The Lewis Award

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Long-Awaited Mass Celebrating the 2019–2020 Lewis Award Recipient, Tina Isenbarger

Long-Awaited Mass Celebrating the 2019–2020 Lewis Award Recipient, Tina Isenbarger

by | Apr 23, 2021 | Excellence in Teaching, News

Tina Isenbarger, St. Ann Catholic School, FayettevilleCongratulations to Tina Isenbarger, the 2019-2020 Recipient of the Monsignor Gerald Lewis Award for Excellence in Teaching. Ms. Isenbarger teaches at St. Ann Catholic School, Fayetteville. She was notified of her selection on March 13, 2020, the Friday before schools were closed due to the pandemic. The long-awaited mass to honor Ms. Isenbarger was finally celebrated at St. Ann’s Church on April 21.

You can read more about this beautiful event, covered by Mandy Howard, writer for the NC Catholic, on the Diocese of Raleigh website:

https://dioceseofraleigh.org/news/after-year-delay-lewis-award-mass-honors-tina-isenbarger (Linked with permission from NC Catholic editor Kate Watson.)

Keith Brown, Chair of the Lewis Award Committee

Keith Brown, Chair of the Lewis Award Committee

Monsignor Lewis and Tina Isenbarger

Monsignor Lewis and Tina Isenbarger

Anne Stahel, Founder of the Award, Monsignor Lewis and Tina Isenbarger

Anne Stahel, Founder of the Award, Monsignor Lewis and Tina Isenbarger

Tina Isenbarger, Recipient, and Rene Corders, Principal of St. Ann Catholic School

Tina Isenbarger, Recipient, and Rene Corders, Principal of St. Ann Catholic School

Special Recognition from the Lewis Award Committee

Special Recognition from the Lewis Award Committee

by | Dec 29, 2020 | Excellence in Teaching, News

Expressing Our Gratitude

The purpose of the annual Monsignor Gerald Lawrence Lewis Award for Excellence in Teaching is to recognize, promote and encourage teaching excellence in the Diocese of Raleigh Catholic Schools. Considering the uncertainties of the pandemic, the Award Process was paused for this year.

The Lewis Award Committee, however, recognizes the unprecedented challenges faced by the faculty in all schools. During this pandemic year, every teacher should be recognized for demonstrating a selfless commitment, both professional and personal, to excellence in Catholic education.

The Committee chose to honor and express our gratitude to the teachers with a special prayer, composed and blessed by Monsignor Lewis. The week before Christmas, the principals were presented a plaque with the prayer and logos of each elementary and high school as a reminder of the sacrifices the teachers have made and continue to make in the 2020–2021 school year. Please take the time to listen to the video from Keith Brown, Chair of the Committee, followed by a gallery of photos from presentations across the Diocese. May the Lord bless you and your families abundantly throughout this Christmas season and the coming year.

Sincerely,

The Lewis Award Committee:

  • Keith Brown, Chair
  • Lesley Ferguson
  • Susan Goethals
  • Cynthia Hanks
  • Rosalie Innacelli
  • Michelle Silva

Ex-Officio:

  • Father John Forbes
  • Monsignor Lewis
  • Superintendent Lytia Reese
  • John Ruocchio
  • Anne Stahel

Video of presentation by Keith Brown, Committee Chair to Joyce Price, Principal of St. Mary’s in Wilmington.

Monsignor Lewis blessing the plaques and cards to be presented to each school.

The plaque with the prayer composed by Monsignor Lewis.

Bless Our Catholic School Teachers

Dear Lord, this has been a trying time for the dedicated teachers in our Catholic Schools caused by a virus that has infected our whole world. Loving Father, our teachers have continued to teach our children of your love and presence as well as the sciences of life amid great hardship. We beg your blessings on these dedicated teachers and upon those whom they teach. Let them know that your rainbow of love is over them and that their efforts will be rewarded by your protective love. We ask this through our Lord, Jesus Christ, the Great Teacher, in Union with the Holy Spirit. Amen.

