By Michael Benavides
Staff Writer
JACKSON – A Holman School educator who teaches pupils with special needs has been named the Teacher of the Year in the Jackson School District.
Stephanie Macaluso was presented with the honor during a Board of Education meeting that was held in the Jackson Memorial High School Fine Arts auditorium on Feb. 21.
Board members honored a teacher from each school before naming Macaluso as the district’s teacher of the year.
Board President Barbara Fiero said, “I am the one speaking tonight, but my words here represent the entire board when I say how proud we are of the staff of this amazing district. You (teachers and educational service professionals being honored) are with our students all day, every day, and we could not be more grateful for your dedication and talents,” Fiero said.
The teachers who were honored were Kristie-Anne Opaleski-DiMeo (English teacher, Jackson Liberty High School), Raymond Cafara (social studies teacher, Jackson Memorial High School), Elaine Holleran (literacy teacher, Goetz Middle School), Shannon Terry (special education teacher, McAuliffe Middle School), Lia Thomas (art teacher, Crawford-Rodriguez), Judy Guedes (kindergarten teacher, Elms), Stephanie Macaluso (special education teacher, Holman), Bridget Convery (fifth grade teacher, Johnson), Jennifer Goodall (special education teacher, Rosenauer) and Tracey Auletta (special education teacher, Switlik).
After all of the teachers were introduced, Fiero announced that Macaluso had been selected as Jackson’s teacher of the year and she praised Macaluso’s commitment to her pupils.
“There are 100 different kinds of teachers in the world, but among the best traits of the best teachers is the ability to be resourceful, to think outside the box when it comes to finding ways to inspire and instruct students,” Fiero said. “(Macaluso) is living proof that resourcefulness and inventiveness are alive and well in the Jackson School District.
“As an in-class resource teacher, Ms. Macaluso is a born collaborator, working with another teacher to implement programs that will inspire students and advance learning. She has implemented many innovative activities in her school, including the first living wax museum in which students dressed as a famous figures and discussed biographies in real time.
“She has also co-coordinated philanthropic programs by selling books and collecting pajamas to help raise money for various charities that donated to children and families in need,” Fiero said. “In the words of her colleagues, Ms. Macaluso is innovative, dedicated and inspiring, and she is a role model for collaborative learning.”
In an interview on Feb. 24, Macaluso said she was shocked to learn she had been named the district’s teacher of the year.
“My personal reaction to being named teacher of the year for the Holman elementary school was utter disbelief. I nominated another teacher and was hoping to hear her name. I was completely shocked when I heard my own name and heard my students and a colleague screaming for joy,” she said.
“Being named the district’s teacher of the year was something that definitely seemed impossible,” Macaluso said. “I was still in shock that I was standing on stage as (Holman’s) teacher of the year, never mind even considering the fact that the district’s teacher of the year could be me.
“I am so proud to have been given these awards. It is truly an honor to be recognized among the countless amazing teachers in the Jackson School District,” she said.
Macaluso has taught in Jackson for 13 years. Prior to that, she taught for two years at the William C. McGinnis Middle School in Perth Amboy.