Montville Thanks Their Teachers

Montville says thanks. Thirty-nine teachers, staff, and administrators received recognition on Thursday during an annual district-wide orientation event for their many years of dedication to the education of the town's youngsters. One teacher, Donald Heyburn from the Montville Township High School, was honored for 30 years of service.

Many of these teachers have devoted at least half of their lives to the NJ township of approximately 20,000. Without doubt, there's a camaraderie shared amongst teachers who've worked alongside one another for so long. The Robert O. Stafford Auditorium at Montville Township High School, where the ceremony was held, erupted in applause, as colleagues congratulated the honorees on a combined 665 years of teaching excellence.

Superintendent Dr. René Rovtar congratulated each of the 39 recipients and Montville Township Public Schools Board of Education President Dr. Matthew Kayne handed a congratulatory pin to each individual. The awards were presented during the orientation, an annual occurrence for welcoming back all employees of Montville Township Public Schools.

Three educators celebrated 25 years in the district: Katherine Klein of Cedar Hill Elementary School, Maria Slota of Hilldale Elementary School and Mary Wilczynski from Valley View Elementary School.

Seven received pins for 20 years of service: Judith Caggiano, Robert R. Lazar Middle School; Elizabeth Hermann, Special Services; Jason Jones, Hilldale; Roxanne Larangeira, Hilldale; Diane Oberlin, William Mason Elementary School; Denise Runne, Valley View and Wanda Vogel, William Mason.

The largest group to receive recognition for years of service were twenty-eight teachers, administrators and staff members from across the district who were awarded pins for fifteen years of service: Carmella Barbera, Valley View; Sharon Carr, Lazar; Trudy Coppola, Cedar Hill; Maria D'Apolito, Lazar; Donna DeMarco, MTHS; Guiseppe DiMarco, District; Kimen Dolch, Lazar; Carol Dudsak, Cedar Hill; Mary Ann Duffy, Lazar; Mykhaylo Fedorchak, District; Cesar Flores, William Mason; Beryl Gross, Lazar; Sue Ann Handschuch, Valley View; Kurt Kilanowski, MTHS; Diane Luizza, MTHS; Joan Manz, Cedar Hill; Deborah Meenan, Lazar; John Melan, Lazar; LeMeng Penque, Hilldale; Dori Pintabone, Cedar Hill; Nicole Portnoff, William Mason; Wendy Reinknecht, Hilldale; Heidi Sharofsky, Cedar Hill; Patricia Stryker, Special Services; Austin Thomsen, District; Liliana Villarreal, Business Office; Joanne Zoppo, MTHS and Wendy Zwoboda, MTHS.

Image via Montville Schools, used with permission.