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Manchester's 2013 Teachers of the Year Honored

Manchester Township School District's 2013 Teachers of the Year, selected by a committee of their peers, were honored at the May Board of Education Meeting.

Manchester Township School District's 2013 Teachers of the Year, selected by a committee of their peers, were honored at the May Board of Education Meeting.  Each was introduced by their principal and presented with a gift, a certificate, and a large wooden sign for the best perk of the title, a reserved parking spot for the year.

Heather Staples is not only the Manchester Township High School Teacher of the Year, but also the District Teacher of the Year.  She started teaching in Manchester 13 years ago, after graduating from Flagler College.  Staples teaches AP English, Junior English and Tomorrow’s Teachers, a program she spearheaded at the high school four years ago.  She has been inspiring students interested in the teaching profession as the FEA (Future Educators of America) advisor for the last eight years and serves on the state board for the NJFEA.  She currently serves as the Junior Class Advisor, has participated in the assessment and textbook selection committees, and has also worked as a Mentor Teacher to new teachers.

“Her enthusiasm for the profession is evident in the extremely positive learning environment she establishes in her classroom.  To spend time in her class is to see students actively engaged in learning in many areas,” Principal Alex George remarked about Staples.  He said that some of the
ways she engages her students are through blogging and web-based activities, problem-based learning projects, and developing higher order questions and learning objectives for her students.

“We are extremely proud of the sense of community the high school embodies and no one works harder to continue that tradition than Heather.  As a proud graduate, teacher and parent in the district, she has a truly unique perspective...I would like to thank Mrs. Staples for all her efforts on behalf of the students and staff and congratulate her on her accomplishments this year.”

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Staples thanked her colleagues for the honor, saying, “You have no idea what this means to me, truly.”  She also thanked administrators and the BOE for embracing the teaching program she said she ‘begged’ to be able to start at the high school.  She said she loves working with the student teachers and working with the students as class advisor.  “The support I get from them (the students) is always breathtaking, just seeing the good in all of our high school students,” she said.

Whiting School Teacher of the Year, Kelly Stevenson, teaches one of two self-contained autism classes at the school.  She holds a Bachelor’s in English, Master’s in special education and BCBA autism certification.  She is currently working on her Master’s for administration.

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“As a professional for the past 35 years, I have had the pleasure of observing many wonderful teachers,” said Principal Fran Scudese.  “Ms. Stevenson is one such professional who continually reinvents herself so that her students have a quality education. To teach is such a rewarding experience but to work with autistic students is truly a special calling...It is quite a task of balancing the different lessons, ranges of instruction and balancing the various personalities of children effectively throughout the day, but Kelly makes it look easy.”

“Communication is such an important link between the parents and the teacher,” Scudese continued.  “Ms. Stevenson has developed and nurtured trust and confidence with all of her parents while remaining professional.  Most recently, when one of her students had difficulty boarding the bus in the morning, Kelly would travel to the child’s home to help in the process.  That is what I call going beyond the call of duty. I am truly impressed by Kelly Stevenson.  She has great promise and so much potential in our profession.”

Stevenson thanked the BOE and administrators for starting the autism program in Manchester and supporting it.  She also thanked her students for the inspiration they give her every day and thanked their parents for their support. Thanking her support staff team, she said, “On no day would I be able to do this by myself.”

Regional Day School Teacher of the Year, Michelle DeSantis, started her career as a student teacher at RDS, was hired to sub for a maternity leave, and was then hired as a special education teacher. She is a Manchester alumnus who earned her teaching degree from Georgian Court College.  

Principal Lisa Michallis said, “For the past ten years she has been educating students with the most diverse and significant disabilities including but not limited to the deaf and blind, communication disordered, orthopedically disabled, developmentally disabled, and medically frail.”  She also coaches the middle school cheerleaders and volunteers for the annual Kevin’s Kids drive.

