WASHINGTON, Pa. (Oct. 3, 2012) – Lori Freeze, a 1981 graduate of Washington & Jefferson College (W&J) and an English teacher at Canon-McMillan High School for 30 years, has been selected as this semester’s participant in the Benedum/W&J Master Teacher Program.
The initiative was established to foster stronger collaborative relationships among schools in the region and W&J; expand the educational perspective of W&J students by exposing them to different school environments, practices and professionals; and establish master teachers as local experts and workshop leaders in their schools.
During her time at W&J, Freeze will work closely with the campus and local community, as well as education students at W&J, to learn, share ideas and, of course, continue to educate.
“The partnership that has been established between W&J and Canon-McMillan will benefit both communities now and in the future,” said Freeze, who advises the Canon-McMillan student council and is president of the Canon-McMillan Education Association. “The knowledge that I am gaining from the professors and staff in the education department at W&J will enable me to help students who are aspiring to become teachers as well as the students, faculty and staff in the Canon-McMillan School District.”
James Longo, Ed.D., professor of education and chair of the department at W&J, said the Master Teacher Program is designed to offer resources and support to teachers, students and parents from districts with limited resources. “This has been a win-win partnership for our students, the College, and for our local school districts, their teachers, and their students,” Longo said.
This year, students from Canon-McMillan High School will visit W&J to participate in several arts events while Longo and W&J professors Richard and Patricia Easton will visit with students at Canon-McMillan.
Freeze, who holds a master’s in educational psychology from Duquesne University, is the second recipient of the grant. Last year, Mary Grace Stutzman was the master teacher selected from the Washington School District. Teachers from school districts in Washington, Greene and Fayette Counties in Pennsylvania and Wetzel County in West Virginia are eligible for the program.
