Ocean City Teacher Named New Jersey State Teacher Of The Year

OCEAN CITY, NJ – An American Sign Language Teacher at Ocean City High School has been named New Jersey’s Teacher of the Year, the school district announced on Wednesday.

Amy T. Andersen was selected for the honor from among the 21 County Teachers of the Year during a New Jersey State Board of Education meeting. She was previously named the Cape May County Teacher of the Year, and will now compete in the National Teacher of the Year competition. The winner of that contest will be announced in the spring.

“Knowing that you are making an impact on the lives of students is extremely gratifying. It’s easily the best part about teaching,” Andersen said. “I feel honored to be recognized among a group of exceptional New Jersey educators, and extremely fortunate to be working with such a supportive administration.”

Ocean City is one of only a handful of districts in the state that offer American Sign Language as a world language for hearing students. About 130 students are now taking the course at the school. This is more than triple the number of students who were enrolled in the course when it first started 13 years ago, according to the school district.

Andersen, of Cape May Court House, has been a special education teacher at Ocean City High School since she moved back to Cape May County from Boston — where she taught deaf students for nine years — in 2004. That was the same year the district launched its American Sign Language program, with about 40 students enrolled at the time. The following year, more than 130 students had signed up as interest in careers teaching the deaf grew.

Community oriented activities, such as ASL socials at local coffee shops and evening performances that raise funds for scholarships immerse students in deaf and hard of hearing culture helping them to build confidence.

In the past three years alone, more than 85 percent of her students have achieved the New Jersey Seal of Biliteracy, which denotes a student's fluency in sign language, according to the State Board of Education. Her program has inspired a number of students to pursue American Sign Language-related careers.

“Students learn, through experience, that the deaf community is actually a culture. I find that my students experience a shift in perspective and gain more respect for the deaf, the more and more they work within the community,” Andersen said. “My hope is that my students continue to apply this sense of empathy in all aspects of their lives. I know not all of my students will choose to make ASL a career, but I try to impart on them that no matter what they choose to do in the future, they should leave a positive mark on society. They have a unique path, a unique story, a voice that is valuable.”

“As superintendent, I can ask for nothing more than a teacher who inspires students to not only excel at the subject matter, but to look beyond their own experience and find ways to improve the world around them,” Ocean City School District Superintendent Dr. Kathleen Taylor said. “Amy has created a place where students find inspiration, self-confidence, a nurturing environment and often, their future careers.

"Amy truly exemplifies the definition of a teacher by taking a holistic approach to teaching ASL to her students. She values a quality education for all students and finds ways to engage them outside of her classroom walls through exciting ASL-related activities. Her enthusiasm, knowledge, and connectivity with both the hearing and deaf communities have opened up a whole new world to her students. As an inspiration to our community, Amy is making a real difference in the lives of students. We are just so proud of all of Amy's accomplishments and the impact she has on our students, school and community.”

Andersen earned a bachelor’s degree in flute performance from Indiana University and a master’s degree in deaf education from McDaniel College, according to the State Board of Education. She is also nationally certified in Exceptional Needs Specialist: Deaf/Hard of Hearing.

As New Jersey Teacher of the Year, Andersen will serve as a spokesperson and advocate for the profession. She will take a six-month paid sabbatical to serve as a liaison to the State Board of Education, travel the state, meet with teachers and discuss ways programs can be improved.

“Amy’s dedication to her students, and how she teaches them to expand their perspectives and discover new ways to express themselves, will be shared throughout the state,” Education Commissioner Kimberley Harrington said.

The six other finalists for the State Teacher of the Year were also recognized at the State Board of Education meeting. They achieved the highest scores on their written applications and videos, and then reported for an interview that consisted of a performance assessment and a question-and-answer session.

They included:

• Mimma-Marie Cammarata, an Italian teacher at Sterling High School, Sterling;
• Kristy DeFazio, a fourth grade elementary school teacher at James J. Flynn Elementary School, Perth Amboy;
• Nicole Petrosillo, an English Language Arts teacher at West Milford Township High School, West Milford Township;
• Diane Phares, an art teacher at Mount Olive High School, Mount Olive Township;
• Kristina Phelan, a kindergarten through second grade reading teacher at Mahala F. Atchison Elementary School, Tinton Falls; and
• Domenick Renzi, a basic skills mathematics teacher at Wedgwood Elementary School, Washington Township.

The attached image of Amy Andersen was provided