Better Beginnings Award one-page Fact Sheet (PDF)

Past Better Beginnings Award Winners (PDF)

2008 Better Beginnings Award Winner is Selected

Mrs. Stephanie Ida

1st and 3rd Grade Inclusion Teacher

Medford Elementary School

Patchogue-Medford School District

The NYS Department of Education is pleased to announce that Mrs. Stephanie Ida has been awarded the 2008 Better Beginning Award.  Mrs. Ida joins a list of past winners of this award that celebrates the life and career of Helen Bach Moss. Mrs. Ida’s achievements exemplify the purpose of the Better Beginnings Award which is: 

• to recognize and reward teaching excellence at the elementary level;

• to promote the Regents goal that all students will have qualified teachers; and,

• to recognize that better beginnings make for stronger completions.

The winner is honored at a ceremony, coordinated by the school, which highlights the roles of the teacher, the school community, the students, and the parents & family in the success of education.

In the tradition of the Better Beginnings Award, the presentation of the award occurred on October 22nd, at Medford Elementary School.

Introductory Letter for the 2009 Better Beginnings Award (PDF)

Better Beginnings Award 2009 Nomination packet (MS WORD)

Better Beginnings Award 2009 Nomination Packet (PDF)

Nominations Due June 8, 2009

The award, which is sponsored by the Board of Regents, celebrates the life and career of Helen Bach Moss, a NYS educator who passed away in 1988. Mrs. Moss touched the lives of many people, and her career was distinguished by a genuine respect for and love of children. She was ever caring toward students and their parents and acted as a worthy role model in all of her endeavors. Her family and friends petitioned the Board of Regents to establish a memorial fund and provided an endowment to award a cash stipend of $1,000 to an elementary teacher. This award competition recognizes early childhood education as the most effective investment for long-term educational success.

The spirit of the award, is that better beginnings make for stronger completions. It strives to recognize elementary teachers who are gifted in finding and nurturing the strengths of each student and fostering trusting relationships among pupils, parents, teachers, and administrators.

The awardee is honored at an award ceremony held at the discretion of the local school community.

Nominees must be teachers currently teaching at the elementary level (N-6) and appropriately credentialed in New York State, who are skilled at engaging young minds and developing nurturing relationships with elementary school students.

2007 Better Beginnings Award winner

Linda Kelly armour

of the duanesburg central sCHOOL dISTRICT

2007 Better Beginnings Award Recipient - MS. LINDA KELLY ARMOUR- Duanesburg Central School District - (PDF)

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