2020/2021
Msgr. Gerald Lewis

Gallery

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Lewis Award Announcement 2019-2020

Lewis Award Announcement 2019-2020

by | Mar 13, 2020 | Excellence in Teaching, News

Ms. Tina Isenbarger

St. Ann Catholic School, Fayetteville

The Lewis Award Committee is pleased to announce that Ms.Tina Isenbarger has been selected as the 2019-2020 Recipient of the Monsignor Gerald Lawrence Lewis Award for Excellence in Teaching. Ms. Isenbarger, who currently teaches Fifth Grade, is in her nineteenth year of teaching with the last ten years at St. Ann Catholic School.

Ms. Isenbarger feels that teachers striving for excellence in Catholic schools
2019-2020 Lewis Award Recipient, Tina Isenbarger, St. Ann Catholic School, Fayetteville

“need an appreciation for the Catholic Faith. Their role as a Catholic School teacher is to continually prepare students in attaining the sacraments. Embrace the parish resources and support that are provided to teach in a Catholic School. [Teachers] need to enhance personal knowledge by attending Catechist classes so they can build a solid moral foundation for their students.”

Ms. Rene Corders, Principal of St. Ann’s, wrote in a letter of recommendation for the Award:

“In addition to her effectiveness in the classroom Ms. Isenbarger distinguishes herself by her involvement in the total school experience… and is involved in every school activity to some degree. She makes a difference on a daily basis.

Although Ms. Isenbarger is a member of another parish, her loyalty to the school’s mission and her understanding of the obvious connections between our church and school compel her to be visible and engaged in St. Ann parish activities.”

Ms. Isenbarger received a Bachelor of Science in Special Education and a Reading Validation from Ohio University, and a Masters degree in Special Education from Fayetteville State University.

The Lewis Award will be presented to Ms. Isenbarger at a special Liturgy on April 22 at St. Ann Catholic Church.

Congratulations, Ms. Isenbarger!

Meet the Finalists: David Ratte

Meet the Finalists:
David Ratte

by | Feb 25, 2020 | Excellence in Teaching, News

David Ratte, Infant of Prague Catholic School, JacksonvilleIn January the Lewis Award Committee announced the Finalists for the 2019-2020 Monsignor Gerald L. Lewis Award for Excellence in Teaching. During the month of February, the Lewis Award Committee will observe the three Finalists in their classrooms and each of them will be featured on this website. If you would like to read more about these exceptional teachers click here.

Mr. David Ratte

Infant of Prague Catholic School, Jacksonville

Eighth Grade Religion & Middle School Science

In the first set of pictures, Mr. Ratte’s Fifth Grade class is in the Computer Lab researching climate. The second set of pictures are the Sixth Grade class is in the Science Lab studying and discussing the properties of waves.

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Meet the Finalists: Nicole Adkins

Meet the Finalists:
Nicole Adkins

by | Feb 18, 2020 | Excellence in Teaching, News

Nicole Adkins, St. Raphael Catholic School, RaleighIn January the Lewis Award Committee announced the Finalists for the 2019-2020 Monsignor Gerald L. Lewis Award for Excellence in Teaching. During the month of February, the Lewis Award Committee will observe the three Finalists in their classrooms and each of them will be featured on this website. If you would like to read more about these exceptional teachers click here.

Ms. Nicole Adkins

St. Raphael Catholic School, Raleigh

Middle School Language Arts

Ms. Adkins’ 6th grade students, after finishing Carl Hiaasen literature circles, were working cooperatively on an eco research project that affected the characters in their books. Students read Hoot, Chomp, Flush or Scat. The final product will showcase the habitat, eco problem affecting their character, and the solutions.

Teams of students in Ms. Adkins’ class are engaged in reading All Summer in a Day, by Ray Bradbury. The teams then responded to the meaning of empathy and how it affected the characters in the book.

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