The New Jersey Department of Education recognized 21 teachers as the 2018-2019 County Teachers of the Year in an awards ceremony at Jackson Memorial High School, Jackson.

“I am honored to recognize the 2018-2019 County Teachers of the Year,” said Gov. Phil Murphy. “These 21 educators exemplify the outstanding level of talent and commitment that exists in New Jersey’s public schools. Their hard work and dedication is a critical part of making our state’s public education system one of the best in the country and creating a life-long love of learning for New Jersey’s students.”

“Our greatest resources in public education are our educators,” said Education Commissioner Lamont O. Repollet. “Here in New Jersey, we are blessed to have many brilliant educators, and these 21 who are being recognized as County Teachers of the Year are emblematic of the quality of instruction that we see throughout the Garden State.”

Individual schools are encouraged to identify educators for the Governor’s Educator of the Year Program to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of their outstanding teachers.  Teachers recognized as part of this program become eligible to compete for County Teachers of the Year.  Panels representing a cross-section of administrators, teachers, parents and members of county education associations select each County Teacher of the Year.

The County Teachers of the Year will network with educators throughout the state and serve as ambassadors for New Jersey’s public schools. Additional information can be found on the Governor’s Educator of the Year webpage.

A panel of educators then will select the New Jersey State Teacher of the Year based on written applications, video submissions and interviews with the County Teachers of the Year. The State Teacher of the Year is expected to be announced at the State Board of Education’s October meeting, and will go on to represent New Jersey in competing for the title of National Teacher of the Year.

New Jersey’s 2018-19 County Teachers of the Year are as follows:

2018-2019 County Teachers of the Year

CountyFirst NameLast NameGrade LevelSubject AreaSchoolSchool District
AtlanticMarkDeebold9th-12thESLAtlantic City
High School
Atlantic City
School District
BergenChristineEsolaKindergartenSpecial EducationThe Valley ProgramNorthern Valley Reg. H.S. District
BurlingtonMelissaAntinoff3rdElementaryAshbrook Elementary SchoolLumberton School District
CamdenJenniferMazzochi8thSpecial EducationCharles W. Lewis Middle SchoolGloucester Township School District
Cape MayCarrieMerritt1stElementaryOcean City Primary SchoolOcean City School District
CumberlandVickiYeager10th-12thChemistryVineland High SchoolVineland School District
EssexSmitaDharsi2ndElementaryEdgemont Montessori SchoolMontclair School District
GloucesterVanessaPaccione3rd-5thArtGeneral Charles G. Harker SchoolSwedesboro-Woolwich School District
HudsonPatriciaSmeyers5thElementaryClarendon Elementary SchoolSecaucus School District
HunterdonAmyMullay9th-12thLatinNorth Hunterdon High SchoolNorth Hunterdon-Voorhees Reg. H.S. District
MercerNicholasJohnson10th-12thScienceCentral High SchoolHopewell Valley Regional School District
MiddlesexMatthewWechter3rdElementaryRobert N. Wilentz Elementary SchoolPerth Amboy School District
MonmouthToddCurtis10th-12thSocial StudiesHowell High SchoolFreehold Regional High School District
MorrisJenniferSkomial9th-12thCTE Child DevelopmentMorris County School of TechnologyMorris County Vocational School District
OceanWilliamSmith7th-8thSocial StudiesSouthern Regional Middle SchoolSouthern Regional School District
PassaicRobertEdgar9th-12thEnglishPompton Lakes High SchoolPompton Lakes School District