Schools

Brooklyn Teacher Who Made His Own Remote Learning Site Wins $25K

The site, which Andrew Chiappetta built with his self-taught coding skills, is now used by the entire grade at his Carroll Gardens school.

The website built by a Brooklyn teacher is now used by the entire grade at his Carroll Gardens school.
The website built by a Brooklyn teacher is now used by the entire grade at his Carroll Gardens school. (Shutterstock)

BROOKLYN, NY — A Brooklyn teacher who built an entire website to help his special education students learn remotely during the coronavirus crisis has won $25,000 for his "teaching excellence," organizers announced this week.

Andrew Chiapetta, who teaches second grade at Carroll Gardens' Brooklyn New School, was one of five teachers chosen this year for the FLAG Award for Teaching Excellence top prize, which is awarded to one educator who went above and beyond in each of the five boroughs.

Chiapetta's prize comes after he used his self-taught coding skills to build a virtual classroom that is now used by the entire grade. His prize includes $25,000 cash and a $10,000 award for his school.

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"All of the teachers we’ve learned about through this process have shown that nothing — not even a global pandemic that took so much from so many — could stop them from innovating and creating spaces where students could learn, share, grow, and thrive,” said Glenn Fuhrman, Co-Founder of The FLAG Award for Teaching Excellence.

Chiapetta created the remote learning website in the week between when in-person classes ended and remote learning began in March 2020 after realizing Google Classroom would not be appropriate for his second grade special education classes.

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Then, he spent that summer improving the website so that it included two-way direct communication with the students, individualized scheduling, video lessons, assignments, and examples of classmates' work.

"The response was so positive — from students, parents, and faculty — that the website is now being used by the entire grade," FLAG wrote.

Chiappetta hopes the Brooklyn New School will use the prize money to purchase and renovate a shipping container to serve as a school art gallery, where older students can maintain the space and mentor younger student artists, according to the organization.

While he is the only top-prize winner from Brooklyn, FLAG also awarded six finalists and semi-finalists from the borough.

The finalists include Shola K. Roberts, from The School of Integrated Learning and Malika Willis, also from the Brooklyn New School, who both received $10,000. Semifinalists, who each got $2,500, include Donna Catapano, from JHS 278 Marine Park; Diane Frisone, from P.S. 506 School of Journalism and Technology; Megan Minturn, from Brooklyn International High School; and Nadya Robinson, from P.S. 261 Philip Livingston.

FLAG, in its second year of the awards, chose the winners from close to 1,000 nominations from students, parents, principals and colleagues.

An independent jury of education, community, and philanthropic leaders selected the winners.

“Teachers, students, administrators, and families are completing a school year unlike anything we have ever experienced before, and it is important that we take the time to honor what has been accomplished," said jury member Dr. Betty A. Rosa, Commissioner of Education and President of the University of the State of New York. "I am thrilled at this opportunity to recognize and celebrate our inspirational teachers."


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