Knightly News

Each year, Episcopal is honored to recognize three talented and thriving faculty members with the Newton Distinguished Faculty Award. Patty and Carl Newton established the Newton Distinguished Faculty Award more than 10 years ago because they believe that excellent teachers make a tremendous difference in the lives of students. The Newtons are very grateful for the positive impact that the teachers at Episcopal had on their children. Since 2013, three Newton Distinguished Faculty recipients have been recognized annually and awarded a stipend to support their continued professional development.

Congratulations to this year’s award recipients.

Jenny Koenig ’01
Lower School Religion Teacher

“As an alumna, faculty member, and parent, Jenny exudes all that makes Episcopal the special place it is and represents the dedication required for teaching excellence,” Lower School Division Head Beth Gardner wrote in Koenig’s nomination. “Jenny’s deep faith and joyful teaching spirit inspire us all.”

Episcopal has always been Koenig’s second home, and now she serves students as the Lower School religion teacher. “In Jenny’s classroom, you’ll always find her with a ready hug, the biggest and brightest smile, and a true heart for sharing God’s word,” says Gardner. “Always on the search for exceptional religion curricula and lessons to teach this wide age range, Jenny makes sure the learning in her classroom is developmentally appropriate, inspiring, and welcoming of all beliefs.”

In addition to leading religion lessons, Koenig assists with Lower School community service projects, such as prayers and messages for veterans, children’s book collections and food drives. She also dedicates considerable time and talent to organizing the daily Morning Meeting and chapel services. “Jenny’s leadership of these cherished community gatherings is always thoughtful, organized, and celebratory,” says Gardner.

Nancy Callaway
Middle School Math Teacher

“Nancy Callaway is quite simply a phenomenal teacher,” Middle School Division Head Mark Engstrom wrote in Callaway’s nomination. “I imagine that she was the kind of student who enjoyed fun classes, being challenged, and interacting with her classmates…because that’s exactly the type of student learning experiences she offers to our students each and every day.”

A longtime Episcopal teacher, Callaway finds creative ways to make sixth grade math engaging. Engstrom praised her for teaching students “real world skills like how to figure out a tip when you eat at a restaurant.” In addition, Callaway created online summer learning opportunities for students who wanted supplemental math practice. “Whether it is volunteering to go on MoRanch for many, many years, serving as a Grade Level Leader, writing math admissions tests, building lessons for hundreds of students, and just generally being a great person to be around and know, Nancy makes Episcopal a better school,” says Engstrom.

Dawn Burton
Upper School English Teacher

“Beyond her role in the classroom, Dawn Burton is a lifelong learner, continually seeking professional development through workshops, publications, and discussions about language and literature education,” wrote Upper School Division Head Tom Forti. “She works hard to be a supportive colleague, mentor and guide those around her, and collaborates with her talented and diverse Episcopal coworkers, saying she has so much to learn from them.” Recently, Burton studied artificial intelligence and the technology’s potential impact on the classroom. “She’s dedicated to embracing these changes with purpose and integrating them into her work and for students,” says Forti.

Burton’s extensive travels positively impact her Upper School English classroom experiences. She began teaching at a Montessori school in China and spent more than a decade teaching in Belgium before moving to Louisiana. Now a veteran educator, Burton offers university-inspired, non-traditional learning experiences to Upper School English students. “She works hard to foster innovation and encourage her students to explore, indulge their curiosity, experiment, and discover thoughtfully (and sometimes with wild abandon) through project-based learning,” says Forti.

Please join us in congratulating the 2024 Newton Distinguished Faculty Award recipients! Share a message for them in the comments section below.

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