

Superintendent Synan was named the Educator of the Year for her outstanding lifelong efforts on behalf of children as a teacher, principal, and superintendent. One of the honored guests present was Howard Tames, Chief Executive for Labor and Policy and his wife Marla Tames, principal of PS 319 in Brooklyn.#

For more information about Phi Delta Kappa, see www.dynatek.com/pdk

The teachers honored as œInclusion Pioneers” were: Vera Banach¤Inclusion Facilitator Brooklyn/Queens;Mindy Greenspan¤PS 811Q @ 227Q; Karen McInerney¤PS 811Q @ Bayside High School; David Coodington¤PS 811Q @ Francis Lewis High School; Alice Miller¤PS 811 K @ PS 329K; JoAnn Mauro Solano¤PS 811K @ IS 281 K; Paula Smith¤PS 53K @ PS 104K Barbara Kania¤PS 721R; Sherryl Berti¤PS 721M @ Chelsea High School; Dawn Burdi¤PS 138 M @ PS 134M.

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