MANCHESTER – The Manchester Township Education recently hosted its first Excellence in Education celebration at the Clarion Hotel and Conference Center in Toms River.
MTEA President Dan Staples said the event served to honor and recognize “the great work being done in the Manchester Township School District.”
The event included recognition of the school district’s Teachers of the Year and Education Service Professionals of the Year. It also included representatives of the MTEA Transportation, Buildings and Grounds, Paraprofessional and Secretary ESPs of the Year.
Teachers and ESPs of the Year:
MTES
Teacher – Laura Weaver
ESP – Allison Simone
MTHS
Teacher – Rachel Kelly
ESP – Joni Passalacqua
MTMS
Teacher – Susan Dilloian
ESP – Renee Strange
Regional Day
Teacher – James Gunn
ESP – Nancy Thompson
Ridgeway Elementary
Teacher – Crystal Policastro
ESP – Linda Gioanoulis
Whiting Elementary
Teacher – Jennifer Carr
ESP – Lisa Mitchell
MTEA ESPs of the Year:
- Buildings & Grounds – Paul Lindsay, Custodian at MTHS
- Secretary – Meghan Rabenstein, Secretary at Ridgeway
- Transportation – Bernadette Widmaier, Bus Driver
- Paraprofessional – Tami Sereda, Regional Day
A special designation was also presented: the Unsung Hero Award was given to all Manchester school nurses, who worked tirelessly during the pandemic doing contact tracing, quarantine notifications, and going far above and beyond the call of duty to keep our students, staff, schools and community safe.
In attendance were honorees and their invited guests, including administrators, board members, Mayor Robert Hudak (who issued a proclamation marking the event), Town Council President Joan Brush, and Councilwoman Michelle Zolezi. NJEA Officers Secretary-Treasurer Petal Robertson, Vice-President Steve Beatty, and President Sean Spiller welcomed attendees via video address which can be viewed on the school district’s website.
The event was filmed and will be replayed through the district television station TV21. Joseph and Nancy Gawlik provided photographic coverage as well.
