Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH) 2020 Teacher of the Year, Spanish teacher Christina Gauss, has been named Monmouth County Teacher of the Year.
In the title, Gauss represents roughly 60 school districts in the county. Announcement of the honor bestowed upon her was broadcast live by the New Jersey Department of Education and the New Jersey School Board Association on their respective Facebook pages on Aug. 26.
Teachers earning this title serve as liaisons between the schools and the NJ Department of Education and are involved in advocacy activities for public school education.
This is not the first time that Gauss has been recognized for her outstanding contributions as an educator. She received the distinction of the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese’s (AATSP) National Outstanding Secondary Teacher of the Year in 2017.
Gauss earned degrees in Spanish and International Relations and Education from Bucknell University, Millersville University, and Rutgers, The State University of NJ.
She began her teaching career in 1994 before joining the RFH staff in 2000.
“At RFH, Gauss works tirelessly in constant collaboration with her colleagues and supervisor, Seth Herman, to elevate the level of Spanish instruction and increase the cultural exposure of students in the World Language program,” a released statement from RFH said.
“Regardless of the skill level of her students and their knowledge of the Spanish language, Gauss’ colleagues praise her dynamic instructional practice and specifically admire her efforts to bring real-life materials and authentic experiences to her class through chat rooms with students in Spain, immersion experiences with younger students, Hispanic Heritage Month festivals organized at RFH, trips to el Museo del Barrio and Little Spain in New York City and classroom visits by native Spanish speakers.”
Parents and students have called Gauss a “treasure” and a “kind, motivating and creative teacher” who fosters both a challenging and comforting atmosphere where her students can thrive in learning the Spanish language and explore their love of global culture.
Outside of the classroom, Gauss has accompanied students on trips sponsored and organized by RFH to Guatemala, Peru and Spain. After studying in Spain herself in 2016, Gauss established a relationship with teachers from a bilingual school in Avila that has blossomed into an exchange program and a sister school relationship over the past few years. This relationship has afforded students unique opportunities to engage in authentic communication and make connections with Spanish-speaking peers.
Gauss is an advisor to students and a mentor to her colleagues within and outside of the RFH World Language Department. Under her leadership in the Spanish National Honor Society, she helps connect students with scholarship and educational travel opportunities to enhance their own learning and fosters awareness by organizing fundraisers and events to support Spanish and Hispanic-related charitable causes around the world.
“Gauss leads by example, sharing her knowledge of technology and educational strategies at professional development workshops, creating interdisciplinary projects with members of other departments and as an honored and contributing member of many professional organizations, such as Foreign Language Educators of New Jersey (FLENJ) and The American Association for Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese (AATSP).”
As president-elect of the National Sociedad Honoraria Hispanica, Gauss will share her expertise with World Language educators around the country.
“Gauss embodies everything that RFH stands for: she empowers her students to explore their passions, she inspires them to thrive, increases their knowledge, confidence, creativity, and compassion, and truly seeks to foster global citizenship each and every day,” the release said. “She is an exemplary educator that others, school-wide, county-wide, and beyond should seek to emulate in all aspects, and Rumson Fair Haven is proud to formally honor her amazing achievements.”
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