On Excellent Teachers and Zero-Tax Budgets

Inadequate photo by Evan Brandt

From left, Pottstown School Board President Judyth Zahora, high school social studies teacher Maureen Rieger, Franklin Elementary teacher Jane Hospador and Superintendent Jeff Sparagana.

As much as this is the season of spring concerts, graduations and field days, it is also the time of the school year when excellence in teaching is recognized.

Some of that recognition occurred at Thursday night's school board meeting.

The first teacher to be honored was Jane Hospador, who teaches at Franklin Elementary School and was a finalist for the Montgomery County-wide Voices of Inspiration Award.

Here is a short video with Superintendent Jeff Sparagana reading why Hospador was recognized.




After Hospador, it was Pottstown High School social studies teacher Maureen Reiger's turn.

She was recognized by the Philadelphia Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution as one of the teachers the organization recognizes each year "as an extraordinary educator."

It is presented to "a teacher whose instruction on the era from 1750 to 1800 demonstrates education efforts in the classroom that exceed and excel above the current, accepted curriculum requirements.

Rieger will not compete at the state and possibly national levels.

Here is a short video of the ceremony in her honor Thursday.



Of course that wasn't the only newsworthy thing that happened Thursday night.

There was also the small matter of a $57 million proposed budget that was adopted unanimously and will not raise taxes in the coming year.

But we both know that will get splashed all over the front page of The Mercury, so I thought it would be nice to lead off with the teachers since, to be honest, that will likely not make the paper.

And that's why The Digital Notebook's motto is "All the News That Doesn't Fit Into Print."

Speaking of non-print news, here are the Tweets from Thursday night's meeting.

(Be sure to scroll your way through to the bottom to see lots of photos from the district's first Elementary Math Olympiad, held at Rupert Elementary, as well as photos of students helping to establish a new community garden at Charlotte and Walnut streets.)