SAYREVILLE – The Governor’s Educators of the Year have been named in the Sayreville School District for the 2020-21 year.
A presentation was given on the Educators of the Year during the Board of Education’s June 15 meeting.
At Project Before Preschool, the teacher of the year is Lisa Zalnerades.
“When I began my administrative journey, I had the privilege of working in a district in which our special education teachers were nothing less than extraordinary,” Director of Early Childhood Audrey Burns said. “Lisa is a dedicated and admired member of our Project Before family. As a preschool multiple disabilities teacher, Lisa recognizes that each of her students have their own unique set of skills, strengths and learning needs. Her colleagues describe her as motivating, knowledgeable, kind and helpful.
“Lisa is known for inspiring her students and supporting their needs so that they become confident, lifelong learners,” Burns continued. “Lisa also fosters kindness in her classroom where all children are included and through positive reinforcement, dedication and commitment, she has become a valued and respected educator in the field of special education.”
At the Emma Arleth Elementary School, the teacher of the year is Rebecca Dragone.
“Mrs. Dragone is known for two things,” Arleth Principal Robert Preston said. “One, her level of energy, and two, the caring that she brings to the classroom every day. And one is only matched by the other. Mrs. Dragone also helps facilitate many new programs at Arleth Elementary School, including the new curriculum. She’s been writing curriculum for years and she’s helped pilot many programs that we brought into the building.
“Mrs. Dragone is a member of many of the committees at Arleth Elementary School,” Preston continued. “She’s always volunteering to help out at our school-based community events and help out any way she can. She is a wonderful, talented and dedicated teacher so deserving of this honor.”
At the Dwight D. Eisenhower Elementary School, the teacher of the year is Theresa DelPrete.
“To really understand what goes on in Teresa’s classroom, you have to understand that she doesn’t just teach to one whole class, she teaches to 25 individuals,” Eisenhower Principal Scott Nurnberger said. “She takes the time to get to know their strengths, their weaknesses and individualizes instruction to meet their academic social and emotional needs. No easy task and takes effort, talent and persistence, and she’s got all three. She is an exceptional individual who demonstrates hard work and a commitment to our students that I rarely see in a classroom.”
At the Harry S. Truman Elementary School, the teacher of the year is Kerri-Ann Bresocnik.
“As an exceptional kindergarten-first grade looping teacher, she has a unique gift of inspiring everyone around her to be the best that they can be,” Truman Principal Amy Stueber said. “She nurtured her students to reach their full potential during these unprecedented times and supported her colleagues by taking initiative during PLC [Professional Learning Community] meetings and contributing greatly to the new online learning platform.
“Furthermore, Mrs. Bresocnik recognizes the importance of enhancing home school partnerships,” Stueber continued. “Just recently, she led Truman School by hosting our first virtual family night in honor of her daughter Kendall, which raised funds for pediatric brain cancer. Mrs. Bresocnik’s strength, talents, positivity and motivation make her a deserving of this honor. We are fortunate to have her at Truman School.”
At the Woodrow Wilson Elementary School, the teacher of the year is Nicole Parisen.
“Nicole Parisen is a K-1 looping teacher at Wilson who’s been here for eight years,” Wilson Principal Timothy Byrne said. “She was a math major at Kean [University], but is now going for her master’s in reading at Saint Peter’s. Nicole has a very thick corpus callosum [nerve fibers that connect the left and right hemisphere] in her brain. That’s because of the hemispheric activity in her brain – she’s going left and right because she’s dealing with math and with language arts.
“She has a unique background in the sense that she did not only her student teaching, but her practicum at Wilson as well before being hired at Wilson,” Byrne continued. “To the high school people here and above, she has first graders on Jamboard [a digital interactive whiteboard] and they’re very adept at it.”
At the Samsel Upper Elementary School (SUES), the teacher of the year is Josephine Tutela.
“Mrs. Tutela is a model educator,” SUES Principal Stacey Coglianese said. “She is skilled and dedicated. She is a consummate professional. She holds her students to a high standard while supporting them each step of the way. She provides a caring environment where students feel comfortable taking risks. She engages her colleagues with a warm smile and a helping hand.
“She has served on the ScIP [School Improvement Panel] Committee, she has been a mentor, she’s been on the Faculty Advisory Committee and she has organized the Mystery Readers Program and Connecting to the Past,” Coglianese continued. “We are fortunate to have Josephine Tutela as a teacher at the SUES. Her quiet leadership is one that is respected by many and the SUES students and faculty are so lucky to have a colleague and teacher whose innovation and dedication benefits us all.”
At the Sayreville Middle School School (SMS), the teacher of the year is Mary Cavallaro.
“Mrs. Cavallaro is a mathematics teacher with over 20 years of experience,” SMS Principal Richard Gluchowski said. “She provides individual instruction and support for students of the Sayreville Middle school through her ASI [Academic Support Instruction] work. She creates outstanding, engaging lessons, works hand-in-hand with many of our teachers. Moreover, she has been a mentor to many of our first-year teachers through mentoring them each year. She has presented at many professional development sessions and is a warm, kind individual who inspires many.”
At the Sayreville War Memorial High School (SWMHS), the teacher of the year is Atiyah Conry.
“Miss Conry is a true asset and an invaluable member of our computer science department at the high school,” SWMHS Principal Dale Rubino said. “I can tell you firsthand that she has a unique ability to connect with her students and cares deeply about each her our students success. She has prepared her students for their future after high school, been an encouraging member of the high school and influenced all of their lives. Our students are truly fortunate to have her as their teacher, advisor and mentor.
“In addition to academics, she is a volunteer advisor to extracurricular activities, such as IT Girls, Coding Club, Muslim Student Association, Voices of the World Club, and the creator of the Inclusion Diversity Equality and Awareness Council,” Rubino continued. “Additionally, she helped create the Computer Science Honor Society at the high school. On behalf of the high school administration, we thank you so very much for all your hard work, your dedication to the students of Sayreville War Memorial High School and, most importantly, the positive impact you have made to our school community.”