AREA PEOPLE OF NOTE

⏩ Bethany Public School District Superintendent, Colleen Murray recently announced that the 2020 Teacher of the Year is school psychologist, Marjorie Nusom. She was chosen because she brings compassion, calm, and competence to all that she does, according to a statement. Nusom has been a school psychologist at Bethany Community School for six years. She will be honored at a ceremony in November by the Commissioner of Education. The 2020 Staff Member of the Year is paraprofessional, Trace Middleton. Middleton was chosen for his patience, compassion, dedication, and humor with students and staff. He is always willing to go the extra mile to lend a helping hand without complaint. This is Middleton’s second year at BCS.

Amity Regional High School, Woodbridge, recently named its 2020 Award of Excellence recipient. The Award of Excellence this year is presented to Paula Vallie. She has worked in Amity Regional High School’s College & Career Center for the last seven years. Before that, she worked for nine years at Amity Middle School in Orange and at Turkey Hill School in Orange. In the words of her colleagues, Vallie is a bright star within the Amity Regional High School Counseling Department. As the Career Center Coordinator, her ability to find jobs, community service projects, and mentors for our students has been truly a gift to our community.

⏩ The Amity Teacher of the Year from Amity Middle School in Orange is Kristen Yaekel, who has been with the school system since 2006. She started her work at Amity as an English teacher and now serves as the school’s library media specialist. Her colleagues note that she is always available to support faculty and staff. She is amazing at technology, and whether the issue be small or major she responds quickly. They know that can always rely on her. As noted by a teacher at Amity Middle School in Orange, “When our learning and global community was in chaos, her calm comforting spirit, her understanding of my goals, and her expertise was how I got through to the other side.”