Mr. Rowland in 8th grade at HMS and Ms. (Dr.) Klein at BHS.

Tim Robbins and Mike Silianoff were big for me as a young athlete at Baldwin High School. I wish that I knew what I know now when they were showing me how to play football. In other words, I appreciate them so much more today.

I still talk about the impact that Ms. Tranquilli had on me and my life. Though I wouldn't have said so then, and she probably didn't even realize it. She was tough, but fair, and always somehow managed to subtly provide personal "life" advice, whether in a brief face-to-face conversation after class, or just a short, poignant blurb on top of my term paper. Some of the things she said to me, or wrote on my papers, really stuck with me. Not to mention the actual lessons she taught... SEXI anyone? :)

Does anyone know who the school librarian was at Wallace Elementary School in 1954-55? She changed my life!

As a Baldwin Alum and now a guardian of a student in the district, I have different views of what a "good" teacher is. For me, Mrs. Gleeson, Mr. Fry, Ms. Knapp, Mr. Janosko, Mr. Rowland, Mr. Dick, Mr. Solenday, Mr. Barkey (can you tell I liked Math?)... they all have qualities that make them special to me and my times throughout school. Now from the "parent" point of view of a special needs student, I view teachers differently in how they affect the will and drive of a student to overcome adversity to "fit in" and succeed... Mr. Laughlin and Mrs. Schrader are the 2 that stick out in my mind as the ones that have brought the most positivity forth over the past few years.

I think that who is the "best" teacher is really an unfair question because everyone will have different views from different situations. Perhaps which teacher has effected you the most, would be a better phrasing?

Strongly agree with the Mike Silianoff pick, he was probably one of the most influential people in my life growing up. I also have to say in my younger years Ms. Knapp and Mr. Jaszcar were among my favorites.

The teachers that I always thought of as the best were the ones who managed to teach you well about their subject but also teach you well about life. Those individuals, for me, were Mme (Madame) Schindler, Mme Frye and Miss Kondrot ("consider the source!") at BHS. Middle school I was very close with Mrs. Prutz who taught my orchestra class and my private piano lessons. She was a great instructor and a good friend.

I'm going to go back to gradeschool and say Mr. Brennfleck and Mr. Pasquerella(sp?). Middle school was Mr. Rowland and in highschool there were Mr. Barkey and Mr. McKinney. All amazing teachers! Too hard to narrow it down to just one!

I would have to say Mr Ellis, and Mr Timmons from High School, Mr. Thorn and Mr. Barlett from Harrison, and Ms. Metrose, and Mr. Pollack from Whitehall Elementary.

Mr. Ellis and Mr. McKinney and Ms. Levy

Mrs Hayes!!! She has made a BIG impact on the children of this school district!

Many great teachers come to mind--Pam Livingston, Noretta Willig, Mr Jeffries, Mr Amodeo---I am of The Class of 1976. All the BHS teachers are to be applauded! Concerning myself, you have helped to make an adjunct professor, instill a love of learning, to be granted an MSN, but most important--to have been taught respect for ourselves, and others, that fun on the job is OK. I would lastly like to remember the student who took his life by suicide in my class. We were never told why---but I can guess.
Each and every teacher deserves a big Thank You--you hardly ever get to know the outcomes of your work---be assured you did not teach in vain. May God Bless You.

My kids unfortunately went to the BW district. As a parent of these kids, I cannot come up with too many good teachers and am in total disagreement with some of the alleged good teachers listed above. Starting at McAnnulty Mr. Janosko was an amazing teacher of young children. Mrs. Burger Loy was also very good. Mrs. Urban was horrible and should not have had the privilege of even being around young children. Ms. Knapp was quite ineffective as a teacher as she spent much of the time yelling at her students or her head was put down on her desk. At Whitehall there were only two standouts and they were Mrs. DeMarco and Mr. Pearson. No one at Harrison was worth calling good. The front office staff included a woman who was so nasty when you entered the office like you were bothering her or something. A particular nurse was incompetent at her job. The principal there named Mr. Sears was always rude. One of my sons felt that Ms. Kondrot was a decent teacher but that was only towards the end of his senior year. Some of you may not like this review because it is honest and you may not have had the same interactions as we had. Oh well.

Jean, I have to delete that one. No proof.

From reader "Leslie S.":

"I was a troubled kid in high school and if it weren't for Mr. Blankenbuehler and Mr. Marklewicz I would not have survived high school. I owe those two a deep debt of gratitude because they went the extra mile for me outside of the classroom. Because of their love of science I was facinated by it and became a physician."

The rest of the comment was deleted. Sorry, Leslie. "Abusing children" is pretty hard to prove.

Mr. Frye at Whitehall Elementary. This was a tremendous man that cannot go unrecognized, with the likes of Mr. Janosko, Mrs. Schaefer, Mr. Fisher.