Master Teachers at Commack

Commack School District is proud is announce that four more of our teachers were accepted into the New York State Master Teachers Program. Please join us in congratulating Jeanette Collette, Justin King, Jeanne Suttie and Bobby Varughese on this accomplishment and honor.

As program participants, Master Teachers make a commitment to engage in professional development work in addition to their regular school responsibilities. Master Teachers meet regularly (evenings and weekends) to participate in activities that lead to individual and collective professional growth.

Superintendent Dr. Donald James, stated, “The application process for entry into this program is extremely rigorous and requires a tremendous time commitment and amount of preparation. These teachers all possess a deep knowledge of their subject content, and continually adapt their teaching practices to meet the needs of their students.”

Ms. Collette, Mr. King, and Ms. Suttie are science teachers. Mr. Varughese is a math teacher.

Jeanette Collette is in her eighth year at Commack High School as a biology, forensics, and science research teacher. She has increased the rigor of Commack’s IB Biology SL class by putting more inquiry-based labs in place. Ms. Collette is in the science research room during every free period and after school hours, often until very late, assisting students at every level with their projects. She is a coach for our Science Olympiad team. Ms. Collette has embraced a philosophy of continuous professional development and takes courses every summer (despite reaching her 60+ hours) to ensure she grows in her practice.

Justin King is in his sixth year at the high school as a physics teacher. He is a pioneer in the implementation of a flipped classroom, where he records his own lectures which students watch at home. He then assists them with application in the classroom.  Mr. King instituted a mastery model in his current physics classroom that is modified to allow for self-pacing within a unit of instruction. Mr. King is also a coach for our Science Olympiad team, he is a Senior Class Advisor, the coach for our Science Quiz Bowl Team, and the coach of our Physics Olympics team.

Jeanne Suttie is in her fifteenth year at Commack Middle School, teaching Regents Living Environment and the STEM elective. She has pioneered the work in the STEM class, collaborating with the technology department, to create the most popular elective at the middle school. Ms. Suttie has created inter-disciplinary projects each year to engage students school-wide in environmental conservation issues. She is currently one of the advisors for the S.T.R.E.A.M. club (formerly Science Research), and as a member of the District Literacy Committee, is a leader in literacy professional development for the department and the building. Ms. Suttie reflected, “My applying to this program is an acknowledgement that science is an ever evolving field with very few static concepts. In recognition of this fact, I enthusiastically dedicate myself to bringing best practices in both content and pedagogy to my students in order to prepare them as global citizens.”

A graduate of Commack High School (1995) and a life-long Commack resident, Bobby Varughese has been teaching at the high school for ten years. Mr. Varughese currently teaches IB SL Methods, College Calculus, and Intermediate Algebra. He “loves incorporating technology into the classroom. He was among the first to incorporate SMART Notebook into his lessons.” He led seminars to teach others to embrace the new vistas of teaching. “I applied for the program to become a better teacher and to help younger teachers in training programs. Being a part of a group of teachers that will spend the extra time to discuss the art and science of teaching and instructional methods to help others increase knowledge will only help me become a better teacher.”

Commack is now home to a total of nine Master Teachers. They will work with other Master Teachers at Stony Brook University for the next four years, engaging in peer mentoring and intensive content-oriented professional development opportunities.

Photo by Brenda Lentsch:  Commack’s newest Master Teachers! From left to right: Director of Science, Alison Offerman-Celentano, Master Teacher Bobby Varughese, Dr. Donald James, Superintendent, Master Teachers Jeanette Collette and Jeanne Suttie, Middle School Principal Anthony Davidson, and Master Teacher Justin King.