Psi Gamma Mu Social Science Honor Society, 1981-1982.

Graduated Cum laude, Maryville College 1982, Magna cum laude, Hood College, 1991.

Awarded a grant from the Maryland Instructional Computer Coordinators Association (MICCA) for a project entitled "Social Issues Essay Exchange," 1994.

Inducted in the STARS Society, an honor recognizing teachers using technology in the classroom, 1996.

Awarded Teacher of the Year for Maryland by Technology and Learning Magazine, 1996 and 1997.

Awarded Excellent Use of Internet in Education Award, from Edview, Inc. August, 1997.

Awarded the Internet Excellence In Education Grant from the Compaq Corporation,   December, 1997.

Awarded Maryland Computer Educator of the Year for 1998 by Maryland Instructional Computer Coordinators's Association (MICCA). 

Teacher of Social Studies, Harmony Intermediate School, Hamilton, VA.  Also, Subject Area Lead Teacher (SALT) for Social Studies Dept, 2002-Present.

Teacher of Social Studies, Sterling Middle School, Sterling, VA, 2000-2002.

Teacher of Social Studies and Computer Applications, North Hagerstown High School, 1992-2000.

At North Hagerstown High School:

• Served on North Hagerstown High School's School Improvement Team (SIT), 1993-1998.
• Assisted in developing and implementing North Hagerstown High School's Interdisciplinary Team Organization (ITO), 1993-1997.
• Developed and acted as advisor to the North High Peer Mediation Program, designed to reduce conflict within the school's student body, 1994-1996.
• Served as North Hagerstown High School's Student Government Association (SGA), Computer Club, and Bible Club advisor, 1994-1997.
• Served on North Hagerstown High School's Committee On School Inclusion in conjunction with the Neighborhood Inclusion Project (NIP), 1996-1997.

• Task force charged with the development of guidelines for the development of school web sites for the Washington County Public Schools (WCPS), January, 1997.

   

Brought Oak Hill House, a residential treatment center for youth, up to state standards for certification by the Maryland Dept. of Education. Certification awarded, 1989.

Attended numerous conferences regarding troubled youth and crisis intervention while acting as Education Director for the Oak Hill House, 1986-1991.

Conferences and Presentations

• Attended the Belfer Conference of high school educators on Holocaust education at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Summer, 1994 and 1999.
• Delivered numerous presentations for the Maryland Instructional Computer Coordinators Association (MICCA) and Connected Classroom Conferences, 1994- 1996.

Curriculum Development:

• The PBS series "The Democracy Project," 1996.
• Teacher consultant for the 53^rd Presidential Inaugural Committee (PIC) and PBS in the form of the Inaugural Classroom, January, 1997.
• Teacher consultant for the Public Broadcasting Service on the documentary entitled "Thomas Jefferson," February, 1997.
• Numerous Discovery Channel broadcasts, 1996-Present.

Designed and delivered a teacher workshop on using computers and the Internet for:

• North Hagerstown High School faculty on implementing the essential curriculum of Washington County, January, 1997.
• Cooperating School District of St. Louis, Missouri on using computers and the Internet in implementing their curriculum, February, 1997.
• Hagerstown Junior College Continuing Education Department, March and September, 1997.
• Designed and implemented the middle and high school College For Kids program at Hagerstown Junior College called "Computermania" and "Cybercamp," 1996 and 1997.
• Hartford County Public Schools on applying Internet technology to the teaching of Advanced Placement (AP) US History, March, 1997.
•  AP Institute on applying Internet technology to the teaching of Advanced Placement (AP) US History, April, 1997.
•  Maryland State Department of Education entitled "Instructional Web Design" Delivered at the Washington County Board of Education, April-May, 1998.
• Connected Classroom Conference, Atlantic City, NJ, April, 1998. Workshops included "Social Studies and the Web," "Teaching Kids to Use the Net" and "Successful Internet Lesson Plans."

• American Independent Schools of Maryland (AIMS) on using computers and the Internet in implementing a variety of curricular areas, May, 1996.

Developed the web site for:

•  the Maryland Summer Center's Gifted and Talented program Cumberland Valley Center For Exploration, Summer 1997-present.
•   Washington County Board of Education, Secondary Social Studies Department.
• Commercial websites: Integrated Communications Services, Frederick. MD, (1996), Rampf Molds, Inc., Hagerstown, MD (1996) and Historical Reproductions. Inc., Hagerstown, MD (1998).
• Creative Homebuilders, 1998.

