Cougar Kudos for March 2026

Congratulations to the staff members who received Cougar Kudos this month for going above and beyond at North Rose-Wolcott! Kudos are presented in alphabetical order by last name.

All community members are invited to nominate any NRW staff member for Cougar Kudos! To submit your own shoutout for one of our staff members, please visit www.nrwcs.org/kudos to fill out a brief form. Recipients are posted every month to our website and social media channels.

 

Catherine Arns, Teacher, NRW Elementary School

“She works intentionally to build a positive and supportive classroom environment, fostering strong relationships and encouraging every student to do their best. Her patience, encouragement, and belief in her students truly make a lasting impact.”

 

Scott Baker, Teacher, NRW Elementary School

“Mr. Baker makes gym class so much fun! My kids always have something fun to tell me about the games they play in gym. Mr. Baker makes the kids feel included and important. Thank you!”

 

John Bittner and Miranda Motyka, Counselor and Social Worker, NRW Elementary School

“Mr. Bittner and Ms. Motyka are a great team to help the students at NRW Elementary. They give the students an outlet to talk confidently and help them work through problems. They are supportive and kind and respectfully listen to the students, no matter their needs. Fantastic counselors!”

 

Sara Boogaard, School Psychologist, NRW Middle School

“She has been truly amazing! She is making sure all of my child’s teachers are on the same page, keeping me updated throughout the day, and trying to help us.”

 

Jeremy Briggs, Director of Technology

“In the short time that Jeremy has been at NRW, he has made a huge impact on the technology department. He has created processes that make the replacement and repair of things much more efficient. Thank you for all your hard work!”

 

Paige Dapolito, School Nurse, NRW Elementary School

“She always goes above and beyond regarding my child’s health, medicine and appointments. She is the absolute greatest.”

 

Dan Davis, Bus Driver

“Mr. Dan is such a kind, thoughtful person and has such patience. Mr. Dan always waits to make sure our child can catch the bus even if she is running a bit late getting out of the house. He is always kind to our daughter and even has asked her how our son, a graduate who he drove in the past, is doing. Mr. Dan is the best bus driver and we appreciate him. He is a great human and we are so grateful he is our daughter’s bus driver. He makes her day better.”

 

Stacy Denisi, Teacher, NRW Elementary School

“She always has a smile on her face, works through any obstacles with grace and professionalism, rises to any challenge, creates a welcoming environment in her classroom, fosters trust with her students each and every year, and she makes learning fun. She balances home and school life effortlessly even if she has a lot on her plate - she never shows it while at school. I am proud to have met her when I started at NRWE and have continued to be coworkers and friends all these years. Thank you for all you do for our district and students. You are one of a kind and a real treasure for NRW.”

 

Elizabeth DeStephano, Teacher, NRW Elementary School

“Mrs. DeStephano is one of the kindest teachers a parent could ask for. She truly leads with compassion and understanding.”

 

Stephanie Drollette, Teacher Aide, NRW Elementary School

“Our classroom runs smoothly because of her support, and our students benefit greatly from the care and encouragement she provides every day. We are very lucky to have her as part of our team.”

 

Joy Fields, School Psychologist, NRW Elementary School

“She is very patient even when she’s dealing with a very stubborn child and a child who has really bad separation anxiety who needs to be reassured.”

 

Tracy Frazer and Tina Guerra, Teacher Aide and Teaching Assistant, NRW Elementary School

“Tracy and Tina are absolutely wonderful in the Cougar Care Room. They give the children a quiet place to de-stress and work on controlling their emotions. They help them in academic areas also. They are compassionate and caring. They are a safe haven for children who are going through many different issues. It’s such a great program with great people being there for the students.”

 

Christy Grimsley, Teacher Aide, NRW Elementary School

“She consistently shows kindness, patience, and a willingness to help wherever it’s needed. She supports our students with compassion and positivity and is always ready to step in to assist both students and staff.”

 

Kayli Gropp, Teacher, NRW Elementary School

“Her calm, caring approach helps create a safe and inclusive environment where students feel understood, respected, and encouraged to grow. She meets challenges with grace and always keeps students’ needs at the center of her work.”

 

Karen Landean, Teaching Assistant, NRW High School

“She’s always outgoing, positive and cares a lot for her students.”

 

Brielle LaBounty, Messenger

“Brielle is the go-to worker for managing our mail and deliveries. She is always available and is a great co-worker. I appreciate all the work she handles.”

 

Daniel Kim, Teacher, NRW Elementary School

“Mr. Kim is an amazing teacher who creates strong relationships with students and families, not to mention the fact that he’s pretty talented with a Rubik’s cube too!”

