Trenton, NJ – The New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) announced Wednesday 21 teachers as the 2019-2020 County Teachers of the Year during an awards ceremony at Liberty High School in Jackson Township.
“It is with great pride that I recognize these highly skilled, compassionate and dedicated County Teachers of the Year,” said Governor Phil Murphy. “These teachers reflect the exemplary quality of educational leadership that we see throughout our state.”
“New Jersey’s educators are among the best in this country, as evidenced by the success of our students,” said Education Commissioner Lamont O. Repollet. “The teachers who we recognize today instruct, inform, and inspire children to achieve success in school and beyond.”
The Governor’s Educator of the Year Program promotes a positive school culture by acknowledging the hard work and dedication of outstanding teachers. Individual schools are encouraged to nominate exceptional educators with diverse backgrounds to ensure that the honorees represent the ethnic/racial diversity of New Jersey. As an added incentive to participate this year, the New Jersey School Boards Association made it possible for over 2,400 educators who were named as their local school’s educator of the year to receive free virtual educational resources that will benefit their students.
The County Teachers of the Year will network with educators throughout the state and serve as ambassadors for New Jersey’s public schools. Additional information can be found on the Governor’s Educator of the Year webpage.
Here is a list of New Jersey’s 2019-2020 County Teachers of the Year:
- Atlantic County: Leslie Kronemeyer from Mainland Regional High School in the Mainland Regional H.S. District (9th-12th Spanish).
- Bergen County: Leah Jerome from Pascack Valley High School in the Pascack Valley Regional H.S. District (11th-12th Social Studies).
- Burlington County: Michelle Anne Spring from Hawthorne Park Elementary School in the Willingboro School District (4th Elementary).
- Camden County: Kimberly Dickstein from Haddonfield Memorial High School in the Haddonfield School District (10th-12th English).
- Cape May County: Thomas Belasco from Lower Cape May Regional High School in the Lower Cape May Reg. School District (11th-12th English).
- Cumberland County: Amanda McCloskey from West Avenue School in the Bridgeton School District (6th & 8th Mathematics).
- Essex County: anelis Cabaleiro-Rempusheski from School #3 in the Belleville School District (PreK Special Education).
- Gloucester County: Brittany Mason from Washington Township High School in the Washington Township School District (11th-12th Social Studies & Tomorrow’s Teacher Educator).
- Hudson County: Martha Noriette Garcia from Academy 1 Middle School in the Jersey City School District (6th-8th Visual Arts).
- Hunterdon County: Therese Squicciarini from J.P. Case Middle School in the Flemington-Raritan School District (7th Special Education).
- Mercer County: Helen Corveleyn from Hopewell Elementary School in the Hopewell Valley Regional School District K-5th STEM
- Middlesex County: Jennifer Olawski from Livingston Elementary School in the New Brunswick School District (K-5th Health & Physical Education).
- Monmouth County: Beth English from Freehold Township High School in the Freehold Regional H.S. District (9th-12th English).
- Morris County: Sarah Guza from Lincoln Park Middle School in the Lincoln Park School District (8th Mathematics).
- Ocean County: Kelly Cerbone from Lake Riviera Middle School in the Brick Township School District (7th Mathematics & Science).
- Passaic County: Patrick Slater from Wayne Valley High School in the Wayne School District (9th-12th Technology Education).
- Salem County: Tracy Demarest from William Roper School in the Woodstown Pilesgrove School District (PreK-K Special Education).
- Somerset County: Suzanne Updegrove from Branchburg Central Middle School in the Branchburg School District (6th-8th Gifted and Talented).
- Sussex County: Jennifer Caputo from Helen Morgan Elementary School in the Sparta Township School District (5th Elementary).
- Union County: Bryan Lowe Valley Road Elementary School in the Clark School District (5th Elementary).
- Warren County: Debra Koch Belvidere High School in the Belvidere School District (9th-12th Family Consumer Science).
A panel of educators then will select the New Jersey State Teacher of the Year based on written applications, video submissions and interviews with the top six finalists.
The State Teacher of the Year is expected to be announced at the State Board of Education’s October meeting and will go on to represent New Jersey in competing for the title of National Teacher of Year.
