Byram educators honored

BYRAM TOWNSHIP – The Byram Township Board of Education has officially acknowledged Angela Gnecco, Byram Lakes Elementary School kindergarten teacher, and Dawn Boyer, Byram Intermediate School STEaM Lab and eighth grade algebra teacher, as the district’s recipients of the Governor’s Educator of the Year award, along with Sarah Bovee, Byram Lakes Elementary School guidance counselor, and Jill Rafferty, Byram Intermediate School nurse, as the district’s recipients of the Governor’s Educational Services Professional award. A panel of parents, teachers, and administrators selected the teachers and service professionals.
In making its selection, the panel recognized Gnecco and Boyer for their excellence as educators who inspire and influence their students to learn. The panel identified Bovee and Rafferty as extraordinary leaders in their professions who take pride in their fields to help students. They are collaborative educators and professionals who have also developed positive relationships with their fellow staff members, students, parents, as well as administrators, according to the selection committee.
Gnecco earned her bachelor’s degree in English with certifications in elementary education andtTeacher of students with disabilities from Centenary College. Gnecco had been employed as Byram's transitional first grade teacher for three years and currently is a kindergarten teacher.
Boyer earned her bachelor’s degree in elementary education from New Jersey University and her master’s degree in middle school mathematics from Montclair State University. She formerly was Byram's gifted/talented and math teacher and currently is a STEM and eighth-grade algebra teacher.
Bovee earned her bachelor’s degree in counseling and human services from the University of Scranton and her master's in professional and school counseling from William Paterson University.
Rafferty earned her nursing degree from William Paterson College and her school nurse certification and teacher of health certification from Caldwell College.
On May 20, along with other Governor’s recognition recipients from Sussex County, the four will attend a convocation ceremony at Lafayette House, where they will be presented a plaque for this prestigious award. The Byram Township Board of Education will honor them at the May 25 board meeting. The meeting is open to the public and will start at 7 p.m.