Lighting the Way for Excellence Award

ASHPAC appreciates the dedication of our educational staff in Ashland and all they do for students who are unique learners.  ASHPAC has recognized some of these outstanding people through our Lighting the Way for Excellence Award since 2014.  We call for parents who have children on an IEP or 504 to nominate one staff member that has developed a special relationship and connection with their child and has been instrumental in helping their child enjoy school, have full access to their curriculum and reach toward his/her full potential.  Parents send their nominations at the end of the school year upon request briefly stating why they would like to nominate this staff member. The awards are announced in June and the following September.  ASHPAC publicly thanks the group by inviting them to our Fall Meet the Administration workshop and by presenting them with a certificate of appreciation.  We may use an excerpt from the nomination at the awards night.  Only ONE staff member per person can be nominated and, in an effort to acknowledge many of Ashland’s tremendous staff members, it cannot be someone who received the award the previous year.  See below for the previous nominees.

2022/2023

Ashland Preschool

Jeanne Bruneault, Preschool Teacher 

Jillian Gawlik, Preschool Teacher

Laura McMahon, Preschool Teacher

Henry Warren Elementary School

Sali Diamond, Special Education Teacher

Shweta Gunjan, Educational Support Personnel

Jenna Mastroianni, Special Education Teacher 

Natalie Montgomery, ABA Educational Support Personnel 

Carolyn Mulvey, First Grade Teacher 

Laurie Nanos, Educational Support Personnel 

David Mindess School

Tina Gallinagh, Third Grade Teacher 

Eliana Tameirao, Educational Support Personnel

Amanda Walker, School Counselor 

Ashland Middle School

Manisha Chaudhary, Educational Support Personnel 

Kerrie Otipoby, Board Certified Behavior Analyst 

David Prior, Sixth Grade Science Teacher

Keith Truesdale, Seventh Grade Special Education Teacher 

Ashland High School

Jennifer Benstock, Science Teacher 

Crystal Lupinski, English Language Arts Teacher

Regina Markham, English Language Arts Teacher 

Cory McGann, School Counselor 

Scott Smith, Visual Arts Teacher 

District Wide

Brittany Smeltekop, Directorp of Student Services

2021/2022

ASHLAND PRESCHOOL

Emily Dreissig, Preschool Teacher  

Jacqueline Poole, Preschool Teacher

HENRY E. WARREN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Phylis Bhandari, Nurse

Jaclyn Golder, Special Education Teacher

Nancy Mantos, Kindergarten Teacher 

Michelle Van Kleef, Nurse

DAVID MINDESS SCHOOL

Mary Soderberg, Fifth Grade Teacher

ASHLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL

Elizabeth Manguso, Special Education Liaison 

Susan O’Connell, Educational Support Aide 

ASHLAND HIGH SCHOOL

Vinita Laad, Educational Support Aide 

Robert Pergakis, Educational Support Aide 

Carol Walden, English Language Teacher

DISTRICT WIDE

Colleen Brewer, Administrative Coordinator for Student Services 

2020/2021

ASHLAND PRESCHOOL

Jillian Gawlik, Special Education Teacher 

HENRY E. WARREN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Rachel Davidson, First Grade Teacher

Tiffany Farrell, Second Grade Teacher

Kerri Kober, Kindergarten Teacher

Patty McNulty,  Educational Support Personnel

Amy Westerlind, Educational Support Personnel

DAVID MINDESS SCHOOL

Karen DiModica, Third Grade Teacher

Erin Drake, Special Education Teacher

Jen Hoffmaster, Speech and Language Pathologist 

Kim Jordan, Third Grade Teacher

Sara Marineau, School Psychologist

Katie Mooney-Hayes, Special Education Teacher

Kerrie Otipoby, Board Certified Behavior Analyst

ASHLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL

Sharon Ames, Speech and Language Pathologist 

Barb Guiliotis, Special Education Teacher

Rebecca Losavio, Board Certified Behavior Analyst

Suzanne McCullough, Special Education Teacher

Kelly Roy, Adjustment Counselor

ASHLAND HIGH SCHOOL

Matthew Banks, English Teacher

Holly LeBlanc, Special Education Teacher

2019/2020

HENRY E. WARREN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Jane Guiney, Speech & Language Pathologist

Erika Zipse, Special Education Inclusion Teacher

DAVID MINDESS SCHOOL

Joseph Chimienti, School Psychologist

Janet Gamache, Therapy Dog Handler

Monica Moriarty, Educational Support Personnel

Nicole Natale, Third Grade Teacher

Christian Robinson, Special Education Teaching Assistant

ASHLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL

Amy Chickering, Special Education Teaching Assistant

Michele Stanislawzyk, Sixth Grade Special Education Teacher

Keith Truesdale, Seventh Grade Special Education Teacher

Ashley Zanghi, School Psychologist

ASHLAND HIGH SCHOOL

Patricia Daly, Social Studies Teacher

Sarah Finn, Special Education Teacher

Regina Jardon, English Language Arts Teacher

2018/2019

ASHLAND PRESCHOOL

Nancy Hopkins, Nurse

HENRY E. WARREN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Alyssa Nawrocki, Multi-Grade Sub-Separate Classroom Teacher

