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St. Thomas Aquinas Regional School Kindergarten teacher Elizabeth Lawler (center) received the Sister Miriam Joseph Farrell Distinguished Teacher Award at the NCEA Convention in Atlanta on April 18, 2006. Those attending the NCEA Convention include Sharon Cyphers, Molly Conger Fettig, Kitty Brever, Jane Baker, Cathy Stinson, Eileen Leckey, Maggie DiPasquale, Sister Maria Christi, O.P., Principal, Bob DiPasquale, Award Recipient Elizabeth Lawler, Joe Lawler, Catherine Manley, Evelyn Hale-Kupiec, Jim Manley, Angela Berryman, and Gretta Wheeler.

Award recipient and Aquinas Kindergarten teacher Elizabeth Lawler (center) with Kindergarten teacher and grade level partner Kitty Brever, Sister Maria Christi, O.P., Principal, Joe Lawler (Elizabeth Lawler’s husband), and Angela Berryman (Elizabeth Lawler’s sister) at the NCEA Awards Ceremony and Banquet.

Sister Maria Christi, O.P., Principal, with 1 st grade teacher Eileen Leckey, 1 st grade aide Evelyn Hale-Kupiec, and Kindergarten aides Jane Baker and Cathy Stinson enjoy the evening’s festivities.

Former Aquinas Kindergarten teacher Molly Conger Fettig, 3 rd grade teacher Sharon Cyphers, and 4 th grade teacher Gretta Wheeler share some conversation with Sister Maria Christi, O.P., Principal, after the NCEA Awards Ceremony and Banquet.

Aquinas Kindergarten teacher and award recipient Elizabeth Lawler (center) with other regional recipients of the NCEA Sister Miriam Joseph Farrell Distinguished Teacher Award.

NATIONAL CATHOLIC EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATION

St. Thomas Aquinas Regional School Kindergarten teacher Elizabeth Lawler was awarded the Sister Miriam Joseph Farrell Distinguished Teacher Award during the 103 rd Annual National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) Convention in Atlanta on April 18, 2006. St. Thomas Aquinas Regional School is a member of the NCEA which is the largest private, professional education association in the world. Mrs. Lawler attended the convention with Sister Maria Christi, O.P., Principal, and seven Aquinas faculty members, as well as family and friends, April 18 to 21, 2006. The trip was partially sponsored by the St. Thomas Aquinas Regional School PTO.

The NCEA Elementary Schools Department honors teachers whose commitment to Catholic education has been recognized by their school administration. Each fall, member schools are asked to nominate one teacher to receive this honorable award. The application process includes letters of recommendation from parents, colleagues, and the principal. The award is presented annually to a teacher in each of the twelve regions in the United States on the basis of their commitment, passion, and demonstrated success within their individual schools. Mrs. Lawler was selected as the award recipient among all nominees from the South Atlantic States which include Catholic schools from Virginia, Washington, D.C., Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

After receiving the Sister Miriam Joseph Farrell Distinguished Teacher Award, Mrs. Lawler commented, “It’s easy to be successful when you love what you do – and I love what I do because of all of you. I have been inspired and blessed to work with such outstanding administration, colleagues, and staff.” Mrs. Lawler thanked Sister Maria Christi, O.P., for the nomination, as well as Kindergarten grade level partner Mrs. Kitty Brever, Kindergarten aides Mrs. Cathy Stinson and Mrs. Jane Baker, former Kindergarten teacher Mrs. Molly Conger Fettig, and her fellow colleagues. Mrs. Lawler also thanked her sisters and best friends in the world, her sons Joe and Michael who are a great source of joy in her life, and her husband Joe for his support, encouragement, comfort, and love for over 33 years. Sister Maria Christi, O.P., stated, “We are all very proud of Mrs. Lawler. Aquinas is grateful for her eighteen years of service to our students and parents.”

The theme for this year’s convention was “Charting the Future in Challenging Times.” It was a fitting theme for a convention initially scheduled for New Orleans but moved to Atlanta following Hurricane Katrina. More than 7,000 delegates from all levels of Catholic education-elementary and secondary schools, religious education programs, seminaries, colleges and universities, governing boards and superintendents of schools-were able to attend more than 400 professional development sessions during the annual convention.

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