More than a dozen teachers and educational professionals at the Hillsborough Township Public School District were recently recognized for their daily work with the township’s student body over the last year.
During the Jan. 22 Board of Education meeting, administrators from each of the district’s nine schools took time to introduce and describe each recipient of the Teacher of the Year or Educational Services Professional of the Year award.
“Our educators, from elementary all the way up to high school do a phenomenal job, but today we’re going to recognize a special few that represent the work of many,” Superintendent Dr. Jorden Schiff said.
Of the 15 chosen, nine were teachers and six were staff members who support the educational objectives of the district.
Since November, parents, teachers and colleagues nominated potential recipients. Once submitted, a committee from each school chose a teacher of the year from each building, three co-ESPs of the year from the six elementary schools and an ESP of the year from Hillsborough High School, Hillsborough Middle School and Auten Road Intermediate School.
During the meeting, officials announced the following teachers as recipients: Amsterdam Elementary School special education teacher Christina Smith; Hillsborough Elementary School writing teacher Kirsten Goodwin; Sunnymead Elementary School ASI and writing teacher Dawn Purdy; Triangle Elementary School autism teacher Victoria Wargo; Woodfern Elementary School special education teacher Stephanie Zinman; Woods Road Elementary School special education teacher Susan DiCenzo; Auten Road Intermediate School special education teacher JoAnn Armour; Hillsborough Middle School eighth grade social studies teacher Jennifer Harmsen; and Hillsborough High School math teacher Joanne Brush.
Along with their teacher counterparts, the district announced the following ESPs who also received recognition: Amsterdam Elementary School speech therapist Robyn Becker; Hillsborough Elementary School speech therapist Sharon Piech; Triangle Elementary School school nurse Kim Miladinov; Auten Road Intermediate School writing content specialist and ASI literacy Kristen Seker; Hillsborough Middle School instructional assistant Doris Levine; and Hillsborough High School school counselor Brian Yarasheski.
“These amazing professionals have dedicated years to the children of Hillsborough,” Schiff said. “It is an honor to work with them and the hundreds of other excellent staff members throughout this district.”
After receiving recognition for their work at the local level, officials said each of this year’s honorees are now eligible for consideration as the top teacher and professional in Somerset County.
If selected at the county level, they will then go on to the state level as part of the 2017-18 Governor’s Educator of the Year (GEOY) Program, which combines the Teacher of the Year Program with the Governor’s Teacher/Educational Services Professional Recognition Program. The GEOY program aims to recognize the hard work and dedication of New Jersey teachers and staff members.