OCEAN CITY — A veteran teacher of Ocean City Primary School was named Cape May County teacher of the year and is now in the running for state recognition.
Linda Swift, of Sea Isle City, has been a reading specialist at the school for 35 years. She told the Herald that she works in the classroom and individually with young pupils (mostly kindergarteners) that have reading problems on early intervention programs.
Swift received a resolution from the Cape May County Board of Chosen Freeholders at its Tuesday, June 9 meeting. At that time, County Executive Superintendent Terrence Crowley joined Freeholder Ralph Bakley Sr. in presenting the document.
“The earlier we can catch students at risk, the earlier we can get them back on track,” Swift said earlier.
Swift said she was very happy to be named the county’s top teacher.
“It was such an honor,” she said.
The state Department of Education announced the 21 County Teachers of the Year and the State Facility Teacher of the Year in a June 8 press release.
According to the release, portfolios of the talented teachers, which include a Teacher of the Year application and a 15-minute DVD, will be evaluated by a state-level panel of educators who will recommend finalists to be interviewed in September.
“Our approach to participating in the National Teacher of the Year Program actually allows us to recognize and celebrate the talent and accomplishments of hundreds of teachers in New Jersey,” state Education Commissioner Lucille Davy said.
“The selection process begins at the grassroots, with locally selected school and district teachers of the year. This approach matches the spirit of the competition, which is intended to lead to the selection of one teacher who symbolizes exemplary qualities found in many excellent teachers who work in our schools.”
The state teacher of the year serves as an ambassador for the profession, receives a six-month sabbatical from his or her teacher assignment, attends several national conferences and becomes a candidate for the National teacher of the year.
Swift said the state teacher award would be announced sometime after the end of the school year.
“I congratulate our county winners and the state facility winner and look forward to introducing our new state teacher of the year in October,” Davy said.
Contact Hart at (609) 886-8600 Ext 35 or at: jhart@cmcherald.com
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