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December 14, 2018
Dear Staff and Administration:
There is no greater honor for an educator than to be recognized by students, parents, and colleagues for excellence and contribution to the field. Please join me in congratulating the Burlington Township
Educators of the Year.
On behalf of the Board of Education, administration, and staff, we honor and thank these educators for their hard work and dedication to the children and families of Burlington Township. The Teachers of the Year will all be honored at a County Teacher of the Year program and during an upcoming public Board of Education Meeting.
Regards,
Mary Ann Bell
Ann Marie Britt Christopher Giannotti
Mrs. Mary Ann Bell
Ms. Ann Marie Britt Mr. Christopher Giannotti
Superintendent
Assistant Superintendent
Assistant Superintendent
Nicholas Bice Elizabeth A. Scott
Nicolas Bice Elizabeth A. Scott
Board Secretary/ Director of HR & Community Relations
Business Administrator
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B. Bernice Young School
Jill Rocco
Teacher of the Year
1st Grade Teacher
We are proud to recognize Mrs. Jill Rocco, 1st grade teacher, as the 2018 - 2019 Educator of the Year at B. Bernice Young School. She is an integral core member of the PBSIS -
Soaring to Success
team and provides daily encouragement to students and staff to always be respectful, kind and safe. She is actively a teacher leader, engaging in ongoing professional development and collaboration with colleagues.
Mrs. Rocco is very caring and a wonderful teacher and peer. She comes up with very good tips for her students to learn and retain the subjects and things that she is teaching. She is very creative and attentive to all of her students, plans instruction for students with organized differentiation activities to support their varied learning styles and creates excitement and enthusiasm for children to learn.
Mrs. Rocco has a thorough knowledge of the first grade curriculum. She has developed lessons and centers that actively keep the students engaged in learning. Mrs. Rocco has invested time in getting to know her students personally, as well as their strengths and weaknesses academically. The structure she has provided and the reinforcement given are undoubtedly her strengths as a teacher. It seems as if she has put care and effort into each aspect of her teaching.
She is a consummate professional and is always willing to volunteer in school activities like family character nights. Mrs. Rocco undoubtedly is well-deserving of this recognition and we are proud to recognize her as B. Bernice Young School's Teacher of the Year.
Jill's students say:
Educational Specialist of the Year
School Counselor
We are proud to announce Kate Grau, school counselor as the 2018 -2019 Educational Services Professional of the Year at B. Bernice Young School.
"Kate is very professional and supportive. She is always willing to help, contact a parent, or support an educator. She never says she cannot help or that she is not available. She makes everyone feel important and respected. It is a pleasure working with her!"
As our school counselor Kate always focuses on helping others! She is so supportive of the staff and students. She has an infectious positive attitude, enjoys helping everyone and has a wonderful sense of humor. She constantly promotes
Soaring to Success
to sustain a positive learning environment. The students look forward everyday to leading the morning announcements with Ms Grau, saluting the flag and sharing our school pledge to be respectful, kind and safe.
Kate responds to each call for students struggling with various social/emotional or behavioral concerns with a smile and calmness which connects with students. She provides whole class instructional lessons and small group social lessons to support the needs of each child. She has an incredible ability to connect with children and support them. Kate is a constant source of support for our teachers and staff. Her ability to multitask, adapt and balance her many professional responsibilities while remaining focused and productive is commendable as the HIB specialist, school counselor, and universal PBSIS coach. It is a pleasure and honor to work with her
We are so lucky to have her as a member of our staff and proud to recognize her accomplishments as educational professional of the year for B. Bernice Young School.
Kate's students say:
- She let's us do the loud speaker
- She comes to our class to play games.
