Tinton Falls Teachers Get High Honors: The Coveted Teacher of the Year Award

Three Tinton Falls teachers have been singled out to receive the 2011 Monmouth County Teacher Recognition Awards and all agreed that it was an honor to be recognized for their contributions in their profession.

This year's winners are Mahala F. Atchison School's Kathy Szilagyi, Tinton Falls Middle School’s Elizabeth Allen, and Swimming River Elementary School’s Carolyn Torres.

While there are differences among the teachers—in the subjects they teach and the amount of years they’ve been in the profession—they all share common traits. They are described as talented, extremely skilled and devoted to their students.

Kathy Szilagyi has been teaching for almost three decades. For 23 years, she has managed a classroom at Mahala F. Atchison, first as a kindergarten teacher and then as a first grade teacher. Next year she is finally being promoted to second grade, she joked.

As for receiving the award, Szilagyi said, “It was a very great honor because other faculty members here are very talented and I’ve learned a lot from them. So being picked out of this group is a great honor.”

Szilagyi said she was surprised when last year’s award recipient and Superintendent John Russo came to her classroom with a bouquet of flowers and told her she had won the award.

“It is very gratifying. I heard from many families who congratulated me. It’s very heartwarming to know that you’ve touched the lives of so many children,” she said.

Atchison Principal Mary Polese said, “I think she presents herself with the best qualities of the teaching profession and gets to know all the children in her class and works tirelessly to make students successful.”

Polese said that Szilagyi is collaborative and works well with both colleagues and administrators. Polese said that Szilagyi believes that all “children can succeed and that is central to all her teaching.”

Another award recipient, Elizabeth Allen, is a seventh grade science teacher at Tinton Falls Middle School. When she started teaching, her principal at the time predicted Allen would win the teacher of the year award in 10 years. That principal's forecast wasn’t far off: Allen has taught for 12 years, and has been at the middle school since 2003.

 “It’s definitely an honor because it’s one of the few ways teachers get recognized individually,” Allen said.  One of the things she cherishes most about teaching, she said, is “the interaction with the kids when you have that lightbulb moment. Every day, they entertain me and keep me challenged.” Allen indicated that the interaction is what motivates her and brings her satisfaction.

Swimming River Elementary School’s Carolyn Torres, currently a fifth grade teacher, has been teaching in Tinton Falls for 22 years, and has been an educator  for a total of 24 years. Her first teaching job took her outside of the United States—to Bermuda—where she worked at a missionary school, teaching Haitian refugees. She described it as a “great experience,” and said she still keeps in contact with her former co-workers from the mission.

Torres returned to the United States 23 years ago and teaches math, science and social studies in the district. On receiving the award, Torres said, "It has been a nice experience. Everyone is so complimentary.” Torres said that the honor has succeeded in making her feel “re-energized,” especially in light of “so much negativity surrounding teachers.”

“It’s nice to be recognized for the years I’ve been teaching by my colleagues and from the parents in the district,” Torres said.

Swimming River Principal Dr. Marion Lamberti said Torres' selection was "well deserved."

“She is very skilled and has made a huge commitment to the students,” said Lamberti and added that Torres participates in numerous extracurricular activities, even during the summer.

In addition to the award and ensuing accolades, teachers also receive access to a reserved parking spot at their respective schools. Torres noted that it’s the best parking spot in the lot, right next to the principal’s space.

All three teachers will be formally recognized at an upcoming board of education meeting and will attend a luncheon in Belmar at the Waterview Pavilion in May with other recipients throughout the county.