JKHA Middle School Director of Humanities, Ariel Levenson, has been selected as a finalist for the New Jersey Nonpublic School Teacher of the Year Award. Over 1,000 candidates participate in the competition, which is sponsored by the New Jersey Council for American Private Education (NJCAPE) and only two are selected.

Dr. George Corwell, Director of the Office of Education for the New Jersey Catholic Conference and Chairperson of the Selection Committee for the award, commented on the experience of selecting this year’s winner: “Nonpublic school teachers play a significant role in preparing their students for the challenges and needs of the 21st Century. Ariel Levenson is committed to the highest level of professional growth, as well as to quality instruction and character development in her students. Her dedication and the dedication of so many other teachers in nonpublic schools advance the lives of both nonpublic school children and the communities in which they live.”

Levenson described her philosophy of education as a fundamental belief that “children of all ages, religions, ethnicities and backgrounds deserve to learn in a way that is compelling, thought-provoking, engaging and differentiated for them as unique learners.” The words of poet John Ashbery always resonate with her: “It’s in school that all the thought gets combed out.”