Uniontown woman honored with award
Toni Lozar, the past recipient of the Golden Apple Award and the District Award of Merit, is this year’s Russell C. Hill Award recipient. This award is the “highest recognition” offered to an “individual + making an outstanding contribution to character education at the local, state, or national level who has added to the quality of life + through the Learning for Life programs,” according to the Intermediate Unit 1. Lozar is a resident of Fayette County and the chairwoman for the Westmoreland-Fayette Counties Learning for Life Program. She has been employed by Intermediate Unit 1 (IU 1) for 34 years. She attended the University of Akron and California University of Pennsylvania where she received her undergraduate degree in special education.
Lozar began her teaching career as a learning support teacher in the Connellsville Area School District. For 21 years, she taught children with learning disabilities. In 1997, following her return to California University to earn certification as a school psychologist, she became a lead support teacher for IU 1. In October 2000, she obtained certification for supervisor of special education from the University of Pittsburgh.
In August 2003, she accepted the position of assistant director of special education at Intermediate Unit 1. Her duties include: overseeing procedural safeguards, PSSA/PASA testing coordinator, extended school year coordinator, in-service chairwoman, local task force coordinator, facilitator of the LEA monthly meetings, as well as professional development for the school psychologists.
She provides training to Intermediate Unit 1 and school district staff on a variety of topics, including IDEA, behavior support, gifted support, social skills and response to instruction and intervention.
Lozar is also trained as a compliance monitor for the Pennsylvania Department of Education and has participated in the monitoring of both public and charter schools.
In addition, she has served as an adjunct professor at California University of Pennsylvania’s Psychology Department where she is also a member of the School Psychologist’s Advisory Committee.
She resides in Uniontown with her husband, Lou. She has one son who recently graduated from California University of Pennsylvania.
In her spare time, she enjoys golfing, cooking, gardening, making stained glass items, traveling, reading, music and relaxing with friends.