Debra Calvino, New York State Teacher of the Year 2010

Policy

The Professional Standards and Practices Board (PSPB) of the New York State Education Department serves in advisement to the NYS Board of Regents.  As Co-Chair of the PSPB, I have represented the K-12 community as policy issues arise within my state.

New York has instituted numerous changes to their education system.  These changes have included the adoption and transition to the Common Core Learning Standards, the creation of teacher and mentoring standards, an overhaul to the teacher evaluation system, among others, and each has been addressed by the PSPB.

As the implementation of this new culture in NYS education has occurred, I have acted as a teacher leader in her school district helping to enact the changes.

From being a founding member of my district’s Accountability Task Force to leading my math department in developing curriculum aligned to the Common Core to serving on the teacher evaluation committee, I have helped colleagues and administrators navigate these new and uncharted waters.

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Debra is the 2010 New York State Teacher of the Year. She began her teaching career as a high school special education teacher in 1981.

She has been teaching high school mathematics since 1984 and in 2004 was appointed Mathematics Department Supervisor in the Valley Central School District. She develops curriculum and coordinates Academic Intervention Services for the mathematics department. She also conducts, organizes and plans mathematics professional learning communities.

She is an Adjunct Professor of Secondary Education for SUNY-New Paltz, a teacher for NYSUT Education and Learning Trust and a member of the AFT CCSS Teacher Work Team.