Awards for Greenwich's Distinguished Teachers

They are on the front lines every day.

The front lines include chalkboards, textbooks and homework lessons … and legions of children hungry to learn.

Manning the front lines are teachers. And in Greenwich, the top teachers staffing those lines are women.

The Distinguished Teachers Awards Committee handed out its gold stars to 6 public school teachers in a ceremony held at Western Middle School Tuesday honoring the 27th class of the annual award winners.

Each of the teachers were introduced by the parents, and in one case, the students, who nominated them which began with a musical performance by the Greenwich Public Schools Festival Orchestra under the baton of Bethany Cook.

Schools Superintendent Dr. Sidney Freund praised the six teachers' "guidance, inspiration and enthusiasm. There are more than 850 teachers in the district and 6 individuals are selected for this distinction. It's no easy job." Freund added, “You set the standards for all of us. Tony Mullen was selected a distinguished teacher and became the National Teacher of the Year … last year Rita Baker was in the top 4 of the Connecticut Teacher of the Year. It says something about our school system and it says even more about the teachers we have”

Other speakers included First Selectman Peter Tesei, school board Chairman Steve Anderson and state Sen. L. Scott Frantz (R-36), who said “the next generation is in incredibly good hands … we are blessed to have these teachers.”

The 2011 class of Distinguished Teachers Awards include Greenwich High School social studies teacher Karen Boyea; Riverside School 5th-grade teacher Meredith Daniels; Eastern Middle School 6th-grade science teacher Laura Donnelly; North Mianus School kindergarten teacher Karen Foster; Glenville School Advanced Learning Program teacher for grades 2 to 5 Nan Nelson, and Greenwich High School mathematics teacher Jennifer Preli.

“It is a wonderful honor I will cherish forever,” Daniels said. “It is truly an honor to go into that school everyday.”

The hour-long program ended with a reception attended by the teachers, their colleagues, and, of course, their students with their parents.