Tuesday, May 20, 2003

Atlantic County Names 2003-2004 NJ Teacher of the Year Nominee

Acting Atlantic County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Daniel G. Loggi is pleased to announce the nominee of this year's New Jersey Teacher of the Year Program, Ms. Susanne Pfaff-Manzini.

Ms. Pfaff-Manzini, a teacher of 10 years, currently serves in the District of Linwood where she is a teacher of English to grade level eight at the Belhaven Avenue School. She is on the Technology Committee and the Student of the Month Committee and serves as a Grade Level Leader. Prior to working in Linwood, she taught English at the Atlantic City High School where she facilitated peer mediation and conducted staff development workshops. In addition, Susanne provided basic and intermediate ESL instruction for Diamond Associates and Atlantic Cape Community College. Furthermore, she provided reading and writing basic skills at the Atlantic County Vocational Technical School to adult learners, and participated in Stockton's College Day Camp as a group counselor. She was selected as Belhaven's 2003 Teacher of the Year and recognized at the 2003 Governor's Teacher Recognition Award Luncheon on May 9, 2003. In the 2000-2001 school year, Susanne was named New Jersey Commissioner's Distinguished for Best Practices. Ms. Susanne Pfaff-Manzini was selected as the 2003-2004 State Teacher of the Year Nominee for Atlantic County by a panel of judges consisting of various educational leaders and administrators from local school districts.

Dr. Loggi stated, "Ms. Pfaff- Manzini has demonstrated through her knowledge and experience in the area of professional development that she is an excellent representative for all teachers, not only in Atlantic County, but in the entire State of New Jersey."

Ms. Pfaff-Mazini has been involved with such associations as the Linwood Education Association, the Atlantic County Education Association, the New Jersey Education Association and the Teachers & Writers Collaborative. Her staff development activities are extensive and include such categories as technology, curriculum, poetry and writing, and holocaust and tolerance articulation. She attended The Artist/Teacher Institute in 2000 and 2002, The Jewish Foundation for the Righteous Summer Institute for Teachers in June of 2002 at Columbia University, and participated in the Clearing the Spring, Tending the Fountain program of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation Poetry association in conjunction with the Noyes Museum of Art. In her application, Ms. Susanne Pfaff-Manzini stated, "As long as I strive for excellence in teaching and learning, I believe I am strengthening our profession."

As for her philosophy of teaching, Susanne's impact on education is one of finding creative and innovative ways to incorporate relevant information in an expressive environment for both the student and the instructor.

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