Spotlight on: Laura Scalise
December 2024 High School Teacher of the Month
The Student Council decides monthly student and teacher awards with a specific category each month. The category for December 2024 focused on community involvement.
The Senior Student of the Month awards go to two seniors per month who are nominated and voted on by Student Council members in grades 9-11.
The High School Teacher of the Month award goes to one teacher per month who is nominated and voted on by Student Council members in grades 9-12. All Teachers of the Month become eligible to become Teacher of the Year in June.
The December 2024 Senior Students of the Month are Fauziatu Ibrahim and Patrick Rowley. The December 2024 High School Teacher of the Month is Laura Scalise.
Read a Q&A with Laura Scalise below.
Q. What motivated you to get involved in the community alongside your teaching responsibilities?
A. I was motivated to get involved with the community from the best. I watched my father, Gary Ruff; his best friend, Ray Lenarcic; my grandfather, Herbert Ruff, and my father-in-law, Dominick Scalise, serve the community in many different capacities. They taught me life lessons, and two that stuck are: that you should always treat people from all walks of life with kindness and try to help out where you can. I also used to tag along with my mother, Karen Ruff, who worked in the nursing home for decades, and watch how she interacted with the elderly and fostered a caring environment for them. To her, it was more than just a job.
Q. How does it feel to be recognized as Teacher of the Month for community involvement?
A. I am honored and humbled because I know so many teachers who give a lot to our school community and their communities at home. I appreciate the students recognizing this.
Q. Can you tell us about a specific project or initiative you’re most proud of?
A. Caroline Lampert, Mary Tomaso and I worked hard to ensure Herkimer was among the first in this region to implement the Seal of Civic Readiness. The program has taken off, and students are excited to impact our community positively.
Q. Has your work in the community influenced how you approach teaching in the classroom?
A. I teach students to get involved. A sense of belonging to a community is powerful. When the individual serves, he or she is the one who is enhanced. I make this the very base of my government curriculum.
Q. How do you inspire your students to get involved in community activities?
A. As government teachers, students must complete 12 hours of community service. This allows them to experience what it is like to help others and make a positive impact. My goal is that they want to continue their service to the community well beyond the 12 hours expected. Also, I am just a doer, so hopefully, my actions speak louder than words.
Q. Are there any school-related projects you’ve integrated into your community involvement?
A. There have been a few. My civics class raised awareness for the Ukraine War, and we sent money to World Central Kitchen. We also donated to those in need in the Super Sandy Storm. I also helped foster, along the side of Mrs. Lampert, the signs in place of the school on Church Street for no parking during the busy school hours. I also worked with Mrs. McCutcheon on the big mural at the VFW and other smaller projects on Main Street. Ms. Baker is another great individual who inspires me, and I help out with any of her projects she is doing. The Senior Lock-In is another event I am proud of keeping intact since 2005, when I took it over from my mother-in-law, Elena Scalise, and Patricia Meszler, to ensure prom goers have a place to go that will foster a fun and safe environment.
Q. What advice would you give to other teachers or students looking to make a difference in their communities?
A. Students and staff can examine the needs of their community, decide what will make a difference, create a plan of action, and then implement it. Our community is overly generous and still has that small-town feel. If someone is in need, so many are willing to help out, and that is special. You do not get that feeling somewhere else.
Q. Do you have any future community projects or goals you’re excited about?
A. We are currently working on our Holiday Shoe Project, which gives a little cheer to our high school students during the holidays. This project could not be supported without our amazing HCSD staff and community members.
I have a great support network here at school and in the community, so I assume something will be on the horizon soon.