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RCSD Teachers Complete Internship in Career in Teaching Program

(May 22, 2024) The Rochester City School District congratulates this year’s Career in Teaching (CIT) Program Interns of the Year. Deputy Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Dr. Demario Strickland celebrated this accomplishment with Rochester Teachers Association (RTA) President Adam Urbanski, about 150 CIT Lead Teacher-Mentors, members of the CIT Joint Governing Panel, and the honorees and their guests on Monday, May 20, 2024, at an awards dinner at Temple B’rith Kodesh in Brighton.

This school year, the CIT Program provided mentor support to 287 new teachers and service providers. Mentors and administrative supervisors then nominated CIT interns for their distinguished accomplishments.

The following seven individuals were recognized:

Jessica Hands, School Psychologist, Edison Career and Technology High School
Alexis Lodico, Science Teacher, Henry Hudson School No. 28
Ashley Pheilshifter, ENL Teacher, East Upper School
Damaris Reinosa Traverso, Bilingual Speech Language Pathologist, Abraham Lincoln School No. 22
Sylvia Rooney, First Grade Bilingual Teacher, Anna Murray-Douglass Academy School No. 12
Chester Shellman, Fifth Grade Teacher, Abraham Lincoln School No. 22
Andrea Singletary, Third Grade Bilingual Teacher, John James Audubon School No. 33

Recipients attended the ceremony with their mentors, supervisors, and families. These educators have made outstanding efforts on behalf of their students and have accomplished tremendous professional growth with the year-long comprehensive support of their CIT Mentors. Their work with students speaks for itself, and their commitment and dedication help students to thrive.

Established in 1987, the jointly-governed CIT Program has consistently provided Rochester teachers with the mentor support they need, resulting in high teacher retention and more robust instruction for students.

Rochester has been a national leader in quality mentoring for years. The CIT program was one of the first of its kind in the country, and Rochester continues to understand the importance of mentor support and teacher leadership as part of providing a quality education for students.

The Rochester City School District does not discriminate on the basis of an individual's actual or perceived race, color, religion, creed, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship status, age, marital status, partnership status, disability, predisposing genetic characteristics, sexual orientation, gender (sex), military status, veteran status, domestic violence victim status or political affiliation, and additionally does not discriminate against students on the basis of weight, gender identity, gender expression, and religious practices or any other basis prohibited by New York State and/or federal non-discrimination laws in employment or its programs and activities. The District provides equal access to community and youth organizations. NYS CR Part #154 requires the District to provide communications to ELL families in the home language that they best understand. In order to request interpretation or translation services, employees may visit www.rcsdk12.org/translationservices. For emergencies or immediate communication needs, please use the Language Line at 1-866-874-3972. School secretaries in each school or program can provide the access code for this service.