Patty McNulty, Special Education Teaching Assistant

DAVID MINDESS SCHOOL

Cassia Ashman, Multi-Grade Sub-Separate Classroom Teacher

Kim Conner, Dually Certified Third Grade Teacher

Lorraine McLaughlin, Special Education Teacher

Katie Mooney-Haynes, Multi-Grade Sub-Separate Classroom Teacher

Karen Narreau, Dually Certified Third Grade Teacher

ASHLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL

Laura McKenzie, Multi-Grade Sub-Separate Classroom Teacher

Julie O’Coin, Special Education Teaching Assistant

Ginny Sadana, Sixth Grade Mathematics Teacher

ASHLAND HIGH SCHOOL

Holly LeBlanc, Multi-Grade Sub-Separate Classroom Teacher

DISTRICT WIDE

Kathryn Silva, Director of Student Services

ASHLAND PRESCHOOL

2017/2018

ASHLAND PRESCHOOL

Rachael Grolman, Special Education Teacher

Laura McMahon, Special Education Teacher

Jyoti Shadra, Special Education Teaching Assistant

HENRY E. WARREN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Kara Curtis, First Grade Teacher

Sali Diamond, Dually Certified Second Grade Teacher

DAVID MINDESS SCHOOL

Charlotte Boccuzzi, Special Education Teaching Assistant

Jennifer Hoffmaster, Speech & Language Pathologist

Jessica Kamin, Multiage Teacher

Christian Robinson, Special Education Teaching Assistant

Lindsay Shorey, Fifth Grade Teacher

ASHLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL

Lauren Flynn, Special Education Teacher

ASHLAND HIGH SCHOOL

Sarah Finn, Special Education Teacher

Joshua Wiczer, Mathematics Teacher

2016/2017

ASHLAND PRESCHOOL

Tricia Tomaso, Special Education Teacher

HENRY E. WARREN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Sara Davidson, Special Education Team Chair

Amy Mann, Speech & Language Pathologist

Jennifer Temple, First Grade Teacher

DAVID MINDESS SCHOOL

Lynette Bowen, Special Education Teaching Assistant

Kim Connor, Third Grade Teacher

Joseph Mespelli, Special Education Teaching Assistant

Kerrie Otipoby, Board Certified Behavior Analyst

ASHLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL

Jennifer Caputo, Special Education Teacher

ASHLAND HIGH SCHOOL

Holly LeBlanc, Special Education Teacher

Len Rabinowitz, Social Studies Teacher

2015/2016

ASHLAND PRESCHOOL

Rachael Grolman, Special Education Teacher

HENRY E. WARREN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Jane Guiney, Speech & Language Pathologist

Erika Zipse, Special Education Teacher

DAVID MINDESS SCHOOL

Cassia Ashman, Special Education Teacher

Becky Knox, Dually Certified Special Education Teacher

Portia Pisello, Special Education Inclusion Teacher

Christian Robinson, ABA Paraprofessional

ASHLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL

Jackie Long, Special Education Teacher

Jake Smith, Title I Math Teacher

ASHLAND HIGH SCHOOL

Jonathan Parker, Special Education Teacher

Heather Smith, School Psychologist

2014/2015

WILLIAM PITTAWAY SCHOOL

Christina Wright, Speech/ Language pathologist

HENRY E. WARREN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Sheila Mangan, Educational Support Personnel

Carolyn Mulvey, Dually Certified Special Education Teacher

Megan Pacheco, Special Education Teacher

Kate Thompson, Educational Support Personnel

DAVID MINDESS SCHOOL

Kyle Cacciapaglia, Special Education Teacher

Kristin Gazard, General Education Teacher

ASHLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL

Lauren Flynn, Special Education Teacher, Inclusion Teacher

Sharon Remsen, Special Education Teacher, Inclusion Teacher

ASHLAND HIGH SCHOOL

Erin Benham, Special Education Teacher

Holly Leblanc, Special Education Teacher

DISTRICT WIDE

Sharon Ames, Speech/Language Pathologist

Wendy Schneider, Certified Occupational Therapist Assisstant

Kathy Silva, Director of Student Services

2013/2014

PITTAWAY SCHOOL

Eva Luther, Special Education Teacher

WARREN SCHOOL

Jenna Mastroianni, Special Education Teacher

Monique Smith, Educational Support Personnel

MINDESS SCHOOL

Kathleen Evans, Special Education Teacher

Sheila Fiandaca, Neighborhood Teacher

Amanda Walker, Guidance Counselor

ASHLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL

Jennifer Caputo, Special Education Teacher

Michele Stanislawzyk, Special Education Teacher

ASHLAND HIGH SCHOOL

Heather Smith, Psychologist

DISTRICT WIDE

Tricia Davis, Physical Therapist