New Jersey School Boards Association Honors Three Districts with the 2026 School Leader Award

Innovative programs in three New Jersey schools have earned recognition in the New Jersey School Boards Association’s annual School Leader Award program.

Each year, the School Leader Award showcases creative and effective programs that New Jersey schools are implementing to enhance student achievement. Entries are judged on their level of innovation, and how well their programs meet students’ needs, enabling them to achieve to their highest potential.

Congratulations to all involved for successfully serving their students.

This year, the judges of the 2026 School Leader Award  selected three programs for recognition. We thank the individuals who took on the task of judging this year’s award.

Paterson School District

Paterson STEM Community Collaboration

The Paterson STEM Community Collaboration is a citywide, partnership-driven initiative designed to expand equitable access to high-quality STEM learning experiences for students and families across Paterson. The collaboration brings together the Paterson P-Tech Planetarium, Paterson Museum, Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park, NASA Solar System Ambassadors, local schools, and community organizations to provide authentic, hands-on STEM learning that extends beyond the classroom.

Teaneck School District

Every Day Counts: Building a Culture of Attendance Through Communication and Community

At Teaneck Public Schools, Every Day Counts is an attendance campaign—a district-wide commitment to ensuring every student has the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive. Launched in September 2024, the initiative was developed to address chronic absenteeism and truancy by fostering meaningful relationships with students and families while creating a culture where attendance is valued every day.

West New York School District

Memorial High School STEAM Academy (From Concept to Prototype)

The Memorial High School STEAM Academy provides students with opportunities to apply classroom learning to authentic, real-world challenges through project-based learning and the Concept-to-Prototype model. The goal of the program is to create a learning environment where students move beyond learning concepts to designing, building, testing, refining, and presenting innovative solutions to meaningful problems. Students are encouraged to pursue their interests, take intellectual risks, learn from setbacks, and transform their ideas into reality while developing the confidence, resilience, and adaptability needed for success beyond high school.