Brick Schools Name District's 2016-17 Teacher Of The Year

BRICK, NJ — To Meredith Hudson, being an artist requires a great deal of self-reflection and critique. They are principles the digital photography teacher at Brick Township High School has built her educational philosophy around.

District officials say her commitment to fostering that sense of self-reflection and independence in her students is one of the reasons she has been named the 2016-17 Brick Township School District Teacher of the Year.

"For artists, the collaborative critique process helps them cultivate the purpose of their hard work and strengthen their creative process," the district said in a news release. Hudson "measures student success not only by the finished piece, but more importantly how they are able to engage with one another constructively and verbalize how they got to the final product during the creation process," said William Kleissler, Brick Township High School's principal.

"Ms. Hudson provides a safe environment where independence and creativity is fostered,” he said.

Dana Triantafillos and Erin Biancella, the high school's assistant principals, said Hudson's students are taught the value of patience and the importance of hard work.

"Her classroom is modeled around the collaborative-critique concept, and Ms. Hudson aims to provide students with the ability to see the purpose in what they are doing every day," the news release said.

Over the last school year, Hudson worked with students and staff to build the Brick Township High School Store in Cafeteria 3, transforming the space "to embody the amazing spirit of the school itself."

"This outdated space was renovated into a bright, fully operational store filled with excited teenagers that want to purchase gear to represent their school," the release said.

Hudson, who coaches the Brick High School swim team, also is the adviser for the Class of 2019 and for the Art Club. She also is involved with the Ocean County Teen Arts Program, and has created a unique online collaborative space for art teachers called refrigeratorgood.com.

Photo via Brick Township Public Schools