Brick Teacher Named Ocean County Teacher of the Year

A Brick Township teacher is in the running to become New Jersey's Teacher of the Year.

Nancy Evans, a teacher in Brick's Gifted & Talented program, was named Ocean County Teacher of the Year last week, state officials said. She'll now have the chance to be named state Teacher of the Year at the October meeting of the State Board of Education.

According to the New Jersey Department of Education, Evans has been teaching for 25 years and has "dedicated her 25 year career to teaching exceptional children in Brick Township."

Evans was the recipient of a fellowship from the Gifted Child Society and attended the Confratute at the University of Connecticut. She is also a published author and was recently honored at Kappa Delta Pi Celebration of 100 Years of Excellence.

Evans is a graduate of the University of New Hampshire, and holds a masters degree from Rutgers University.

County teachers of the year are selected at the county level by panels representing a cross-section of administrators, teachers, parents and county education association representatives convened by the executive county superintendents of schools, according to a statement from the state Department of Education.

Each County Teacher of the Year submits a written application and a 15 minute video to the Department of Education for review by a state-level panel of educators who make the final selection of the 2012-13 New Jersey State Teacher of the Year.

In delivering congratulations to each county teacher of the year, state Education Commissioner Chris Cerf said, "Through our teacher of the year selection process, which begins at the school and district levels, many more teachers are recognized and celebrated for the outstanding jobs they are doing for our children."

Evans teaches at Drum Point and Osbornville elementary schools.