- She helps us solve problems
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Fountain Woods Elementary School
Shawn Fitzpatrick
Teacher of the Year
Teacher of Technology
&
Jeanene Stefanski
Educational Specialist of the Year
School Counselor
Fountain Woods is pleased to formally announce our 2018-2019 Governor's Educators of the Year:
Mr. Shawn Fitzpatrick
as our Teacher of the Year and
Mrs. Jeanene Stefanski
as our Educational Services Professional of the Year. Both staff members are VERY deserving!
Mr. Fitzpatrick started teaching here in Burlington Township in 1996, and this is actually the SECOND time he has been named Teacher of the Year! The year Fountain Woods opened its doors for the first time in 1999, Mr. Fitzpatrick was named its very first Teacher of the Year! Mr. Fitzpatrick taught 4
th
grade for 6 years before moving into the position he holds as a teacher of technology. Those who recommended Mr. Fitz for this honor described him as "always going out of his way to help anyone he can", as "someone who uses his own personal time to research various tech trends", and as someone who "has a fervor for continued learning and the development of new ideas". Not a week goes by that Mr. Fitzpatrick doesn't approach the FW administrative team regarding a new tech program, a new website or application, a new device, or a new idea that he would like to try in his lab. In turn, the administrative team knows if Mr. Fitzpatrick is bringing something to them, it must be something worthwhile and of great benefit to both our school and our students. Just a few years ago, Mr. Fitzpatrick redesigned his computer lab to create "maker space", allowing the children to work individually and in groups - on the ground and on tables - using various devices. He continues to remain current and is always looking for ways to better meet the needs of our children, who we know are growing up in a rapidly progressing technological age. We are very lucky to have Mr. Fitzpatrick as our technology teacher, and, once again, as our Teacher of the Year!
Mrs. Stefanski started in the Burlington Township School District in 1994. She started as a special education teacher before becoming a school counselor in 2001. For the first 23 years of her professional career, Mrs. Stefanski worked at the B. Bernice Young School before transferring over to the Fountain Woods School in the spring of 2017. In her relatively brief time with us, she has proven to be an awesome addition to our school family. She currently serves as our 3rd grade school counselor and one of our HIB specialists. In addition, Mrs. Stefanski is a member of the Burlington County Crisis Team and regularly travels to other schools in neighboring communities when they experience a traumatic loss or event. At Fountain Woods, Mrs. Stefanski's extensive background knowledge of many of our children and their families after her years working at the Young School has been invaluable. She knows most of our incoming 3rd grade students, and they have a familiar face when they move up to their new school. In her role as school counselor, she often provides a shoulder on which to cry. At other times, she can be firm when a child needs to gather him- or herself before returning to class. And at yet other times, she offers outstanding advice in order to help our children get through a particularly difficult time in their lives. Those who nominated Mrs. Stefanski describe her as "a passionate advocate for her children", "a great communicator", having "boundless enthusiasm", and being "someone the children love". For these reasons and more, Mrs. Stefanski has been named the FW 2018-2019 Educational Services Professional of the Year!
Shawn's students say:
- He teaches us about code using Spero to teach us how to code.
- He makes everything we do fun.
- We wouldn't know anything about computers.
Jeanene's students say:
- She does great lessons.
- She is a very nice and good teacher.
- She does great lessons.
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Burlington Township Middle School at Springside
Dianna DeFiore
Teacher of the Year
Social Studies Teacher
Ms. Dianna DeFiore is an integral part of the BTMS family. Her dedication to her craft, ability to lead others and forward thinking mindset makes her an exceptional educator. As the Google classroom teacher Cluster Coordinator, she works hard to ensure that her students are engaged during Social Studies lessons. Dianna incorporates technology consistently and seamlessly into her classroom every day. She dedicates her time to our school community by assisting staff with technology issues and providing google classroom training for the entire staff.
Ms. DeFiore is respected by all stakeholders including students, staff, parents and administrators. She is an innovative self-starter with a talent for turning plans into reality. For the past several years, Ms. DeFiore has balanced meeting her students' needs in the classroom, successfully running our schools Robotics program and continuing her education to earn her Master's Degree in both supervision and administration.
