North High teacher is tops

New York has recognized a Valley Stream North High School science teacher as one of the top educators in the state. Kim Libertini is one of 42 people on Long Island who have been named master teachers by the State University of New York.

“It’s an honor,” Libertini said. “It’s very exciting because you have the opportunity to work with all the other master teachers around the state.”

The master teacher program recognizes educators in science, math, technology and engineering, and 319 teachers statewide have received the honor since it was created last October.

Libertini, who grew up in upstate Dutchess County, did not initially explore teaching as a career path. She did science research for Cold Spring Laboratories from 1999 to 2002, primarily working on cancer treatments.

Through her work there, she mentored students at a private school in Oyster Bay in the sciences. Libertini soon discovered that her true calling was teaching, and she went on to earn a master’s in science education, with a concentration in biology.

She has been a teacher at North High for the past 12 years. This year she is teaching living environment and science research courses. She has taught several other electives in her time at North, including Advanced Placement environment science and marine biology, and has worked with students in every grade in the building, 7 through 12.

She and a co-teacher lead the science research program. In addition to a daily class, the teachers meet with students individually for a full period every two weeks. The students do individual projects, and rely on the expertise of their teachers to guide them through the research process.

“We’ve had a wealth of projects that span the spectrum of science,” Libertini said, adding that her students acquire research, organization, communication and presentation skills in the program. “These are skills that they carry with them through the rest of their lives.”

A science research student’s studies culminate with a 20-page paper and a presentation to a panel of judges. That’s why one-on-one attention is necessary, she explained.

Her goal as a teacher, she said, is to develop a mutual respect with her students. She said she also strives to be an expert in her field, and works to keep up with changes in the curriculum. “Science changes daily, and you have to be well read,” she said. “I hope that I serve as an excellent role model for success in science.”

Additionally, she wants her students to understand that learning is a lifelong activity that doesn’t end with high school graduation.

As a master teacher, Libertini will be required to attend 50 hours of programs, including lectures and workshops. She will also be asked to teach other educators a course or two, and will take part in a mentoring program to support teachers who are early in their careers. She and fellow Long Island master teachers will meet regularly at Stony Brook University. She will also receive a $15,000 stipend for four years.

Mentoring is not new to Libertini, who has been a part of the Valley Stream Central High School District’s program to aid first-year teachers. She has also worked with several student-teachers over the years, many of whom have gone on to become science teachers.

North High School Principal Cliff Odell said that Libertini has long demonstrated a commitment to becoming a better teacher. He cited her strong knowledge of science, her passion for working with students and her unmatched work ethic as reasons she was given the recognition. “I’m certainly not surprised that she was selected as a master teacher,” he said.

Odell said that Libertini also has numerous connections in her field, who occasionally serve as experts for her science research students.

Libertini earned a bachelor’s degree from SUNY New Paltz, a master’s from LIU Post and an administrative certificate from Stony Brook.

Since receiving the designation in April, she said, she has been congratulated by current and former students as well as her colleagues. She added that one of her greatest joys as a teacher is hearing from former students and learning of their successes.

Libertini said she considers North High School her second home, and that working there is worth the 45-minute commute from her home in Locust Valley. “I enjoy every day working with the people that I work with,” she said. “They’re supportive. The standards that they hold are the highest.”