Sutherland's Daniel Roberti Named 2026 Pittsford Chemistry Teacher of the Year
The Short Version
- Daniel Roberti teaches both Regents and AP Chemistry at Pittsford Sutherland and serves as the district's Secondary Science Standards Leader — the ACS award reflects both roles, not just his classroom.
- The Rochester Section nomination requires letters from a colleague and the school principal, grounding the recognition in daily professional relationships rather than a remote review panel.
- Roberti also holds New York State Master Teacher status, placing him among more than 1,700 public STEM teachers statewide selected through a competitive process.
- NYS Master Teachers receive a $15,000 annual stipend for four years — a financial commitment to keeping strong educators active in the profession.
- Two independent organizations — a regional professional society and a statewide education program — recognized Roberti in the same year, arriving independently at the same conclusion.
Daniel Roberti, a chemistry teacher at Pittsford Sutherland, has been named the 2026 Rochester Section High School Chemistry Teacher of the Year by the American Chemical Society. The honor was announced in the October 2026 Pittsford Schools Superintendent's eNewsletter.
Roberti teaches both Regents and AP Chemistry at Sutherland and serves as the district's Secondary Science Standards Leader. The award reflects both jobs.
Daniel Roberti: Pittsford chemistry teacher of the year
Roberti covers the full range of Sutherland's chemistry curriculum — Regents Chemistry for students working toward New York's foundational state credential, and AP Chemistry for students running at college pace. The Secondary Science Standards Leader role extends that reach past his own classroom; what Pittsford's science teachers teach and how they teach it moves through him.
The Superintendent's eNewsletter cites four criteria behind the award: excellence in teaching, student mentorship, professional development, and leadership in science education. That list describes what Roberti is already doing every week in two distinct roles.
What the ACS Rochester Section award recognizes
What the ACS Rochester Section award recognizes
The Rochester Section of the American Chemical Society gives this award to recognize local chemistry teachers for dedication to their students, their colleagues, and professional development in their field. The measure is how a teacher shows up for the people around them — not credentials or test score results.
The nomination structure keeps that grounded. Two letters are required: one from a colleague who works in the same building, one from the school principal. The recognition comes from the people who see the classroom from inside it, every day.
The Rochester Section is the local chapter of the national ACS, giving the award standing in the regional chemistry community.
New York State Master Teacher: a second layer of recognition
New York State Master Teacher: a second layer of recognition
Roberti also holds New York State Master Teacher status, placing him in a network of more than 1,700 public STEM teachers statewide selected through a competitive statewide process. Master Teachers are recognized as leaders in their profession — the program frames the designation around mentorship, not credentials.
Selected teachers receive a $15,000 annual stipend over four years, with a commitment to mentoring pre-service and early-career educators. That is a four-year financial commitment to keeping strong teachers active in the profession.
Holding both designations in the same year means two independent organizations reached the same conclusion about the same teacher.
What this means for Pittsford students
What this means for Pittsford students
Roberti's Secondary Science Standards role means his work extends past the students in his own sections. The decisions he shapes about science curriculum touch every school in the district. The ACS recognition and Master Teacher status both acknowledge that scale.
AP Chemistry at Sutherland is one of the harder courses a student can take — fast, cumulative, and unforgiving of gaps. Teaching it well means holding rigorous standards while keeping a room full of high schoolers engaged. That combination is what the nomination criteria describe.
Strong teachers leave districts. Recognition like this — regional peer acknowledgment, statewide program membership, a four-year financial commitment — gives Roberti reason to stay. Sutherland's chemistry students will notice in the way that matters: he's still here.
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