Official Site of The State of New Jersey
Issue 16: August 2024
Karolina Mills
2024-2025 Cumberland County Teacher of the Year
Marie Durand Elementary School
Vineland Public School District
Hello everyone and happy summer! My name is Karolina Mills, and I am the 2024-2025 Cumberland County Teacher of the Year. I teach English as a Second Language (ESL) in grades kindergarten through 5 at the Marie D. Durand Elementary School in the Vineland Public School District.
August marks the start of the back-to-school season, also known as National Back to School Month. Some of us may still be in full vacation mode, while others like me have started revising lesson plans, organizing materials, planning fun activities, shopping for school supplies, and decorating the classroom for the upcoming school year.
Vineland is a linguistically diverse community. The Vineland School District prides itself on providing the best and most inclusive environment for all multilingual learners (MLLs). Our registration office works tirelessly on enrollment and screening our new multilingual learners, while our team of expert teachers is actively engaged in curricular revisions. Our district has worked hard to develop a solid Bilingual and ESL curriculum and always strives to create a safe and welcoming environment for all students.
Our top priority in Vineland is being culturally responsive. Research shows that family engagement contributes to positive outcomes at all levels. Getting to know the students and connecting with their families are fundamental building blocks for academic success.
It is important to embrace multilingualism as an asset, not a hindrance. Vineland focuses on the best practices for teaching our multilingual population, encouraging our students to use their home language as much as possible. Translanguaging builds mental flexibility and allows the MLLs to transfer their knowledge into their new classrooms faster. All educators are encouraged to reach out to their ESL teachers to collaborate and ensure the students' integration and exposure to authentic, grade-level content and English language development instruction simultaneously.
As we approach a new school year, I challenge all of us to regroup our thoughts, recognize the true priorities, and renew our commitment to our noble mission: the teaching and molding of young minds—our future generation. Urge students to be brave, knowledge-savvy, and determined to finish what they start. Encourage their creativity, help them express themselves, make connections, and build long-lasting relationships.
Let's all contribute equally and meaningfully to this marvelous and diverse melting pot that defines this wonderful country we all call home.
Educator Recognition Programs
The New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) gives well-deserved public attention to the contributions of our state’s outstanding educators through our educator recognition programs.
Participating in educator recognition programs is an investment that will pay dividends for years to come. If your school or district nominates teachers for educator recognition programs, recommend a deserving colleague during the nomination process. If your school or district does not participate, encourage your administration to do so by sharing the benefits of recognizing educators.
Benefits of Recognizing Educators:
- Provides validation to New Jersey’s hard-working educators that have altered their instructional practice to meet the changing needs of New Jersey’s 1.4 million students.
- Identifies and celebrates exemplars of excellence that promote a positive school culture.
- Offers professional growth for honored educators.
- Promotes outstanding work and dedication.
- Helps make connections with other educators across the state.
- Brings public attention to the work of outstanding educators, encouraging a feeling of pride within the school, district, and community to positively promote the perception of educators.
| Program Name | School or District Nomination Process |
|---|---|
| Governor’s Educator of the Year Program | Yes |
| Exemplary Educator Recognition Program | Yes |
| Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) |
No—anyone can nominate a teacher online. |
| Distinguished Clinical Intern and Cooperating Teacher Awards | No—educator preparation programs nominate interns and cooperating teachers. |
| Milken National Educator Awards Program | No |
Visit the Educator Recognition webpage for information on each program. If you have any comments or questions, email educatorrecognition@doe.nj.gov.
This monthly newsletter highlights the talent of our state’s honored educators by regularly featuring them in the message section. This month’s featured educator is one of the 2024-25 County Teachers of the Year.