The Mount Markham Central School District PBIS Leadership Team is proud to announce Mustang of the Month award recipients for December.
Congratulations to Jeff Durso, William Pomares, and Amanda Kane.
The first Mustang of the Month is Jeff Durso, a dedicated teacher at Mount Markham Elementary School since 2004.
Durso, a Rome Free Academy graduate, holds a bachelor’s degree from SUNY Institute of Technology and a master’s degree from Touro College.
Before joining Mount Markham, he spent 15 years as a restaurant manager.
Durso values the close-knit, family environment at Mount Markham and appreciates the support of his colleagues and community.
“I feel fortunate to have been able to work with such a talented and caring group of people over the years,” Durso said.
He prioritizes connecting with students and fostering a sense of belonging in his classroom, believing this connection nurtures eagerness to learn.
Outside of work, Durso enjoys spending time with his wife, Staci, along with family and friends. He loves traveling and taking summertime cruises in his Mustang.
The next Mustang of the Month is William Pomares, a teacher at Mount Markham Middle School since 2001.
Pomares, originally from Chester, graduated from SUNY Potsdam (The Crane School of Music) and holds a Master of Music in Saxophone Performance from the University of Northern Colorado.
He has performed with renowned jazz artists and twice with the Broadway Tour of Chicago.
“I feel fortunate to have worked alongside such a talented and caring group of people over the years,” Pomares said. “The close-knit setting of the Mount Markham campus fosters a family environment, and I’ve deeply appreciated the support of my colleagues and community members throughout my time here.”
Pomares values discovering students’ potential and promoting a sense of belonging.
Outside of work, he enjoys playing jazz gigs, writing music instruction books, running a weekly Dungeons & Dragons campaign, and spending time with family and friends.
“Learn to play an instrument; you can play it your whole life!” he advises.
The final Mustang of the Month is Amanda Kane, an Earth Science teacher at Mount Markham High School.
Kane graduated from SUNY Oneonta with a degree in secondary education.
She began her teaching career at Frankfort-Schuyler, where she taught for two years before joining Mount Markham.
“Over my 19 years as an educator, I have taught Earth Science, Geology, Astronomy, and Environmental Science,” Kane said.
Coming from a family of teachers, she appreciates the sense of familiarity that comes with teaching in a rural school.
“I try to be as entertaining as possible. I think teaching can be a lot like acting,” Kane said.
In her free time, Kane enjoys playing golf with her husband and snuggling with her three dogs.