The Marlboro Central School District is proud to announce that Marlboro High School (MHS) Biology and Earth Science teacher Carrie Schlagler has been selected to be part of the New York State Master Teacher Program (NYSMTP). She will join the Mid-Hudson regional cohort, which is based out of SUNY New Paltz.
Schlagler is one of 230 educators from across the State–and the first in Marlboro history–to be awarded this four-year fellowship. As part of the program, she will have the opportunity to work with like-minded K-12 STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) teachers who exhibit similar levels of talent, dedication, and passion. The goal is to encourage teachers to push the boundaries of their profession while creating more powerful learning opportunities in STEM classrooms.

Schlagler has been teaching at MHS for eight years. Prior to that, she was a science teacher in the Fallsburg Central School District. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Biology from New York University (where she minored in Chemistry) and a master’s degree in Cell Biology and Genetics from Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences. She also earned a Master of Arts in Teaching from SUNY Empire State College.  

The application process for the NYSMTP is rigorous. In addition to obtaining recommendation letters and transcripts, applicants must complete a qualifying exam, submit an online application, and participate in several rounds of individual and group interviews. “It was a lot of work, but something that I’m very proud to have accomplished,” said Schlagler, explaining that she decided to apply because she liked the idea of collaborating with colleagues from across the region and saw the program as a way to open a window into the latest science-related initiatives and learning standards.

Throughout Schlagler’s four-year participation in the program, she will receive an annual stipend, engage in peer mentoring, and attend regional meetings at SUNY New Paltz. Participants are also required to complete a minimum of 50 hours of NYSMTP-sponsored professional learning activities each year. One of the ways Schlagler plans to obtain these hours is through Professional Learning Teams, or PLTs, which are small groups of Master Teachers who meet monthly to collaboratively learn, investigate, and implement best practices. 

“My goal with this program is to obtain as much information as possible to become a better teacher, and to bring that information back to Marlboro, where I can work with my colleagues on developing ways to engage more students and get them excited about science.”

Schlagler, who has three children (who are all students at MHS), said she would also like to focus on encouraging more girls to become involved with STEM, perhaps through the establishment of a new, District-wide extracurricular program.

MHS Principal Ryan Lawler, who encouraged Schlagler to apply for the NYSMTP, is proud of her accomplishment and is excited to see what she does next.

“Carrie Schlagler is an exemplary teacher who engages her students daily in the classroom, where her passion for science shines through,” Lawler said. “Carrie embraces technology and embeds hands-on experiences into her instruction. She is also a source of innovative instructional practices for her colleagues at Marlboro High School. She has earned this honor, and by joining the Master Teacher ranks she will no doubt continue to improve her teaching and contribute even more to Marlboro High School.”