Christina New Named 2021 Teacher of the Year

Through her rigorous work ethic and care for her students, Cazenovia High School Business Teacher Christina New has been named Cazenovia Central School District’s 2021 Teacher of the Year!

Q: College Attended Undergraduate:

A: Cornell University 

Q: College Attended Graduate/Masters:

SUNY Oswego

Masters in Business Education 

Q: New York State Teacher Certification(s) and/or other credentials:

New York State Business Education and Work-Based Learning Coordinator

Q: Where did you complete your student teaching (if applicable)?

Fowler High School 

Q: What activities (sports, clubs, jobs, etc.) were you involved in as a high school student and college student?

In High School, I played Varsity Soccer and Lacrosse and in college, I played Rugby for a season.  In High School, I was on VAASA (Varsity Athletes Against Substance Abuse), Colors (Cultural Diversity Club), SADD (Students Against Drunk Driving), NHS (National Honor Society) and LENS (Leadership Club).  I was also the Student Government Secretary all through High School.  In college, I joined the Hospitality Club and was a member of the Ivory Tower Honor Society.  I also worked at Temptations Ice Cream Parlor in Nyack, NY. 

Q: Did your family or another person impact your decision to become an educator?

My mother was a High School ESL teacher and was always a huge inspiration to me.  My father was the CFO of a company in NYC.  I’m a perfect blend of them as a business teacher.  However, my husband Ben was a Middle School teacher and Varsity Wrestling, Lacrosse, and Football Coach.  He had such amazing relationships with his students and players. Even to this day, 20 years later, we are invited to their weddings.  I still admire how much he loves education and it was he who inspired me to change careers from Business Development to teaching in 2005.  Everyday before we leave the house for school he tells the kids, “make it a great day for learning.” 

Q: Where was your first teaching position?  What did you teach?  Did you work elsewhere before being hired as an employee at Cazenovia?

I first taught at Camden High School in 2005.  I taught HS Business English, Web Design, Sports Marketing, and then Keyboarding and Computer Applications to elementary school students.  It was so much fun!

Prior to teaching, I was a Business Development Manager at  Affiliated Computer Services and had several summer internships in NYC. 

Q: When did you start teaching/working at Cazenovia? 

2006

Q: Have you always been in education or did you start out doing something else?

I was a teaching assistant in a public speaking course at Cornell.  After graduation, I was actually offered the job to manage the Turning Stone Casino Spa, but turned it down to work in Business Development at ACS and do a little more travel.  

Q: When you started working at Cazenovia, who were some of the teachers that also started around the same time you did?

Kara Stauffer, a great HS Math teacher. 

Q: Please describe two to five moments as a teacher that you will never forget? Why? 

I’ll never forget all the Mr. Caz Pageants, Shark Tank Night, Sports Marketing events, going to states for DECA and being a class advisor.   This past summer, I traveled to Nashville for an Entrepreneurship Conference that was pretty incredible too.  

Q: What have been the biggest changes in the profession during your career?

My classes continue to change every year due to new technology being implemented and the content always changing.  I don’t think I cover anything totally the same year to year.

Q: What would you hope your teaching legacy might be? 

I just hope the students remember their CTE classes from HS as the classes that helped make a huge impact on their lives.  Our CTE Department consists of some of the best educators in the state in the areas of Tech, Ag, FCS and Business.  They all inspire me to be a better teacher everyday and I just hope the kids remember that I loved them and will always really care about them. 

Q: Please describe your family.

I have a husband named Ben, daughters Lexi and Caroline and a son named Christian. We also have a rescue dog named Rocky.  

Q: If you never became an educator, what career might you have had? Why?

If I never became an educator, I would have started my own business.  There may still be time for that though, we’ll see! I love to help people, so maybe it would be a non- profit.  I was a member of the Caz Covid response team this past year and I serve on the Chamber of Commerce Board.  

Q: Outside of your current position, what are your other interests/hobbies?

I am a soccer mom! haha! I also used to do triathalons a few years ago, need to push myself to get back into that! I like to bake cookies too much now 🙂  Its important to have a good work/life balance.  I’m very humbled to received this award.  Our district has an amazing group of educators, I’m just the lucky name called this year.  

HISTORY OF THE TEACHER OF THE YEAR AWARD

Each year, since 1983, the Cazenovia Central School District has honored one or more teachers for their outstanding accomplishments as an educator in our district. Nomination forms are sent to all members of the teaching staff in early June. When teachers nominate a colleague, they submit written explanations as to why a particular teacher should be considered for the Cazenovia Central School Teacher of the Year Award. In late June teachers, who have been previously been honored as Teacher of the Year, review the written nomination forms and select the individual to be honored. Previous “Teacher of the Year” recipients have been:

• 1983  Barry Parker
• 1984  Nancy Holland
• 1985  Margy Clancy
• 1986  Andy Lepine
• 1987  Walter Stroud
• 1988  Sybil Spaulding
• 1989  Frank DeGrenier
• 1990  Michele Decker
• 1991  Pamela Ryan
• 1992  William Paben
• 1993  Amy Conley
• 1994  Eric Jerabek
• 1995  Educators of Distinction Program
• 1996  Beverly Buck
• 1997  Mark Evans
• 1998  Deborah McCullough
• 1999  Ronald Luteran
• 2000  Christopher Hurd
• 2001  Bob Read
• 2002  Lorraine O’Connor
• 2003  Kurt Wheeler
• 2004  Nancy Kolwaite
• 2005  Maureen Carroll
• 2006  Marva Spuller
• 2007  Ellen Dougherty
• 2008  Lorraine Scheftic
• 2009  Mike Burns
• 2009  Vicki Reutter
• 2010  Mary Damon
• 2011  Nancy Saya
• 2012  Sean Kelly
• 2013  Margereta Sevier
• 2014  Robin Costello
• 2015  Sharon Gifford
• 2016  Catharine Taylor
• 2017  Teresa Campbell
• 2017  Kristen Axe
• 2018 Johanna Neugebauer
• 2019 Kimberly Schug
• 2020 Pam Rightmyre
• 2021 Christina New