(North Bergen—February 6, 2007) This year, the Teacher Recognition Panel at High Tech High School has nominated Joan Marie Bellotti, a seven-year veteran of the Language Arts Department and one of the most accomplished instructors in the entire school, as Teacher of the Year, announced Principal Karol Brancato.

As a teacher of Grammar and Composition, American Literature, Creative Writing, and Public Speaking, Bellotti has shared her love of language and literature with her own students and even those who have never set foot in her classroom. An enthusiastic, sensitive teacher, she has dedicated herself to bringing out the very best in her students, and her enthusiasm permeates each lesson and activity in which she involves herself. Many attest to the fact that her compassion for her students extends beyond the confines of the classroom.

"Definitely one of the greatest teachers ever," proclaims a student hurrying down the hall before she can answer any request for her name.

A dedicated mentor, Bellotti oversees High Tech’s participation in Poetry Out Loud, an important regional, state, and national contest, Letters about Literature, Guarini Oratorical Contest, and a staunch advocate of the Geraldine Dodge Poetry Festival.

Furthermore, Bellotti has earned her colleagues’ respect and confidence, and once more, the Language Arts teachers have asked her to oversee the Department’s annual action research project, "The Use of Media in the Classroom." Her efforts in this venture have caught the attention of the New Jersey Press Foundation, who requested the use of the Department’s DVD, which Bellotti helped to produce.

As a well-respected—and anonymous—source declares, "Joan Marie leads through example. She is constantly available, very hardworking and always caring."

Congratulations to the 2007 Teacher of the year, Mrs. Joan Marie Bellotti.