Secaucus Teacher Is Hudson County's Teacher Of The Year

SECAUCUS, NJ — Congratulations to Ms. Patricia Smeyers! This fifth-grade teacher at Clarendon Elementary School in Secaucus has been determined to be the best teacher in Hudson County by the New Jersey Department of Education.

She is now in the running to be chosen as the Best Teacher in the state of New Jersey, and from there could enter a national competition.

This week, the state Department of Education released their list of the 21 best teachers in the state, one from each of the 21 counties in New Jersey. How are they chosen? The teachers are nominated from within their individual schools for the Governor’s Educator of the Year Program. From there, panels representing a cross-section of administrators, teachers, parents and members of county education associations select each "Teacher of the Year."

Ms. Smeyers is a fifth-grade math teacher at Clarendon. She is also a Yearbook Advisor at Clarendon.

She received her master's degree in educational technology from Boise State University and also holds a a "Technology Integration Specialist" certificate. She is also a certified Google-for-Education Trainer. Smeyers is employed by Boise State University to collaborate with STEM professors and a retired NASA astronaut. Their team was awarded a $1,090,312.00 National Science Foundation grant to develop STEM curriculum and teacher training for afterschool programs.

She received the NASA Explorer Schools STEM Teacher Award. Here in Secaucus, her STEM advocacy inspired new curriculum to take root district-wide.

Smeyers was chosen because she "facilitates teachers utilizing proper technology and STEM integration pedagogy. Patricia's students are visibly inspired to question, design, and refine projects and look forward to each real-world challenge presented," the state wrote in their award selection.

From these 21 teachers, a panel of educators then will select the New Jersey State Teacher of the Year based on written applications, video submissions and interviews with prior County Teachers of the Year. The State Teacher of the Year is expected to be announced at the State Board of Education's October meeting, and will go on to represent New Jersey in competing for the title of National Teacher of the Year.

Here's a video of Ms. Smeyers talking about her teaching philosophy at Clarendon:

Photo via the NJ Dept. of Education.