Hardyston honors its elementary educators of the year

The Hardyston school board on Feb. 9 honored their educators of the year.

Third-grade teacher Lisa Healy teaches with “passion, excitement, and enthusiasm,” said Jen Cimaglia, the elementary school principal. “She cares deeply about providing an engaging atmosphere for her students to learn and grow in.”

Gina Gibson, the learning disabilities’ teacher consultant and a member of the district’s child study team received the 2020 Elementary Educational Services Professional’s Award recognizing educators “who have gone above and beyond in their service to the students in their district,” said Jodi Reinstein, director of special services.

Mike Ryder, chief school administrator, said every year the elementary and middle school staff, students, and parents nominate their choice.

Lisa Healy

Cimaglia said Healy “focuses on developing the whole child and works to ensure her students grow and succeed academically and socially.”

She said she would walk into Healy’s classroom and find the students making a movie and recording their voices.

“I receive many emails throughout the year from parents who are so happy that Lisa Healy is their child’s teacher, and they also request their child to have Lisa Healy as their teacher,” she said.

One mom wrote that Healy “knows my child thrives on positive reinforcement and she ran with it. I sit and read with my child before class because he loves to read to me, and if this sets the tone for the day then that’s what we are going to do.”

Another parent was happy that during the pandemic, Healy would check in on students and parents “no matter what time of day.”

Another mom wrote, “I come from a huge family of teachers but I have never seen someone work as hard as Lisa Healy does. She truly loves her job and her students. I wish my son could have her every year for the rest of his education.”

”Our school is lucky to have you,” Cimaglia told Healy. “So well-done, well-deserved, and congratulations!”

Healy responded by thanking “all the staff in Hardyston, thank you to all the administrators, students, my family, friends and especially my awesome parents.”

Gina Gibson

Gibson always makes herself available to families, students, and staff, Reinstein said.

“Gibson always helps the new staff member with navigating their schedule and how to use real time,” she said. “She brings to the district a strong knowledge of behavior plans, and really a true understanding of the combinations and modifications that the students in the district need.”

Reinstein congratulated Gibson for being social director of both the child study team and the elementary school. She said Gibson never forgets to celebrate a birthday, a baby shower, or any holiday.

“We had a child study team that had to pivot the way we had meetings with parents,” Reinstein said.

Gibson thanked everyone for their support.

“Congratulations Ms. Gibson, this award is so deserved,” said Reinstein.