Niskayuna grad named New York State Teacher of the Year

Congratulations to Richard Ognibene, a 1981 graduate of Niskayuna High School, on being named New York State’s Teacher of the Year for 2007-08.
The New York State Education Department recently selected Ognibene, a veteran science teacher at Fairport High School, near Rochester, from among five educators across the state who were named as finalists for this distinguished honor.
In a teaching career that spans 21 years, Ognibene has taught chemistry and physics at Fairport for the past 15 years. An active member of the school community, he has served as a mentor for new teachers, spearheaded a character education program, organized a fundraiser for a school in Kenya, presented workshops on tolerance and diversity in the classroom and workplace, and served as vice president of the Fairport Educators Association.
His parents, Richard and Elaine Ognibene, reside in Niskayuna, and both teach at Siena College. In an e-mail to the Niskayuna school district, the senior Ognibene said that Richard credits his fifth-grade teacher, John Grady, as someone who “had a great impact on his life and helped inspire him to become the kind of teacher he is today.”
Niskayuna Superintendent of Schools Dr. Kevin Baughman said that Teacher of the Year is one of the highest honors bestowed on an educator anywhere, and it demonstrates Richard’s commitment, dedication, and strong connection to students.
“We are equally proud of the fact that the 2007-08 Teacher of the Year is a graduate of Niskayuna schools and his early experiences in our schools helped shape his decision to become an educator, ” Baughman said. “It helps reinforce our belief that we help make a lifetime of difference in the students we serve.”
Information on the NYSUT Web site states that Ognibene will represent teachers around the state, and is now in the running for national Teacher of the Year honors.

Read more about New York State Teacher of the Year Richard Ognibene.

(September 2007)