Menlo Park schools honor their stars Menlo Park schools honor their stars (May 11, 2005)

People who have made outstanding contributions to the Menlo Park City School District's four schools will be honored at a "Pillars of the Community" celebration on Thursday, May 19.

Community members and friends of the honorees are invited to attend the event from 4 to 6 p.m. in Jennings Pavilion at Holbrook-Palmer Park in Atherton.

Hosting the reception are the Menlo Park Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) Council and the Menlo Park-Atherton Education Foundation.

Teachers who received Jeanie Ritchie grants for their innovative classroom projects also will be honored.

The PTO's highest honor -- the Golden Oak Award -- will be presented to Lezlie Jacobson for her contributions during her 36-year teaching career. She has taught students from kindergarten through fourth grade at Hillview, Oak Knoll and Laurel schools, helping pioneer many well-loved curriculum units from the "Stone Soup" literature unit in first grade to the Early California Mission study for fourth-graders.

"Having the opportunity to get involved with the Slingerland, multi-sensory method of teaching reading and working with children who have a specific language disability has been especially meaningful," she said.

"Witnessing the great effort that these children must put forth, and then seeing them achieve academic success, truly makes teaching a rewarding profession, " said Mrs. Jacobson.

Being honored by the following school PTOs for their contributions, energy and commitment are:

Laurel: Cathy Clark-Arnold, Jen Novak, Peckie Peters, Jill Roumeliotis, Astrid Stoye and Joanie Woodard.

Encinal: Susan Bryan, Lori Friedman, Pam Madeira, Ellen Mouchawar, Ann Waltzer, Adrienne Wong and Heidi Yamada.

Oak Knoll: Susannah Albright, Julie Gaston, Diane Liotta, Bill Rhine, Bee Tee, Marcey Winawer and Debra Yoder.

Hillview Middle: Paula Chidichimo, Debbie Hall, Alice Hom, Emily Liggett, Trish Mitchell, Alicia Payton, Linda Pebet, Linda Sako, Joy Shmueli and Debbie Verity.

Being honored for their district-wide service by the following organizations are:

PTO Council: Molly Bahr, Leigh Flesher, Stephanie Nisbet and Carol Orton.

Menlo Park-Atherton Education Foundation: Tina Bird, Rebecca Bloom, Celeste Chapman, Marvin Mouchawar, Kathy Oppenheimer, Jill Parker, Mary Summers and Sue Sutherland

E-mail a friend a link to this story.