Clinton Township Newsletter

1 5 j a n u a r y 2 0 2 3 I N O U R S C H O O L S : Tuesday January 3, 2023 Schools Re-open from Recess Monday January 16, 2023 Martin Luther King Day, School Closed Wednesday January 25, 2023 Early Dismissal IMPORTANT DATES TO KEEP IN MIND THIS WINTER Patrick McGaheran School Casey Cook is Patrick McGaheran School's Educational Services Professional of the Year! Ms. Casey Cook is a teacher assistant who goes above and beyond to support the needs of students in our school. Ms. Cook has been a part of our PMG team for the past two years, and on a daily basis she imparts enthusiasm and energy to her students as she moves with them through the school to support their success. Her calm and reassuring presence, along with her consistent smile, provide a sense of peace in the classrooms in which she works. Ms. Cook celebrates students' success! She takes into account students' skills and abilities, their unique personalities and also the classroom environment when collaborating with teachers to make educational decisions for students. Ms. Cook is truly a shining star! Upon receiving this recognition, Ms. Cook shared, "I feel incredibly honored to have received this recognition. I thoroughly enjoy being a part of our students' learning experience alongside our phenomenal team of educators at PMG, from whom I learn every day. I believe every student is capable of positive growth, and that it is our responsibility as education professionals to effectively support this growth by identifying, advocating for, and accommodating the individual and changing needs of each student. I absolutely love my job, and feel grateful that I get to work with children every day!" Katie Pill is the Patrick McGaheran School Teacher of the Year! Mrs. Mrs. Katie PIll is a phenomenal educator who is so deserving of the title "Teacher of the Year." Mrs. Pill has been a dedicated member of our faculty for sixteen years, and is currently a first grade special education teacher. She is patient, optimistic, empathetic and dedicated to her profession. Mrs. Pill is a special education teacher who is able to ascertain the individual needs of each child in her classroom and constantly strives to meet these needs, all while making everlasting connections with students. A walk through Mrs. Pill's classroom enables one to see engaged learners, who are smiling and having fun! Her dedication to teaching does not stop with the students in her classroom. In addition to being an expert educator of students, Mrs. Pill also serves as a mentor for novice teachers and as experienced colleagues, and shares her wealth of knowledge with others. Mrs. Pill is a shining example of a Teacher of the Year, and we are grateful to have her as part of our PMG Team! Upon receiving this recognition, Mrs. Pill stated, "I am so honored to be awarded PMG Teacher of the Year! I work with an amazing group of educators and I feel blessed to receive this honor. I love teaching and watching my students learn and grow both academically and socially. Each year, I work to create an organized classroom environment where I can support my learners in feeling safe and comfortable to take risks in their learning. Being a special education teacher at Patrick McGaheran School for sixteen years has been so rewarding and I am grateful to be a part of the PMG family!" Round Valley School Jennie Forman is Round Valley Elementary School's Educational Services Professional of the Year! Mrs. Jennie Forman is a literacy support teacher, primarily in grades 3-5. She has been teaching for over twenty years and is extremely passionate and knowledgeable in helping students to achieve their goals. She has great relationships with her students, their parents and district staff. She is collaborative and shares her expertise with others. She is flexible and adaptable and will do whatever it takes to meet the needs of students within the district. Additionally, Mrs. Forman contributes to the climate of the school by organizing events for staff to engage, such as our annual retirement dinner and bakery club. Mrs. Forman is a great ESP and deserving of this honor. On receiving this recognition, Mrs. Forman shared, " I am extremely honored to be receiving this award. I love teaching and watching my students grow. The biggest reward is when a student realizes for the first time they are able to read a book on their own. There is nothing in the world like giving a child the gift to read. Making school a safe and fun place to learn is priceless. This career has chosen me, as I didn't originally go to school to be an educator. While doing a Social Work internship in a disabled school I found the love of teaching. After that I pursued a career in Education. I love what I do!" When not in school, Mrs. Forman lives in Roxbury with her husband and two amazing children. She loves to travel and have many family fun adventures. She likes to venture to theme parks, NYC, the beach, and even