MARLBORO — The Marlboro Township K-8 School District announced that for the 2009-10 school year, eight members of the teaching staff will be recognized through the Teacher Recognition/Educational Services Professional Program sponsored by Monmouth County superintendents.
Honorees are: Yasmin Ali, speech therapist at Marlboro Early Learning Center; Judith Freilich, media specialist at Asher Holmes Elementary School; Diane Saks, reading specialist at Frank Defino Central Elementary School; Jean Marie Vandervoort, elementary school teacher at the Frank J. Dugan Elementary School; Mona Giambrone, health education teacher at Marlboro Elementary School; Ilene Brudner, elementary school teacher at Robertsville Elementary School; Lauren Callari, language arts teacher at Marlboro Middle School; and Tish Mehlem, special education teacher at Marlboro Memorial Middle School.
The eight honorees will be recognized at a countywide ceremony on May 21.
According to a press release, a ninemember selection panel consisting of administrators, parents, teachers and an educational services professional reviewed the submissions to determine the honoree from each school.
In addition, the district instituted a practice whereby honorees from the prior year are invited to participate on the panel. This practice provides past honorees with a deeper appreciation and better understanding of the time and effort that goes into the selection process, according to the press release.
Initially, each school nominates several teachers for this honor. Criteria used for this selection include use of effective, creative, innovative and efficient instructional techniques; the ability to increase student achievement of the Core Curriculum Content Standards through a learning-focused environment; use of educational technology in an effective and efficient manner; establishment of a productive classroom climate and a rapport with all students; contribution to quality professional development in the district; and development of feelings of selfworth and a love of learning in all students.
If the education professional accepts the nomination, he/she is then asked to respond in writing, in no more than 400 words, to a prompt created by the selection panel. This year, professionals were asked, “Our purpose as educational leaders is to help all our students reach their best potentials as learners. In your area of responsibility, how do you do this? How do you model an inner passion to learn? How do you encourage your students, their parents and your own colleagues to think critically and creatively in a world of constant change and higher achievement?”
Statements are grouped together by school and read and discussed by the selection panel. Each panel member votes by closed ballot for the professional in each school whose writing prompt response best expresses his or her philosophy about encouraging students to embrace lifelong learning.
“We are very proud of the wonderful, dedicated staff of professionals in Marlboro,” said Superintendent of Schools David Abbott. “And this recognition program allows us to publicly recognize and honor the exceptional contributions that our educational professionals make to the children of Marlboro.”