Linden Educators Honored at Union County Teacher Recognition Ceremony
District’s 11 Teacher of the Year recipients celebrated for excellence, leadership, and student impact
LINDEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, NJ — The district’s 11 Teacher of the Year recipients took center stage May 20 as they were honored during the 2026 Union County Teacher Recognition Ceremony at Kean University.
Hosted by the Union County Superintendents’ Roundtable, the annual breakfast celebration recognized some of Union County’s most outstanding educators for excellence in teaching, leadership, innovation, and student impact.
Representing schools across the district, Linden’s honorees were joined by Superintendent Dr. Atiya Y. Perkins during the awards ceremony, where educators were recognized for the lasting difference they make both inside and outside the classroom.
The recognition journey for Linden’s honorees began last November, when each school proudly unveiled its Teacher of the Year recipient during surprise announcements filled with cheers, applause, and emotional celebrations. The educators were later recognized at an April Board of Education meeting, where they were showered with balloons, flowers, standing ovations, and glowing tributes from building principals, district administrators, board members, colleagues, family members, and students who gathered to celebrate their impact on the lives of children across the district.
The 2025-2026 Honorees Are:
Sharon Halpern — School No. 1
Maria Pagan — School No. 2
Karen Taylor-Peeples — School No. 4
Jayme Perezluha — School No. 5
Jessica Kelly — School No. 6
Justyna Stec — School No. 8
Robyn Wisniewski — School No. 9
Tara Acquaviva — School No. 10
Eliana Penaranda-Zamora — Soehl Middle School
Anthony Ventura — McManus Middle School
James Orth — Linden High School
Teachers were applauded for fostering inclusive learning environments, encouraging critical thinking, supporting student wellness, and helping students build confidence both academically and personally.
Throughout the morning, educators reflected on the powerful role teachers continue to play as mentors, motivators, and advocates for students while reinforcing Linden Public Schools’ commitment to impactful teaching and learning and the district’s ROAR pillars of Resilience, Opportunities, Achievement, and Relationships.
“Our teachers continue to show up and ROAR for students every single day,” Perkins said. “Their work changes lives and helps shape the future of our schools and community.”