Teachers, Service Professionals Of Year Named In Manchester Schools

MANCHESTER, NJ — The Manchester Township School District announced the teachers and educational services professionals who are being honored for the 2023-24 school year.

The winners were notified Friday by Interim Superintendent Diane Pedroza, who visited each building to congratulate them.

The teachers and educational services professionals are honored as part of the New Jersey Teacher of the Year & Educational Service Professional Recognition Program, and the staff in each school building in Manchester forms a committee that compiles the votes from their colleagues to determine the winners.

The winners will be submitted to the state Governor’s Educator of the Year program, which recognizes these hardworking teachers and educational services professionals for their dedication to Manchester’s students and their profession.

"I am honored to have been able to share the good news with our 2023-24 Teachers of the Year and Educational Service Professionals of the Year," Pedroza said. "These exceptional educators were chosen by their colleagues for their hard work and dedication to their profession and the students of Manchester. They live out our district motto of 'Excellence by Example' every day through the way they teach and care for their students and school community.

"It takes a village to educate our students and we are so pleased that these professionals were selected by their peers to represent themselves and Manchester Township Public Schools as our 2023-24 Teachers of the Year and Educational Service Professionals of the Year," she said.

The winners, listed by school, are as follows:

Manchester Township High School
Teacher of the Year: Erin Berhalter
Educational Service Professional of the Year: Stephanie Boyd

Manchester Township Middle School
Teacher of the Year: Danielle D’Aloisio
Educational Service Professional of the Year: Nicole Pignataro

Manchester Township Elementary School
Teacher of the Year: Gretchen Freund
Educational Service Professional of the Year: Kim Costagliola

Ridgeway Elementary School
Teacher of the Year: Stacey O'Connor
Educational Service Professional of the Year: Lynn Spinelli

Whiting Elementary School
Teacher of the Year: Monique Phua
Educational Service Professional of the Year: Ginger Almonte

Regional Day School
Teacher of the Year: Allison McCann
Educational Service Professional of the Year: Amanda Langone