FREEHOLD – Six staff members in the Freehold Borough K-8 School District have been selected as part of the governor’s Educator of the Year program for the 2017-18 school year.
The staff members are three teachers and three educational services professionals.
Teachers Susan Gallagher, Linda McCarthy and Rose Koerner, and educational services professionals Gina O’Keefe, Donna Friedman and Lauren Filipek were named as the district’s nominees to the 2017-18 Educator of the Year program.
The program is run by the governor’s office. Ultimately, one individual will be selected as New Jersey’s Teacher of the Year, according to district administrators.
One teacher and one educational services professional from each of Freehold Borough’s three schools were selected to be part of the state program.
The buildings are the Freehold Learning Center elementary school, which educates pupils in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade; the Park Avenue Elementary School, which educates pupils in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade; and the Freehold Intermediate School, which educates students in grades six through eight.
Gallagher, a health and physical education teacher, was the Freehold Learning Center’s teacher selection. She joined the district in 1998.
O’Keefe, a teacher aide/paraprofessional, was the Freehold Learning Center’s educational services professional selection. She joined the district in 2012.
McCarthy, a resource room teacher, was the Park Avenue Elementary School’s teacher selection. She joined the district in 1986.
Friedman, a teacher aide/paraprofessional, was the Park Avenue Elementary School’s educational services professional selection. She joined the district in 2001.
Koerner, an English as a Second Language teacher, was the Freehold Intermediate School’s teacher selection. She joined the district in 1999.
Filipek, a teacher coach, was the Freehold Intermediate School’s educational services professional selection. She joined the district in 2001.
“We are very pleased each year when we can formally honor a select group of our teachers and support personnel,” Superintendent of Schools Rocco Tomazic said. “Teachers and those working directly with our students are the core of the district.
“The governor’s Educator of the Year program is a wonderful way to single out the best for recognition, and by doing so, honor all those engaged in this critical service oriented career field,” Tomazic said.
The six staff members were recognized by the Freehold Borough Board of Education in January. According to district administrators, the staff members will be honored at Monmouth University, West Long Branch, on May 24, and will receive recognition at the school district’s awards ceremony on June 4.