Title
Recognizing and Honoring Jayda Pugliese for Receiving the Milken Educator Award as One of the Nation’s Top Educators.
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WHEREAS, Jayda Pugliese was born and raised in South Philadelphia, and she graduated from Saints John Neumann & Maria Goretti Catholic High School. She was the first person in her family to graduate from high school. She then received a Bachelor of Arts in special education and elementary education and a master's in ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) and literacy from Holy Family University; and
WHEREAS, Pugliese is in her second year as a fifth grade science and math teacher at Andrew Jackson Elementary School, which is in close proximity to the neighborhood where she was raised; and
WHEREAS, Pugliese is a dynamically talented educator. At Jackson, she leads a STEAM-focused (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) classroom which incorporates a 3D printer, microscopes, and “snap circuits” to bring lesson plans to life for her students. Students have used the 3D printer to design and make products, write business plans, and present their ideas to their peers. Pugliese used crowdfunding websites to raise the money to buy these specialized teaching tools herself; and
WHEREAS, Pushing innovation and effective teaching, Pugliese successfully applied for a competitive grant for Jackson to implement a mix of online and face-to-face interaction in teaching known as blended learning. She will be responsible for training and monitoring faculty performance at Jackson as the initiative is put in place; and
WHEREAS, Students have seen great results under Pugliese’s teaching in her short time at Jackson. In her first year at Jackson, 80% of her students showed at least one year’s growth in math skills, and many of her students work above grade level; and
WHEREAS, Beyond teaching, Pugliese makes a positive impact in students’ lives by serving as a Professional Learning Community Leader. She is also the chair of her grade band, and she founded the Healthy Youth Physical Education (HYPE) after-school program. Jackson’s HYPE program was named the best of its kind in the School District of Philadelphia; and
WHEREAS, Pugliese is also involved in the broader community. She serves on the board of her local Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) affiliate and the teacher advisory council for the Philadelphia Zoo, and she is also a technology writer for LifeHack.org; and
WHEREAS, In recognition of her excellence in teaching and her demonstrated potential for future great accomplishments in the classroom, Jayda Pugliese was awarded the Milken Educator Award in a surprise ceremony at Andrew Jackson Elementary School on October 5, 2016. Teacher magazine has called the award the “Oscars of Teaching,” and it represents the gold standard in the profession. Pugliese was the first teacher in the nation to receive the Milken Educator Award in the 2016-17 school year; and
WHEREAS, In its 30th year, the Milken Educator Award is presented to up to 35 educators per year. Each recipient is given a $25,000 prize. Milken Educators such as Pugliese are also granted access to powerful networking and development tools throughout their careers in education; and
WHEREAS, Philadelphia is fortunate to have teachers such as Jayda Pugliese who dream, innovate, and implement better education practices for their students. Teachers like Pugliese are to be celebrated as they offer new worlds of possibilities to their students, teaching at a level that places them in an extremely selective group of accomplished peers across the nation. The City Council of Philadelphia is pleased to add its congratulations to Philadelphia’s own Jayda Pugliese in recognition of a brilliant teaching career which is still only beginning; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That we hereby recognize and honor Jayda Pugliese for receiving the Milken Educator Award as one of the nation’s top educators.
RESOLVED FURTHER, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Jayda Pugliese, evidencing the sincere admiration and respect of this legislative body.
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