Bridgewater Mom Named William Annin Teacher Of The Year

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — Melanie DuPuis loves her job as a teacher. And her love for teaching has been recognized by her peers. DuPuis was named as William Annin Middle School’s 2017 Teacher of the Year.

“It feels awesome,” DuPuis told Patch. “I work really hard and love my job. I am honored to be recognized by my colleagues who have known me for 11 years. They really respect me and that means a lot to me.”

DuPuis, a Bridgewater mother of two, is a sixth grade social studies teacher at William Annin Middle School, the leader of the blue team and the varisty swim coach at Ridge High School.

“We are lucky to have great teachers like Ms. DuPuis here at WAMS!” Karen Hudock, WAMS Principal posted in the school newsletter.

The teacher of the year is chosen by WAMS teachers and the assistant principal. DuPuis has been nominated for this honor before, but this is her first time being selected.

In DuPuis’ classroom she really engages the students with her lesson plans.

“I incorporate current events so that my students can make informed decisions as citizens,” DuPuis said. “You hear a lot of criticisms from older generations that social studies is not relevant in the real world, but I like to connect what my students are studying in class to what is happening today.”

DuPuis has always known she wanted to be a teacher, even since she was a child.

“My mom told me when I was a kid that when I went to kindergarten I would learn to read. On my first day of kindergarten I came home crying because I didn’t know how to read yet,” DuPuis said. “So I started teaching myself and pretended to teach my stuffed animals with chalk boards.”

Her passion for teaching continued on as she grew up.

“I wanted to be teacher ever since first grade, every year I would change what I wanted to teach. I went back and forth between subjects,” DuPuis said. “Then I had some amazing history teachers and became very involved in politics when I hit voting age and decided social studies was it.”

DuPuis graduated from Bridgewater-Raritan High School in 2002 and went on to study at New York University, where she graduated in 2006.

Her first and only job was when she was hired as teacher at WAMS.

“I’ve never had an interest in ever leaving here,” DuPuis said. “I love working at the middle school level. I would like to retire in 2021 at my desk. This is a great school district and I love my colleagues.”

(Photo provided: The Dupuis family: Melanie and Dylan with their children Logan (3) and Eliana (6).)

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