On April 26, 2023, North Royalton City Schools announced the recipients of the second semester’s Crystal Starfish Teacher Award presented by First Federal of Lakewood.
At North Royalton Elementary School, kindergarten teacher Jennifer Strazzo was presented with the Crystal Starfish Teacher Award. Besides the award, she also received a $250 Professional Development Grant from First Federal of Lakewood. Strazzo was nominated by two families.
Excerpts of her nomination state:
Mrs. Strazzo has helped make our daughter's transition into school so much easier. She works with us when we know she is having challenges. Mrs. Strazzo helps to create solutions that are easy to understand for a five-year-old. She is always incredibly responsive and helpful whenever we reach out to her. She finds ways to treat all of the kids in a positive manner and I appreciate that she goes out of her way to make sure each child in her class loves school. In her class emails, she always makes sure to let us know that kids are at different levels and that is okay. I just appreciate how well she knows the kids and how much she has taught my daughter. My daughter truly loves school because of her.
Another parent wrote…This is our first year in school and while we navigated new challenges, Mrs. Strazzo has been amazing and such an excellent teacher and support to our children; we could not have been any luckier to end up in her class!
On May 3, Heather Madjar, a bus driver for North Royalton City Schools, was surprised with the recipient of the Crystal Starfish Support Staff Award. Various colleagues nominated Madjar.
Excerpts of her nomination state:
Heather has always taken the routes that support our students with the greatest needs. She is kind and caring. She always greets the children with a smile and "good morning or how was your day.
She provides a safe and welcoming bus ride. Heather communicates frequently with parents, working to provide them with a comfort level about the bus ride for parents who already have enough to worry about for their child. Staff trust her to take care of "their" kids on the ride and know that if a child needs individual support, Heather is willing to accommodate and provide for that need. She is a model for all of her colleagues.
The First Federal of Lakewood Crystal Starfish awards are presented to support staff members and teachers who make a difference in their schools and go above and beyond in all that they do. “Every day, teachers and staff of North Royalton City Schools are making a difference,” said Branch Operations Manager Endia Small, First Federal of Lakewood. “Our bank is honored to partner with the District, enabling these special individuals to be recognized publicly for their contributions.”
