Sayville Educator Receives State Teacher Of Year Award

SAYVILLE, NY — A physical education teacher in Sayville School District was recently honored by the New York State Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (NYS AHPERD). Elizabeth Bolger, who has worked in the district for 13 years, was the recipient of the 2019 New York State Elementary Physical Education Teacher of the Year Award.

"Her goal is to create lessons that challenge students and are aligned with NYS Learning Standards," her bio from the NYS AHPERD reads. "Beth differentiates her class instruction to accommodate her students’ individual fitness levels, by using games, tools and activities to ensure all students are active 95 percent of each class. She constantly assesses students both cognitively and physically with the use of Plickers, pedometers and heart rate monitors."

Bolger also received the award for implementing an "Abilities Awareness" curriculum to educate students about those with special abilities. She also received grants to establish a skateboarding unit and mindfulness certification.

She is an active member of the Suffolk Zone, serves on the Zone’s executive board as vice president of dance, and presents at state and zone conferences. She created and coordinates the Suffolk Zone Fit Club competition which hosts over 1,000 athletes and coaches from 31 schools.

"The greatest gift educators give students is the opportunity to develop self-confidence. Beth conveys unswerving confidence in her students and asks them to achieve what they had considered impossible," a school administrator wrote. "In doing so she pays her students the ultimate respect: she believes in them. And this helps them believe in themselves."

Congratulations to Elizabeth Bolger!