take family trips to the mall. Kim Kilroy is the Round Valley Elementary School Teacher of the Year! Mrs. Kim Kilroy is an amazing Grade-5 special education teacher on an in- class support team. She has been in education for fifteen years. Mrs. Kilroy is a gifted expert at creating a positive learning environment for her students. She surveys her students to check their wellness, provides opportunities for students to be "stars of the week" and encourages them to take risks emotionally and academically. Mrs. Kilroy consistently researches methods to facilitate a growth mindset in her students and develops engaging lessons that embody best educational practices. She also is a leader in the grade level and well respected by her colleagues. She is an active participant in all of the committees she serves on and contributes to the positive school climate in so many ways. She is a perfect candidate for this recognition! Mrs. Kilroy shared, "I was surprised and truly honored to be awarded RVS Teacher of the Year. I know many amazing teachers who have received this distinction before me and I feel blessed to be joining the list of dedicated educators. I have a sign hanging in my room that says, 'What I love most about my classroom is who I share it with'. My colleagues I work alongside each day as well as the students I work with each year are truly my favorite part of my job. Building a community of lifelong learners who feel valued, important, and cared for is one of the most important parts of my job and definitely one of my favorite parts." Outside of school, Mrs. Kilroy lives in Stewartsville, New Jersey with her husband, Greg, daughter Emma (10), and dog Rhu. Her family is the light of her life. Clinton Township Middle School Rose Mastroianni is Clinton Township Middle School's Educational Services Professional of the Year! Rose has been with the Clinton Township School District for over twenty years. She started as a substitute teacher when her children were young. At the urging of former CTMS principal Diane Tate, Rose decided to become a teaching assistant. During this time she has worked with many students. She has always kept the students' needs in the forefront and has worked diligently to get the most from her students. She has worked in all classrooms throughout the middle school and was even brought to Round Valley to work with a visually impaired sixth grader. Working with this student, Rose had to learn specialized technology to support her student. Through the years she has worked with both high functioning and lower level students always treating each with care and respect. For the past few years, Rose has been in the Team Light classroom where she works with nonverbal students. She is patient and kind and supports the students in all areas of instruction, from running programs and taking crucial data to lunch coverage and adaptive gym. In addition, Rose has been the assistant cross country coach for at least ten years. She helps the runners during practices as well as being on the course during meets. She also helps Coach Comly with administrative tasks such as scheduling buses and coordinating meets with the Athletic Director, taking attendance, and assisting injured students. Rose has been an integral part of the Clinton Township School District for many years as a parent, substitute teacher, teaching assistant, and coach. Bonnie Birken is the Clinton Township Middle School Teacher of the Year! Bonnie Birken is one of those exceptional teachers who creates a culture of learning in her classroom that is nurturing and challenging. She repeatedly has been deemed a Highly Effective teacher because of the work she does every day in her classroom. She creates lessons that require students to collaborate and think critically which allows them to build the skills they need to be successful in school and will be invaluable in life. Her lessons are student centered and allows students to construct their own understandings and knowledge. She works well with her colleagues and recently delivered a professional development session on Hexagonal Thinking in which she shared this Best practice with her colleagues. She also gave staff time to think about how they could use this lesson in their subject area and then differentiate it for students who have diverse skill levels. She has taught for 19 years and continues to demonstrate her passion for learning, her empathy for her students and a strong work ethic. She challenges herself to stay current and to try new things so that her students develop the skills they will need in school and in life. Rabindranath Tagore, Nobel Laureate in literature once said, "Don't limit a child to your own learning, for he was born in another time." and that is the essence of Bonnie as a teacher. She challenges herself to continually grow to become a better teacher who can meet the needs of her students year after year.

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