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The halls of Mariner Middle School were plastered Thursday with posters congratulating language arts teacher Janet Andrelczyk.
Named Cape Henlopen School District’s Teacher of the Year at a banquet Wednesday, May 14, Andrelczyk has been employed by the district for 11 years.
In implementing the district’s language arts curriculum, Andrelczyk has developed a talent for keeping her class interactive. A mock trial is the favorite of her students, and earlier this year, she held a press conference at which she had her students interview her to learn about journalism. Andrelczyk played the part of an astronaut.”We have an absolutely great bunch of kids here,” she said.
She said she enjoys the seventh-graders she teaches and doesn’t buy into the idea that middle-schoolers are a tough group.
“All kids are capable of doing great things and all kids can learn. It’s my job to encourage them to be successful,” she said.
With short stories, grammar, writing and the study of classic novels – such as Susan E. Hinton’s 1967 “The Outsiders” – she’s encouraging her students to learn all facets of language arts.
It’s her enthusiasm in and out of the classroom that shows her students how much she cares, said Mariner Middle School Principal Brian Donahue. Donahue said he and the students know she’ll be at every after-school and sports event, cheering on Mariner students.
“You can’t fake that kind of enthusiasm,” Donahue said.
The support she gives her students in the classroom and out is special, he said. “Students sense a caring attitude. Teachers don’t get that in training,” he said.
Andrelczyk said she developed some aspects of her teaching style learning what not to do from some of her own teachers who had at times embarrassed students or put them on the spot.
Designing lessons for students based on their individual needs instead of asking students to conform to lessons is just another thing that makes Andrelczyk great, Donahue said.
“We are extremely proud of all of our teachers, and in particular, Janet Andrelczyk. Anyone who has been in her classroom and watched her teach knows how worthy of this award she truly is,” said district Superintendent George Stone.
Andrelczyk is also active in the community and in her church. With her National Honor Society students, she has planted beach grass, participated in Relay for Life, worked with Delaware Hospice and Kent-Sussex Adopt-a-Family, forged a partnership with a Hurricane Katrina-devastated middle school and many other activities.
She’s been a participant in church holiday programs, including providing Christmas gifts to the needy and delivering Thanksgiving meals.
Andrelczyk is also active in Mariner Middle School’s Parent Teacher Organization. “We are a small but committed group who, together, try to increase and foster our relationship as a school with the community at large,” she said.
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