RCSD music teacher Zach Arenz named state teacher of the year

Zach Arenz is receiving the state's highest honor for his performance at the only job he's ever wanted.

Arenz is a music school teacher at Rochester's Flower City School 54. It's a job he's wanted to have "since I knew what a job was," he said Monday, a day before the state Board of Regents was to officially name him the 2024 New York State Teacher of the Year.

His mother was a teacher, and the band room was the place he felt most at ease in high school. He tries to create the same welcoming atmosphere for his students now, using music to connect with them in a holistic way.

"Whatever music means to a kid is what I want them to be successful at," he said. "All I can do is meet kids where they are and give them all I have to give."

After students missed school due to COVID, he wrote a grant for teaching materials that help address grief through music. He is a school leader in social-emotional learning and regularly looks to reinforce students' other coursework in music class. He helps run the school's social media account and oversees a festival's worth of extracurricular student music ensembles.

"Just this morning, he told me about a transportation concern a family had," said School 54 Assistant Principal Alison Schmitt, a former music teacher who mentored Arenz when he first arrived. "Typically that's not something you hear through the music teacher, but he has those relationships. ... He's a local celebrity."

Arenz, who joined RCSD in 2013, was also a finalist for the state award last year.

"Zachary Arenz is the embodiment of a dedicated and inspirational teacher," State Education Commission Betty Rosa said in a statement. "His ability to engage with students and inspire and ignite a passion for lifelong learning through music is exceptional. His determination to help all students achieve success by providing them with a safe and supportive environment is a model for all schools across the state."

Arenz grew up on Long Island and got his bachelor's and master's degrees from SUNY Fredonia. He was named one of RCSD's teachers of the year in 2014 and 2021. He taught for a year in Sweden before joining RCSD and is active with an international student-exchange program.

"Zach is someone special and his commitment to his profession and dedication to his students is inspiring," RCSD Superintendent Carmine Peluso said in a statement. "He is a natural leader and a fantastic representative for teachers across the state."

The last Rochester-area teacher honored by the state was Christopher Albrecht, a fourth-grade teacher in Brockport, who won in 2018. Greg Ahlquist, a history teacher at Webster Thomas High School, won in 2013, and Richard Ognibene Jr., a science teacher at Fairport High School, won in 2008.

The last honoree from RCSD came in 2004, when Lynn Gatto of Henry Hudson School 28 won.

This year's finalists are:

• Jonathan Clemmons from the Minisink Valley School District in Orange County• Ellen Foley from the Fredonia Central School District in Chautauqua County• Nichole Hantsch from the Chenango Forks School District in Broome County

Part of the honoree's job is to serve as "ambassadors for the teaching profession across New York," according to the state Education Department. Arenz will travel throughout the state to speak with other educators about what has made him successful.

"It's an exciting opportunity to get out there and show people what Rochester and our profession are capable of," he said.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: New York Teacher of the Year: Rochester music teacher Zach Arenz named