Nominate Your Favorite Point Boro Teacher

The Point Pleasant Borough School District is pleased to announce their participation in the 2013 Ocean County Teacher Recognition Program, an annual program that honors exceptional teachers and educational services professionals from each of the district’s four schools.

Nominations for this year’s program are now being sought from school district staff and the Point Pleasant Borough community.

 The Criteria for Selection of Teachers is as follows:

• Use of creativity and innovation in the classroom;
• An ability to increase student achievement through a learning-focused environment;
• Contributing to the professional growth of colleagues;
• Encouraging community service and service learning opportunities as a means of enriching academic learning; and,
• Effective use of technology to advance learning.

 The Criteria for Selection of Educational Services Professionals is as follows:

• Positive interactions with students, staff, and parents while functioning as frontline advocate for the student between home and school;
• Fostering an appropriate environment for learning and exploring creative alternatives to enable all students to achieve to their fullest potential;
• Supporting classroom instruction by addressing the educational, social and emotional needs of all students; and,
• Personal interactions with students that demonstrate professionalism while retaining respect, humor, compassion and concern for the whole child.

In addition, in alignment with the Department of Education’s Strategic Plan, the following criteria should be considered:

• Use of creativity, innovation and efficiency in the classroom;
• Ability to increase student achievement of the Core Curriculum Content Standards through a learning-focused environment;
• Ability to contribute to the quality of the professional development in their district; and;
• Ability to utilize educational technology in an effective and efficient manner.

Members of the Point Pleasant Borough community who would like to nominate a teacher or educational services professional for consideration should send a letter naming the teacher nominated and reasons for nomination reflecting the above criteria by January 23, 2013 to:

Robert Alfonse

Director of Curriculum and Instruction K-12

Point Pleasant Schools

2100 Panther Path

Point Pleasant, NJ 08742

Nominations will be reviewed and selections determined by a committee of community representatives and staff members.

“As the engineers of successful student outcomes, education professionals play a vital role in the development of a strong, well-educated society,” said Superintendent of Schools Vincent S. Smith. “It is essential that we, as a society, recognize and applaud their contributions, demonstrating our gratitude for their hard work and dedication to the education of our youth.”

 “The Ocean County Teacher Recognition Program provides an excellent opportunity for school systems and their communities to honor exemplary education professionals,” he said. “I strongly encourage anyone who has been positively affected by an exceptional Point Pleasant Borough teacher or educational services professional to express their appreciation and nominate that person.”

 “With so many outstanding educators in our district, the challenge will be selecting just one nominee from what is sure to be an extremely competitive pool,” added Smith.

Nominations can include various types of staff members including:

* Educational Services Professionals: Associate Educational Media Specialist; Athletic Trainer; Coordinator: Apprentice Programs; Coordinator: Cooperative Industrial Education Programs; Director of Student Personnel Services; Educational Media Specialist; Learning Disabilities Teacher-Consultant; Professional Librarian; Reading Specialist; School Nurse; School Occupational Therapist; School Physical Therapist; School Psychologist; School Social Worker; Speech-Language Specialist; Student Personnel Services; Substance Awareness Coordinator; Teacher-Coordinator, Cooperative Vocational-Technical Education Programs.

To find out more about the Point Pleasant School District, visit the district website at www.pointpleasant.k12.nj.us.