NJSBA will honor nine school districts for outstanding educational programs as part of the 21st annual School Leader Awards this spring.

“The award winners exemplify the creative approaches that today’s schools use to educate children,” said Patti J. Pawling, NJSBA president.  “School districts are using these fresh concepts to boost academic achievement, increase literacy and math skills, and utilize resources ranging from technology to the arts.”

2006 Winners This year’s School Leader Awards drew 57 entries.  The recognized school districts include—

• Brielle (Monmouth County) – Three-Strand Curriculum for South African Study.
  
  
• Galloway Township (Atlantic County) – Super Bowl Fever
  
  
• Passaic Valley Regional (Passaic County) – The Around the World Project
• Perth Amboy (Middlesex County) – NJASKed … And We Answered
  
  
• River Vale (Bergen County) – Eggster Adoption: An Eggstraordinary Cross Curricula Eggsperience
  
  
• Rockaway Borough (Morris County) – Real Life Language
  
  
• Roselle (Union County) – Positive Behavior Support in Schools
• Woodbridge (Middlesex County) – Math Madness
  
  
• Wyckoff (Bergen County) – Dancing Across the Community Bridge

Level of Innovation The judges selected the programs based on the level of innovation, how well they address a need, and how well they integrate state curriculum standards. Twelve other school districts received honorable mentions.

Judges for the 2006 School Leader Awards included—John Bulina, chairman of NJSBA’s Standards and Assessment Committee; Amy Fisher, former northeast region vice president for the National School Public Relations Association; Anne H. Gallagher, communications director for the NJ Association of School Administrators; Wendi Patella, public relations consultant for the NJ Council of County Vocational-Technical Schools; Dr. Mary Reece, director of innovative programs for the NJ Principals and Supervisors Association; and Sharon Witchel, president-elect of the NJ School Public Relations Association.

Honors at County SBAs NJSBA will honor the nine school districts at the spring dinners of the state’s county school boards associations.