Jo Mackin, third grade teacher at John F. Kennedy Elementary School in West Babylon recently received the 2003-2004 Teacher in Excellence Award. This award is given annually by the John F. Kennedy Elementary School Parent-Teacher Association to a teacher whose contribution to children goes above and beyond the call of duty. Mackin was nominated for the award and chosen as the recipient based upon a JFK PTA voting process where her contributions are evaluated.

It has been five years since Mackin has returned to teaching at JFK Elementary, after deciding to raise a family before continuing her career. She has continually been a compassionate and nurturing teacher, loved by her students and their parents. Being a NASA certified teacher, Mackin was able to launch a very unique and successful program for her third grade students. Under her supervision, each child is able to hold a selection of real moon rocks, meteorites, and lunar samples in correlation with their science curriculum. During a West Babylon Board of Education meeting last March, students in Mackin’s class actually presented the board with the lunar samples in a special presentation that was dedicated to the brave heroes who lost their lives in the Columbia space shuttle tragedy.

Mackin lives in West Islip with her husband, John. Together, they have four kids and two grandchildren.