MCS cites Teacher and Support Staff of the Year

Mount Carmel School celebrates 2006 Catholic Schools Week from Jan. 29 to Feb. 3. As part of that week, MCS will feature profiles on different members of the school family: A student, a parent, alumni, a teacher, a staff member, and the school itself. Today’s profile is on the MCS’ Teacher and Support Staff of the Year.

On Jan. 31 MCS recognized, for the second year in a row, its Teacher of the Year and Support Staff of the Year.
This year’s Teacher of the Year is third grade teacher Armi Cucal. The Support Staff of the Year is the school’s business manager Edna Renales.

Teacher of the Year: Armi Cucal

Since earning her bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Armi Cucal has been teaching for the past 21 years. The last eight years have been spent at MCS.

“I’m very proud of teaching at MCS. Its name alone denotes faith, excellence, and success.” As she put it, the school “is a home of great achievement.”

A sincere love for students has kept Cucal in the teaching profession. “I care about children and I want to make a difference in their lives. It’s a tremendous accomplishment when I see them grow as thinkers, readers, performers, writers, and individuals.”

Cucal especially appreciates teaching at a Catholic school. “In Catholic education, faith is at the center of our education. We teach and share this faith.”

We asked about her thoughts on this year’s Catholic Schools Week themes: Character, compassion, and values, she responded, “These three simple words are not frivolous. They play a significant part if embedded in the lives of the young.”

Standing next to two equally great nominees for the Teacher of the Year, Cucal was very surprised to hear her name called. “I was flabbergasted when I was called as Teacher of the Year.”

“I was really elated and overjoyed with this prestigious award. I owe this to God who helped me reach this.”

Support Staff of the Year: Edna Renales

Edna Renales first came to MCS in March of 1991 as an accountant, making next month her 15th year at the school. In 1998, she was promoted to her current position as business manager.

When asked why she has stayed at the school so long, she said, “I like it here. I can’t imagine life out of Mount Carmel School. I feel comfortable here.” She added, “For me this is the best place to be.”

Renales’ faith in the school is rooted in her faith in Catholic education. As proof of this, her daughter is enrolled in the first grade at Mount Carmel, and her three sons have all attended Catholic schools in the Philippines.

“I believe in Catholic education. I want my children to have a strong foundation as Catholics, to know what it really means to be Catholics.”

Of this year’s theme for Catholic Schools Week, Renales said character, compassion, and values are the heart of Catholic education. “With character, students become good people. With compassion, they learn how to understand and appreciate what they have and learn to help other people who are less fortunate. And with values, they learn the morality and the teachings of the Church.”

When she learned that she was selected as the Support Staff of the Year, she was both excited and surprised. “If you’re the accountant, you’re usually unpopular.” However, with her selection, she now knows that despite the unpopularity of accountants, people value her work. “I feel really happy.” (PR)