2021 Middle School YearbooK Dedicated To Mr. Byrne - Newark ...

2021 Middle School YearbooK
   Dedicated To Mr. Byrne

W           hen Newark Middle School 7th and 8th grade
            science teacher Spencer Byrne learned June 10th that
            the 2021 yearbook had been dedicated to him, the
virtual announcement, while endearing, was much different than in
previous years before COVID restricJons.
        Before the 2019-20 school year, NMS staff members would be surprised with the
announcement at the tail
end of a mid-June morning
assembly in the packed NMS
auditorium where excited
students and staff would
jump to their feet and give
the honored recipient a
standing ovaJon.
         But Byrne graciously
said later the virtual
announcement made over
the school’s public address
system at the end of the
school day June 10 was every
bit as meaningful under the
circumstances and something
he won’t forget.
        Especially because
four eighth grade students _
Jeff Hernandez, Dominick
Wheaton, Leeann Titus and
Jessica Brown _ stated their
reasons in the
announcement about why
they felt he was worthy of
such an honor. Including
these glowing words by
Hernandez who said that he
was “the highest quality
teacher, mentor, friend
anyone could ask for.”
        “His students know
when they walk into his
classroom that they are in
the company of a caring,
knowledgeable, highly-
respected teacher,”
Hernandez said so?ly. Mr. Byrne is also a very kind and amazing person to every single person in this
building. He makes us want to come back to class every single day and never miss a class.”
        The dedicaJon announcement is included in the Yearbook DedicaJon and Memorial Awards
Assembly video here: h[ps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMnJj40_pgo

Mandy Armstrong, secretary to NMS Principal Teresa Prinzi who also became the
yearbook advisor/editor this year, surveyed eighth graders at the beginning of the school
year, asking them who they would like the yearbook to be dedicated to.
          Byrne received the highest number of votes.
          “The enJre 8th grade was given a survey to select who to dedicate the yearbook
to, why they felt the nominee deserved the honor, what their favorite memory is with
their nominee, and what PRIDE recogniJon they would give to their nominee and why,”
Armstrong recalled later.
          “The feedback from the 8th grade class was overwhelming. They not only had
incredibly kind things to say about Mr. Byrne, but they also had kind things to say about
many of the teachers at the Middle School.”
          “I was surprised,” Byrne recalled a few days later. “It was truly an honor. Even
though it’s been a tough and really challenging year for all of us, the yearbook dedicaJon
made me realize I really am making a difference.”
          During the pre-recorded virtual announcement, the four students who spoke
about Byrne, appeared at his classroom door with a copy of the yearbook.
          All of Byrne’s students in his last period class stood up and applauded him. He
said he could even hear other classes cheering during the announcement throughout the
hallway.

Byrne, who is just
compleJng his fourth year of
teaching at NMS, received his
Bachelor of Science degree in
Biology EducaJon from SUNY
Cortland and his Master’s
Degree in Biology Science from
SUNY Brockport.
        Before coming to the
Newark Central School District ,
he taught 7th-9th grade science
and 11th and 12th grade
environmental science in the
Franklin Central School District.
        A Penfield resident,
Byrne will marry his college
sweetheart Natalie Gregory, a
veterinarian at the Pi[sford
Animal Hospital, July 31st.
        At the end of the
dedicaJon announcement, Prinzi
said that on behalf of the enJre
school she was giving a “huge
shout-out to Mr. Byrne” and
congratulated him on being the
honoree.
        Prinzi also noted earlier
that the year “captures memories of our lives and allows us to reflect on them for many years to come.”
        Like other challenges resulJng from COVID restricJons this last year, puing the yearbook together
was another one of them because there were so few events held.
        “The enJre yearbook consists of photos sent to me (electronically) by students, parents and staff,’’
Armstrong gratefully said later.

                                                              Thanks to Mandy
                                                           Armstrong for providing
                                                           photos and graphics for
                                                                 this story!