 

Christina King, Teacher, NRW Elementary School

“Ms. King went out of her way to seek me out to tell me some very positive information about my daughter. She told me how proud she is of her. I was so happy to hear her recognize some of my daughter’s strengths. Ms. King has been a very positive role model for my daughter. Thank you!”

 

Kristi King, Teacher, NRW Elementary School

“Mrs. King always makes gym class fun!”

 

Whitney Markwica and Caroline Strub, Teachers/Musical Directors, NRW High School

“Caroline and Whitney poured so much time and effort into the high school musical and the final product was amazing. The kids were lucky to have them as directors.”

 

Dawn McIntyre, Teacher, NRW Elementary School

“Mrs. McIntyre is a wonderful teacher. Her classroom is an amazing example of a welcoming and affirming environment where NRWE students can learn and grow.”

 

Melissa Minichiello, Teacher, NRW Middle School

“Ms. Minichiello has been patient and understanding with my daughter during Math WIN time. She helps her out with any corrections for her math work and when all work is done my daughter loves playing UNO.”

 

Megan Paliotti, Assistant Superintendent for Instruction

“I really appreciate Megan’s steady leadership, sense of humor, and willingness to listen even when she has a million other things going on. She is the best!”

 

Amanda Paylor, Secretary, NRW High School

“She goes out of her way to help students and staff members when they need help. She also helps in the office and finds coverage for staff members. She always gets the job done with a positive attitude and mindset.”

 

Erik Pentycofe, Teacher, NRW High School

“Erik has been helping my child, who is not in his class, for the better part of this year thus far. He’s been a friend, a resource, a safe place and a great help teaching her what she’s not understanding. He’s given up lunch hours and afterschool time to help her. So appreciated!”

 

Meagan Pentycofe, Instructional Coach, NRW Elementary School

“She consistently goes above and beyond to support both staff and students. Her positive attitude, thoughtful guidance, and willingness to jump in wherever needed truly make a difference. We are so grateful for the impact she has on our school community.”

 

McKenna Purcell, Teacher, NRW Elementary School

“Ms. Purcell is an amazing teacher who welcomes students with open arms and consistently fills her classroom with positivity and kindness.”

 

Lindsey Roberts, Teacher, NRW Elementary School

“She is always finding innovative and engaging ways to reach her students, ensuring that each one feels seen, supported, and capable of success. Her willingness to try new approaches and think outside the box makes a meaningful difference in both student growth and confidence.”

 

Lisa Roffo, Tutor, Cougar OPS

“Over the past several months, Lisa has served as a tutor for our child and her impact on her academic and emotional well-being has been nothing short of transformative. Our daughter has been enduring an unimaginable health journey which would be enough to sideline any student, yet Lisa has ensured that our child didn’t just “stay afloat,” she thrived. Lisa’s ability to maintain the high standards required for an advanced student across a full curriculum is a testament to her expertise and dedication. Perhaps most importantly, Lisa demonstrates incredible emotional intelligence. She meets our daughter exactly where she is each day. On days when the pain is all-consuming, Lisa manages to make progress in just one hour. On ‘good days,’ she knows exactly when and how to push our daughter toward growth and academic challenge. Beyond the lesson plans, Lisa provides a sense of normalcy and consistency during a time of medical chaos. She doesn’t just teach - she partners with our family to ensure our daughter’s education remains a priority without compromising her health. Lisa Roffo is a credit to the Cougar OPS program. Her dedication has kept our daughter on track with her peers and, more importantly, kept her confident in her own abilities despite her physical limitations. We are profoundly grateful for her presence in our lives.”

 

Jennifer Searls, SPOA Coordinator

“Our school district is very lucky to have her! She has helped us so much! She listens and helps come up with solutions and on days we really need help or encouragement, she is ALWAYS there! I appreciate you so much!”

 

Crystal Shaft, Monitor, NRW Middle School

“She makes me happy and she’s nice to people.”

 

Nick Wojieck, Teacher, NRW High School

“Woj has been a tremendous support for my child this year both personally and academically. He’s given her a sounding board, a safe place to eat lunch, stay after when needed, and just be herself. He’s worked with her to understand Earth Science for countless hours and reassures her of her own potential. He often, if not daily, makes sure that she’s had something to eat for lunch. He’s been there to make coming into a new school a good transition, showing her the ins and outs, giving her solid advice, calming her concerns and all around just being an awesome human. I’m so grateful that my child has an amazing teacher like him to help guide her through her first and subsequent years in high school!”