These 66 Newark ‘Teachers Of The Year’ Are Making The City Proud

NEWARK, NJ — Newark public school officials recently honored 66 outstanding local educators at an annual “Teacher of the Year” ceremony.

A high-achieving math guru, Farah Ramezanzadeh, was recognized as the district’s overall 2026 Teacher of the Year. Ramezanzadeh teaches AP pre-calculus, AP calculus and AP statistics at Newark School of Data Science and Information Technology.

Watch a video of Ramezanzadeh accepting her award below.

Dozens of other teachers earned awards this year. See the full list here.

Board of Education President Hasani Council congratulated all of the honorees, noting that their impact extends far beyond classroom instruction.

“Each of you has a lasting impact on the lives of your students, not only through the lessons you teach, but through the encouragement, support, and inspiration you provide every single day,” Council said.

“You go above and beyond to create meaningful learning experiences, build strong relationships, and help students grow academically, socially and emotionally,” Council added.

Each teacher received a $1,000 classroom supply stipend to support instruction and student learning during the upcoming school year.

The high-achieving educators also earned praise from two North Jersey lawmakers.

New Jersey Sen. Teresa Ruiz, who represents Newark, praised the teachers for the vital role they play in shaping the next generation.

“This room is America,” Ruiz said. “You teach love, compassion, and humanity. When we focus on those values build the next generation in those spaces, there will be more understanding, more opportunity, and more academic success. Thank you for your love, your passion, and your purpose.”

U.S. Rep. Analilia Mejia (NJ-11) also offered her congratulations through a pre-recorded video message.

“Every doctor, nurse, engineer, and even Congress member begins with a teacher,” Mejia said. “Your work shapes lives, strengthens families, and helps build the future of Newark.”

Superintendent Roger León said there are other teachers in every school working at this same level.

“It is the collective genius of all of our teachers that is essential to helping students grow into successful, caring members of society,” León said.

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