In addition, Dianna spearheaded the launch of the PBSIS/First Class Falcons program in our building. She has a keen ability to collaborate with others and inspire them to achieve a common goal. BTMS had a successful first year of PBSIS implementation due to Dianna's collaborative work with Rutgers PBSIS lead, administration, staff and students. She is the ultimate resource for many throughout the District.
Dianna DeFiore's commitment, creativity and dedication to the BTMS family as individuals and as a community make her an outstanding 2018-2019 Teacher of the Year! We are lucky to have her as a teacher, resource and leader!
Dianna's students say:
- She makes popcorn for the whole school.
- She makes work fun and give us interesting facts.
- She gives a lot of time and effort.
Stephanie Kinney
Educational Specialist of the Year
Student Assistance Coordinator
Ms. Stephanie Kinney is an indispensable part of the Burlington Township Middle School @ Springside family. As one of the district SACs, she draws from a deep well of knowledge about prevention and intervention in all of the most high-risk topics including: substance abuse, suicide and trauma. She assists students who experience difficulties in the aforementioned areas but offers her services to all students at any given time. Ms. Kinney is an invaluable resource for colleagues, students and parents, whom rely on her expertise and her ability to communicate clearly and calmly even in a swirl of crisis. For example, Stephanie provides staff and student training on Suicide, Drug and Alcohol Awareness and Bullying throughout the school year. She is highly committed to the BTMS students and community. She responds to urgent emails after school hours and follows through with checking on students during and after a crisis.
Her exceptional rapport with students in and out of crisis is admired by her colleagues and administration. Stephanie is a natural born counselor who listens to student concerns and provides supportive feedback. She has the ability to make each student she comes into contact with feel special and valued. Her passion for her career is evident in the many hours she spends on creating a safe and supportive school environment. She consistently goes above and beyond her job responsibilities. Stephanie's influence transcends beyond her SAC work through her strong relationship with all stakeholders and the meaningful programs she develops.
In addition, Stephanie's influence transcends beyond her SAC work through her strong relationship with all stakeholders and the meaningful programs she develops. She is an innovative leader in our PBSIS Climate Program. Stephanie works tirelessly to provide an engaging school environment whether she is organizing a Bullying Awareness assembly, developing a PBSIS event or actively seeking community donations.
Ms. Stephanie Kinney is a hardworking and dedicated team player who gives her all to the BTMS family. We are proud to name her as our 2018-2019 Educational Service Professional of the year.
Stephanie's students say:
- She plays good music.
- She is organized and does a lot behind the scene.
- She works hard to get us what we want.
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Burlington Township High School
Ann Kohart
Teacher of the Year
Math/Computer Science Teacher
Mrs. Kohart is serving her 6th year as a teacher at Burlington Township High School. She has volunteered her time tirelessly for the betterment of her students and the community. Mrs. Kohart serves as the adviser for the class of 2019 and coding club. Mrs. Kohart is also a tremendous asset in the Math Department. She recently began teaching AP Computer Science and has done so with great passion and excitement. She loves working with students and the enthusiasm and energy she brings to school every day is inspiring.
Ann's students say:
Teresa Ramos
Educational Specialist
of the Year
Child Study Team: Social Worker
Mrs. Ramos has been a wonderful asset to the Child Study Team. She is compassionate and driven to help each individual student with their specific and unique needs. She is a valued member of our team who works tirelessly for her students. She is a member of Burlington County Crisis Team and supports neighboring communities when they are in need. She is also a member of the SIT/CIT Team and does a great deal for helping at-risk students. She is a case manager who works as a district wide resource.
Teresa's colleagues say:
- She is an advocate for every child.
- She supports the needs of all students.
- She is a supporter for, not only our community but, others throughout the county.
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District Mission
The Burlington Township School District will develop the intellectual, creative, and social potential of each child through an active partnership with all members
of the community.
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