• Frederick Presbyterian Church, 1999.

Publications:

• Introduction to book Successful Internet Projects, by Tim McLain, Classroom Connect, 1997.
• Grand-prize winning lesson plan on the Encarta Lesson Collection entitled "Teaching the Holocaust From A Personal Perspective," 1997.
• Editor,  Teaching Government and Citizenship Using the Internet, Zenger Media, publishers. August, 1998
• Author,  Internet Pocket Guide for Teachers, Genium Publishers, Inc. Available Spring, 1999.
• On-line faculty member for the Discovery Channel School (http://www.discoveryschool.com/).
• Civics (Lesson Plans For Overworked and out-of-Field Teachers), Teaching-point Publishers, 2003.

B.A., History, Maryville College, TN. 1982.

M.A. Contemporary Government, Hood College, MD 1991.

Certification: Advanced Professional Certificate (APC), Maryland Social Studies, History. Virginia endorsements: Political Science, History.

1986-1995: Youth leader, Frederick Presbyterian Church. As youth leader, I, and later along with my wife, designed a program that instilled in young people the importance of service to God and community. We engaged in building low-cost housing for the homeless, assistance to the elderly, and rebuilding of church and community property.

1994-1998: In 1994, I set up one of the first high school web sites in Maryland. Maintaining and developing the web site for students and teachers to use as a resource has consumed almost all of my free time. But I do so because I enjoy communicating, and I hope to be instrumental in making telecommunications a regular part of high school teaching methods. I receive no pay or compensation for my work on the NHHS web site, but it is my contribution to making North Hagerstown High school a global leader in teaching, learning, and technology.

1996-1998: Instructor of Internet Training and Web Design at Hagerstown Junior College.

Doctoral candidate, George Mason University, Curriculum and Instruction with emphasis in Educational Technology, Ph., D. Expected 2007.

As the son of a Presbyterian minister, I grew up hearing how my parents survived the Nazi occupation of their native Holland. My parents were Jewish survivors of the Holocaust who decided to maintain their Judaism while embracing the basic beliefs of Christianity. This made them "Hebrew Christians," so I and my twin brother often had to answer the puzzled questions of our peers who asked "how can you be both Christian and Jewish?"

The lessons that my parents taught in their ministry involved mutual understanding, respect, and  acceptance of humans towards each other. These lessons were very important to me, and as I went through college, it was their influence that instilled in me a love for history. During that time, my mother became a teacher of French and English on the secondary level for the Carroll County Schools. Her example led me to choose teaching as a career.

After a number of years in the public schools, I felt a need to provide troubled youth with assistance and direction. I took a position with the Oak Hill House, a residential treatment facility that housed and counseled teens who had been abused, neglected, or brought into the juvenile justice system. As the Education Director, I felt the importance of making a difference in the life of the individuals who would make up our future society.

As the Education Director of the Oak Hill House, I came in contact with the wonderful people of the Washington County Public Schools. Through my work with troubled youth, I came to know the teachers and administrators of North Hagerstown High School.

In 1991, the Oak Hill House experienced financial trouble. I decided to apply for a teaching position within Washington County. In 1992, I was hired to replace the late Charles Zonis, a beloved Social Studies teacher and baseball coach at North Hagerstown High School. The transition was difficult for both myself and the North High staff, but since my arrival, I have felt accepted and well-integrated into the faculty.

In 1994, I was invited to attend a conference of educators on the Holocaust at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. A few months earlier, I had discovered the joys of telecommunications and computing. At the conference, I witnessed a demonstration of what was then the new-born World Wide Web as well as how it could be used in the classroom. From then on, I was inspired to bring the Internet into my classroom. Through slow but consistent steps, I obtained computers and Internet access for little or no cost and integrated these new technologies into my teaching. 

The Internet and teaching are providing more opportunities for me every day. I am thankful to my family, co-workers, and the on-line community for making those opportunities possible. In 2002, I transplanted my skills to a brand new intermediate school in  northern Virginia. I hope that there will be new opportunities there to apply those skills that make the Internet an important teaching tool.
 

George Cassutto
geocas@aol.com
Winter, 2004