Teachers of youths with special learning needs are an invaluable positive influence in the lives of their students.

This affirmation was conveyed as written testimonials from students, parents and principals nominated several teachers earlier this month. Five Seton Center Outstanding Teacher Awards were conferred.

The winners were Brenda Bauer of the Cathedral of St. Thomas More School in Arlington; Anita Johnson of Paul VI Catholic High School in Fairfax; Ann Lyle of St. Leo School in Fairfax; B. J. Marchi of St. Joseph School in Herndon; and Kathleen Sullivan of St. Rita School in Alexandria.

This is the first time ever the award was presented at the diocesan principals’ meeting at St. Francis of Assisi School in Triangle following a brief talk by Diane Elliott, special services coordinator for the diocesan Office of Catholic Schools, a position created last fall, and Dr. Timothy McNiff, diocesan superintendent of schools.

Ellen Coakley, founder of the former Seton Centers, Inc. donated the award money. She started the non-profit corporation in 1975 to offer an educational alternative for children in diocesan Catholic schools with mild to moderate learning disabilities.

Coakley "focused her knowledge, energy and talent on establishing a system that would serve these students without isolating them by placing them in a separated educational facility," said an associate.

One of the nominations for Bauer, a physical education teacher, came from a parent of one of her students.

The parent wrote, "She instills Christian values of acceptance and tolerance in all her students so the student with learning disabilities feels accepted rather than left-out. Mrs. Bauer works with parents to keep them informed of things that can be done at home to help the child experience greater success in school."

Johnson teaches in the DeSales Center at her school.

"Mrs. Johnson is the human dictionary/calculator/biology book — who else do you know that can help you with your essays, teach you the quadratic formula, and help you with your biology homework — she knows everything!" wrote a sophomore student. "She doesn’t hesitate to help and she will do anything to make sure I understand the material."

Lyle also received praise from one of her students.

"She always believes in me, even when it is hard to believe in myself," the student wrote. "She helps me to know that I really am smart," the student wrote. "She will work with you until you understand, no matter how long it takes."

"If one doorway to instruction is closed for a student, Lyle tries another, and another, and another until the child experiences a sense of accomplishment for the task at hand," said Diane Drews, principal.

The principal at Marchi’s school, Joan Cargill, said that Marchi "is a true child advocate who secures in each student a feeling of success and a heightened self-perception of greatness."

"She has encouraged me in such a positive way," said one of her eighth-grade students. "She has given me a lot of confidence. She has been so generous over the years with her encouragement, time, and support in all areas of my life."

Sullivan received a commendation for her work with a child over the past five years.

"She has helped me understand his learning disabilities that also helped him overcome it," the parent said. "Because of her dedication, patience, understanding, and gift of working with children with learning disabilities, he has been on the honor roll, student council, basketball team, in school concerts and the Geography Bee."

The first Seton Center was opened more than 26 years ago at St. Agnes School in Arlington with eight students, with the assistance of principal Sister of Notre Dame Sister Mary Edward White and the cooperation of then-Arlington Bishop Thomas Welsh.

Coakley named the program after St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, founder of the country’s first parochial school and first American to be canonized. The Centers expanded from one room at St. Agnes School to a network of special classrooms in the diocese and also grew to include services to high school students.

During its operation, the program made Catholic education available to thousands of youths. Though the centers no longer exist, two diocesan high schools, Bishop O’Connell in Arlington and Paul VI, have maintained in-house programs.

"The Seton Centers provided schools in the Arlington Diocese the foundation to begin offering their own services to students with disabilities," said Elliott.

As of last fall, there were an estimated 966 diocesan school students with learning difficulties who required special services. Fifty-two teachers work with these students in learning centers in 22 of the 42 elementary schools and four of the six high schools. Teachers at St. Coletta School in Alexandria, for individuals with mental retardation and autism, are not included in these counts. Total Catholic school enrollment is 17,822.

The recent award winners were chosen from among the nominees based on several factors. The criteria included that the teacher must: work with learning disabilities students; believe all children can learn: understand individual student’s needs; and encourage each one’s talents. Honored teachers were required to: demonstrate creativity in their techniques and strategies; support students to be their best in their religious, academic and social lives; and establish a positive influence in the school community.

"This is one of the initiaves that our office took this year, recognizing teachers in our system who are doing truly outstanding work with special needs children," said McNiff.

"We need to let all of our teachers know that they really do make a difference in the lives of our students," said Elliott.

Marchi is in her ninth year as a learning resource teacher at St. Joseph School. Providing academic support for classroom studies, she teaches mostly second- through eighth-graders math, science, social studies and writing skills. There is a separate reading specialist on staff.

"I love the children so much, and am so blessed," she said. "They come in with wonderful attitudes. They want the help and the parents are very supportive."

The special needs students attend mainstream classrooms for most of their curriculum and spend two weekly periods of 45 minutes each with Marchi. She teaches students individually or in small groups of no more than four. The programs differ at each diocesan school.