SPARKLE AWARDS
What is a Sparkle Award?
A Sparkle Award recognizes individuals and student peers whose support of Rochester Community Schools students receiving special education services is exemplary. Love your child's bus driver? Nominate him! Is your child's para beyond compare-a? Nominate her! Every nominee will be recognized and receive a Sparkle Award at the appreciation ceremony. In addition, a select number of nominees from each general category (i.e., Early Childhood, Middle School, High School, Post-High School, etc.) will receive special recognition.
Who May be Nominated?
You may nominate a Rochester Community Schools individual (staff member or peer) who has provided service to one or more Rochester Community Schools students in special education this school year. If you would like to nominate a group of staff or students, please fill out a separate nomination for each individual. Please reserve the honor of a nomination for those who have gone above and beyond in their service.
​
​
​
Introducing the 2025 Sparkle Book
Our Sparkle Book is a compilation showcasing this year's Sparkle Award nominations accompanied by photographs of those who sparkle brightest in our district. We hope that these stories brighten your day and add a little sparkle to your life, just as the nominees have brightened the lives of our special education students and families.
Our Sparkle Book can be viewed using the digital viewer below or downloaded as a PDF.
Sparkle Book Library
SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARD RECIPIENTS
2025
Baldwin
ECSE - Katie Tash
Elementary - Kaitlyn Barone
Elementary - Anna Picklo
Elementary - The Pretzel Girls: Anna Ruddy, Vivian Russell & Lonnie Spano
Middle School - Laura Coleman
Middle School - Zachary Mow​
High School - Diana Badr
High School - Amy Drehmer
High School - Meghan Ivory
High School - Eva Teknos
Post High - Amy Austin
Post High - Peggy Dona​​
Durham - Jean Lamberson
Durham - Daniel Rubino
Durham - Gary Schwartz
​
2024
Baldwin
ECSE - Donna Giles
ECSE - Gina Ruffini
Elementary - Amanda Carpp
Elementary - Rorie Endres
Elementary - Christopher Noronha
Elementary - Katie Woolsey​
Middle School - Julie Monroe
Middle School - Ms. Cottone's Multimedia Arts Class​
High School - Manon Clavette
High School - Tracye Schwartz
High School - Michael Berry
Post High - Peggy Dona
Post High - Dennis McDermott​
Durham - Daniela Lockard
​
2023
Baldwin
Early On - Laura Hansen
Early On - Kristine LeMarbe​
ECSE - Jennifer Michalak
ECSE - Gina Ruffini
Elementary - Dave Corba
Elementary - Quinn DeMarco
Elementary - Vidya Ganesh
Elementary - Fur Angels
Elementary - Mike Prange
Elementary - Megan VanderVoord
Elementary - Brittany Zelda
Middle School - Ariel Blizzard
Middle School - Pat Frink
Middle School - Catherine Gittner
Middle School - Anne Macfalda Mleczek
Middle School - Nitya Rai
Middle School - Julie Stalker​
High School - Sophia Anderson
High School - Amy Cosentino
High School - Aaron Helander
High School - Amy Honeycutt
High School - Kate Jack
High School - Claire Ohlert
High School - Eleonora Richardson
High School - Tracye Schwartz
Post High - Jennifer Anderson
Post High - Katie Cloos
Post High - Peggy Dona
Post High - Emily McGowen​
Durham - Joyce Faulkner
Durham - Christine Petracca
Durham - Vivian Spence
2022
Baldwin
ECSE - Donna Giles
ECSE - Libby Hoffman
ECSE - Tara Karebian
Elementary - Hendrix Hall
Elementary - Kristina Nichols-
Elementary - Kari Kocher
Elementary - Bea Savoy Ferreira
Elementary - Miss Vallee’s Kindergarten Class
Middle School - Jennifer Bland
Middle School - Toni Bisaro
Middle School - Abby Pudlo
High School - Cathy Gittner
High School - Paul Bernard
High School - Peggy McKinney
High School - Melissa Perkins
Post High - Dennis McDermott
Post High - Heather Romzek
Post High - Genet Haise
2021
Baldwin
ECSE - Katie Schervish, Andrea Barry, Mary Kate Dawood, Cathy Welch & Anne Fossen
ECSE - Julie Lalik
Elementary - Delta Kelly 5th Grade Students
Elementary - Beth Winters
Middle School - Jacqueline Wood
Middle School - Laure Reinke
High School - Kim Filips
High School - Rochester High School Peer Mentors
Post High - Dennis McDermott
Post High - Katie Cloos
2020
ECSE - Laura Washer
Elementary - Nicholas Aulph
Elementary - Laura Nazione
Middle School - Heather Poirer
High School - Gavin Kaiser
High School - Mr. DoughRay Jr.
Post High - Kristi McAllister
2019
Baldwin
Elementary - Lara Cornish
Elementary - Paula Kenny
Elementary - Dr. Amanda McKay
Elementary - Alexis Schwartz
Middle School - Sadie McCutcheon
High School- Elizabeth Bulat
High School - Alicia Perkins
High School - Corinn Rittner
Post High - Peggy Dona
2018
ECSE - Tara Karebian
Elementary - Yumi Matsushita
Elementary - Jane Walsh
Middle School - Paul Diegel
High School - Reilly Herman
High School - Alissa Miller ​
Post High - Amy LaPorte
Post High - Tim Leader
Post High - Dennis McDermott
Post High - Brian Retzler
2017
ECSE - Amanda Wald
Elementary - Laura Hartner
Elementary - Gina Belcastro
Middle School - Haley Sornig
High School - Kelly Harper
High School - Nick Schram​
Post High - Julie Mielnicki
2016
Baldwin
Early Childhood - Debbie Zimmerman​
Elementary - Dawn Blackburn
Middle School - Matthew Aboud
High School - Sarah Mueller
High School - Rawaa Kareem
Post High - Dawn Heiple
2015
Early Childhood - Chris Sundt
Elementary - Beth Booth
Elementary - Genet Haise
Middle School - Andy Jaracz
High School - Amy Cosentino
High School - Aaron Mize
Post High - Amy Chamberlain