5 Hopatcong Teachers Earn State Honors

fifth-grade teacher Carmela Catizone. But she's not the only educator winning awards in the borough.

Five teachers were named in the Governor's Teacher Recognition program, created in 1985 to "acknowledge teachers who exhibit outstanding performance," according to the Department of Education's website. "The rationale for this program is based on the premise that teaching excellence is one of the most significant factors impacting student achievement and the quality of public schools. Further, acknowledging excellence encourages teachers to continue to strive towards that goal. For the purpose of this program, teachers are defined as those whose primary responsibility is classroom instruction."

Doreen Sciabica, Patricia Pietrzak, Kristine Mendyk, the Joanne Canizaro and the Linda Ellicott were each honored, according to high school Principal Emil Binotto.