Massachusetts Teachers Honored for Significant Impact on Advanced Placement Student Success

The Partners in Excellence event celebrated the achievements of 18 award-winning teachers, school and district leaders, and Massachusetts Representative Alice Peisch.

April 20, 2022 – Boston, Massachusetts – Mass Insight Education & Research (Mi) held its 10th annual Partners in Excellence awards ceremony on Tuesday, April 12th in Worcester. Advanced Placement (AP) STEM and English teachers from across the Commonwealth were honored for their significant impact in increasing academic opportunities for underserved students as measured by the success of their students. 

Mi President & CEO Susan F. Lusi, Ph.D., addressed the crowd of 125 attendees.  “We are thrilled to celebrate the achievements of AP teachers who are making a difference every day in the lives of their students.  The effects of COVID-19 and systemic racism have dramatically highlighted how much work needs to be done along the road to educational equity and all our Partners in Excellence honorees have worked tirelessly to help their students succeed.” 

In addition to celebrating outstanding teachers, four special awards were presented: the Lawrie A. Bertram Award, the Michael G. Contompasis Leadership Award, the Program Innovation Award, and the Chairman’s Award. 

The Michael G. Contompasis Leadership Award was presented by Contompasis himself to Dr. Lindsa McIntyre of Boston Public Schools, who has shown deep investment in expanding access and success in AP courses. Superintendent Dr. Brenda Cassellius said of McIntyre in recorded remarks, “She represents true leadership, dedication, and commitment to education and the students in the city of Boston.” 

Chairman’s Award recipient Massachusetts Representative Alice Peisch, co-chair of the Joint Committee on Education, has been a longtime champion of the AP STEM & English program, which provides college-level coursework and support in underserved districts throughout Massachusetts. 

“Massachusetts was recently ranked #1 in the nation for the fifth time in the last six years for AP success,” said Mass Insight Board Chair Gary Evee.  “We want to thank Rep. Peisch for her leadership and valuing the Advanced Placement program as a critical and necessary tool for making higher education more affordable and accessible for our state’s high school students.” 

Mass Insight’s 2022 Partners in Excellence winners are: 

AP Science 

• Arlyn Bottcher, AP Biology, Dartmouth High School 
• Farrah Ekbatani, AP Biology, Dracut High School 
• Brendan O’Neill, AP Environmental Science, B.M.C. Durfee High School 
• Minda Shaheen, AP Environmental Science, Methuen High School 
• Dr. Sherri Svedine-Gaskalka, AP Chemistry, Springfield Central High School 
• Brian Walsh, AP Physics, Ludlow High School 

AP Math 

• Alexander Lak, AP Statistics, Chicopee Comprehensive High School 
• Heather Magnus, AP Statistics, Agawam High School 
• Dylan Piehl, AP Computer Science Principles, Shepherd Hill Regional High School 
• Michael Reagan, AP Calculus, Chicopee Comprehensive High School 
• Caroline Rossi, AP Calculus, South High Community School 
• Jeffrey M. Weisenberg, AP Computer Science A, Doherty Memorial High School 

AP English 

• April Clark, AP English Language, Joseph Case High School 
• Ann Willard Fifield, AP English Language, Dartmouth High School 
• Courtney Henry, AP English Language, Nipmuc Regional High School 
• Leann E. Ledoux, AP English Literature, South High Community School 
• Felicia Prass, AP English Literature, Excel High School 

Special Awards 

• Lawrie A. Bertram Award – Kellie Moulin, South High Community School 
• Chairman’s Award – the Honorable Alice Peisch 
• Michael G. Contompasis Leadership Award – Dr. Lindsa McIntyre, Boston Public Schools 
• Program Innovation Award – Chelsea High School, John D. O’Bryant School of Mathematics and Science, Worcester North High School, Springfield Central High School