“Caring, kind, happy, dedicated, resourceful, compassionate,and vibrant are terms colleagues use to describe Michelle,” said Michallis. “Each day she brings warmth and a smile to the classroom. Each child is treated as if they were her own.  On a daily basis she is attentive to their needs and celebrates each child’s success no matter how big or small.” 

“I am very excited and honored to be Regional Day School Teacher of the Year,” DeSantis said. She said that she is living her childhood dream, telling how she used to drive by Regional Day School, see the sign that said it was ‘a division of Manchester Schools’, and wonder why she didn’t go there.  Her childhood curiosity developed into a desire to teach at the school. ”When I started to sub there, I thought, if I don’t teach here, I’m just going to be devastated.”  She thanked her mentors, her colleagues and especially her paraprofessionals for their continuing support. 


Middle School Teacher of the Year, Claire Rutz, teaches eighth grade language arts. For the past ten years she has also served as the Moderator and Director of the Middle School Drama Club.  “Each year she provides our students, parents, staff and the Manchester community with a Broadway like production and this year was no different,” said Principal Nancy Driber.

“Mrs. Rutz gives so much to the Middle School and is so deserving of this honor.  She is well respected and admired by her colleagues and her students know her to be kind, compassionate, and fair,” Driber remarked. “Student centered activities are observed daily in her classroom and Mrs. Rutz transforms her students from Middle Schoolers to young adults prepared for the challenges of high school.”

“I am completely honored to work at the middle school, where talent is encouraged and individuality flourishes,” said Rutz.  She thanked everyone who helps her both in the classroom and with the drama productions, saying, “They do their best to make me look good.”

MTES Teacher of the Year, Christine McGrath, was hired as a fifth grade teacher in 2008, after spending time student teaching at MTES.  Christine came to teaching later in life after raising her two daughters.  She holds a Master’s degree from Monmouth University. 

“Christine is an imaginative and creative teacher who will go to any length to engage her students in the learning process,” remarked Principal Marjorie Stevens.  “She is also very innovative and likes her students to experience hands-on activities...This year, like others, Christine has faced the daunting task of working with special needs students who challenge her in so many ways.  Due to her perseverance and ability to differentiate her lessons, all children thrive in her class.”

Stevens read comments from a teacher who nominated McGrath: “Christine is truly a dedicated and conscientious master teacher.  Her knowledge and skill in delivering the curriculum, while differentiating for each student, is exemplary.  Christine is an inspirational educator and
always goes the extra mile for students and colleagues.”

McGrath said she was especially honored to be chosen by her peers as teacher of the year because she came to teaching later in life.  She spoke of the dedication of her peers, saying, “It’s definitely not a 9-5 job, it does take a lot of dedication.”  Thanking her colleagues and support staff, she said, “We really are a team.  Working together is what our success is all about.”

Ridgeway School Teacher of the Year, Liza Gauvain, has been teaching in Manchester since 1998.  She taught first grade until this year, when she moved to a kindergarten classroom. 

“Mrs. Gauvain is a master teacher who is a role model for students and staff.  She utilizes district programs and curriculum in a way that consistently engages young learners and appeals to their interests and their needs,” said Principal Diane Pedroza.  “She has proven to be creative,
diligent and a true advocate for her students.  This year she seamlessly transitioned into a kindergarten classroom.  She spent countless hours creating and perfecting a classroom environment that is conducive to learning and included a jungle theme which transformed her room into an oasis of colors, textures and space that encourage children to use their imagination in order to think, read and write critically.  She is an asset to our school and integral part of our dynamic learning community...She truly makes a difference.”

Gauvain remarked, “It’s a humbling experience to be recognized for doing something I love,” she said.  Thanking her colleagues, she said, “Any one of us deserves this honor since we really care about our students.”

Superintendent of Schools, David Trethaway, congratulated all of the honorees, remarking, “Looking at these six people, they are so different, you can see that there is no template, no mold that says this is how a great teacher looks.  But they do have several things in common.  They really, truly care about their students, they are very modest, and they are always looking to do something more.”

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