Bridgewater-Raritan Teacher Named NJ's 2024 Exemplary Educator Award Winner

BRIDGEWATER, NJ — Jaclynn Hurley, a 5th Grade Math, Science, and Social Studies Teacher at the Eisenhower Intermediate School, was named a State of New Jersey Department of Education 2024 Exemplary Educator Award winner.

Hurley was honored by the Bridgewater-Raritan Regional Board of Education at its regular business meeting on Dec. 10, where she also received her Department of Education's Exemplary Educator certificate.

Superintendent Bob Beers handed her the certificate and praised her devotion and dedication to the school district.

"Congratulations on winning another award and you are an excellent representative of the Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District," Beers said.

"This is extremely gratifying to see the work that I do and then to see each student be as successful as possible as they can be," Hurley said.

According to the State of New Jersey Department of Education, the goal of the Exemplary Educator Program is to identify outstanding educators for special recognition.

At the meeting, which was held at the Wade Administration Building, Hurley was accompanied by her family and Eisenhower School Principal, Dr. Laura Bassett.

"I am so proud of Mrs. Hurley for this state-wide recognition as a 2024 Exemplary Educator," said Bassett.

Bassett nominated Hurley earlier in the year, which occurred just when this teacher at Eisenhower–where she once attended as a student–had received another prestigious award.

"Jackie was the Eisenhower School Governor's Educator of the Year winner for the 2023-2024 school year, and it was my pleasure to nominate her for this additional recognition," Bassett said.

The Department of Education invites public school administrators to recommend up to three outstanding educators.

As one of 11 recipients of the 2023-2024 Annual Governor’s Educator of the Year award winners for the Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District, Hurley was recommended to the State Department of Education for this additional recognition.

Bassett received the great news on Nov. 4 from the Department of Education that Hurley was among the 160 teachers from throughout New Jersey to be named an Exemplary Educator Award honoree.

"I was absolutely shocked and surprised," Hurley said. "I knew nothing about what the award was."

This honor carries special significance since she grew up in the Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District.

She first attended Pre-K at the John F. Kennedy Primary School and then was a student at the Van Holten Primary School, followed by her time at Eisenhower and then the Bridgewater-Raritan Middle School before she graduated from Bridgewater-Raritan High School in 2001.

After graduating from Bloomsburg University in Pennsylvania she came home to teach.

"I always wanted to come back and work here in Bridgewater-Raritan," she said.

She certainly did come back. She taught for a few years in Room 206 at Eisenhower, the same classroom where she studied language arts as a 6th-grade student.

Bassett reflected on how proud she and her school staff are of their award-winning educator.

"Jackie is a leader in our school and makes a positive difference in the lives of her students and our whole school community," said Bassett. "She exemplifies what it means to SOAR at Eisenhower School!"

— Submitted by Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District