A Suffolk County teacher was just given a top honor by the state education department.
Emiliano Geoninatti, from the Three Village School District, has been named the 2027 New York State Teacher of the Year!
Geoninatti teaches 7th and 8th grade Spanish at Robert Cushman Murphy Middle School in Stony Brook.
Currently in his 19th year, the educator has dedicated his career to fostering language proficiency and a lasting appreciation for world languages and cultures.
Beyond academics, he is said to be committed to student well-being, hosts new families at ENL nights, and is an advisor to the World Language Club and Honor Society.
“Mr. Geoninatti’s approach to teaching goes beyond the classroom, helping students become global citizens who understand how to apply their learning in meaningful ways,” said NYSED Commissioner Betty A. Rosa.
“He has created a classroom where students are not simply learning because they have to, but because they are engaged with the material, with one another, and with the world around them,” Chancellor Lester W. Young, Jr. added.
Geoninatti will now serve as an ambassador for New York State teachers and will also be the state’s nominee for the National Teacher of the Year, which is announced in the spring.
Additionally, Jack Chen, a Pre-Engineering teacher from the Sewanhaka Central High School District was honored as one of three finalists for this award.