Dr. Sheila Amato Longtime Massapequa Park resident and educator Dr.Sheila Amato, was honored by The Council for Exceptional Children Division on Visual Impairments with the Teacher of the Year Award. The presentation was made at the International Conference in Louisville, Kentucky on April 19.

Sheila Amato is a teacher of students who are blind or visually impaired for the East Meadow School District. The Teacher of the Year Award honors a person who is exceptionally dedicated, knowledgeable and a skilled certified Teacher of Students with visual impair- ments. She is recognized for her leadership as a teacher and leader in working with children who are blind or have vision loss. Her ability to connect to her students has been demonstrated many times over her career. In addition to her full-time teaching schedule, Dr. Amato teaches Braille in graduate programs at the university level.

Her peers nominated her because she inspires students of all backgrounds and abilities to learn, has the respect and admiration of students, parents, and colleagues and builds on the knowledge base of the profession.