Becky Pizzino 1760 was named The Diane Goldstein 1760 Chair for Excellence in the Teaching of Science during the end-of-year faculty/staff breakfast, which was held on Connor Quad on June 10, 2021. (SEE PHOTOS)

Pizzino, who serves as an Upper School Science Teacher, is the second teacher in Germantown Academy history to be honored with this award. The Diane Goldstein 1760 Chair for Excellence in the Teaching of Science was established in February 2019 and named after current Upper School Science Teacher Diane Goldstein 1760. This honor is awarded every three years to a current full-time member of the Lower, Middle, or Upper School science faculty who teaches three courses or more and has completed his/her third year of teaching at the Academy. The selection is based on outstanding teaching ability in science as well as the overall contributions of the faculty member to the Academy.

Head of School Rich Schellhas 1760 presented Pizzino with her chair. Goldstein introduced Pizzino:

Before I begin, I want to recognize that Craig Newberger 1760, the first recipient of this chair, could not be with us today to speak. His work over the past two years in the world of science has been remarkable, and I am hopeful that he knows how much love we have for him.  

I would also like to mention how honored I am to be able to present our next recipient of the Diane Goldstein Chair for Excellence in the Teaching of Science. This is a reminder that a wonderful member of the GA community decided to make an anonymous donation. It is with this spirit of selfless contribution that I would like to begin speaking about this year’s recipient.  

“To be or not to be," that is the question asked of all of us, each day, each class, each moment we are representing this community. To be supportive of our students and colleagues, to be an engaging teacher year after year, to be a beloved House Head, to be here early to prepare, to be giving extra help to a student, to be guiding an advisee, to be collecting money for our department gifts for colleagues, to be a mentor to too many to count new biology faculty, to be here when there is a power outage to take care of the aquatic life tanks, to be a friend, and finally just to be the Queen Bee Keeper! 

By now you may already know that we are so lucky to have Becky Pizzino as a member of our community and I know she will do wonderful things while sitting in her new chair.  Becky is - simply put –a generous soul. She gives or her time and energy always; she is the first to say yes to organizing our faculty breaks and stays for the clean-up. She has spent countless hours helping Marine Biology students play the Ocean Knowledge Bowl, the Honors Biology students complete independent projects, and the AP Biology students master the curriculum.Whatever she touches - improves. She has touched all our lives and we are better for that.  

Although the list of accolades that Becky has received is lengthy, I thought I would provide two small insights into her character. Hopefully these two personal interactions say enough. Becky was the first person I met at GA, way back in 1995, pushing a tank with turtles in the hallway on a hot August day when GA was desperately seeking to hire a physics teacher. There were only three people in the building that day, Tony Garvin doing the interview, myself, and Becky - working. … Years later, Becky asked me if I could pick up her daughter Josie from daycare when I was getting my kids as she was going to be late returning from a class field trip to the Jersey Shore. Sure enough, Becky comes back with a beautiful mug from the gift shop for me for just picking up Josie. The problem was, I forgot to get Josie. I ran back to GA and got her, and drank guiltily from that coffee mug for many years.  

Becky has been working tirelessly improving life for her students and colleagues for years, in a quiet, anonymous and selfless way. 

Now it is time to grab the glory in public - Here’s to you – the generous Queen Bee – Becky Pizzino!