The morning of June 12, one of the days Newtown High School held graduation ceremonies for the Class of 2020 this year, NHS Theatre Arts/English Language Arts teacher Janice Gabriel was asked to go to the principal’s office under the pretext of helping Principal Dr Kimberly Longobucco with the names of graduates for that day’s ceremony.

But inside the office, a handful of people were ready to surprise Gabriel with the news that she is Newtown’s Teacher of the Year.

“It was very overwhelming... but I couldn’t ask for a better group of people to be standing there to tell me about that incredible honor,” Gabriel said in a recent phone interview.

After learning she was teacher of the year — while surrounded by Superintendent of Schools Dr Lorrie Rodrigue, Dr Longobucco, NHS science teacher and Teacher of the Year committee overseer DJ Nicholson, NHS English Department Chair Abigail Marks, and Newtown Director of Visual and Performing Arts and NHS Fine Arts Department Chair Michelle Hiscavich — Gabriel said it felt fitting to then celebrate members of the Class of 2020 in the school’s parking lot for graduation ceremonies.

Normally the teacher of the year is surprised with a larger crowd and celebrated at events. This year, though, with social distancing, the normal celebrations are postponed with the hope of doing something different in the fall, according to Dr Rodrigue.

“I’m so overjoyed that Janice was selected this year... Because she goes so beyond being a teacher in a classroom,” Dr Rodrigue said in a recent phone interview.

Dr Longobucco said Gabriel spends “an extraordinary amount of time” at NHS.

“It is truly her second home,” Longobucco said in an e-mail. “Outside of her role as a theater and English teacher, she is the technology guru and can often be found in the auditorium fixing any variety of issues, including water pouring in from the ceiling. Janice is committed and dedicated to every one of her students, both during the school day and in extracurricular activities. Janice is a co-founder of our very successful Unified Theater program and created more videos than humanly possible during distance learning, all while virtually teaching her classes and helping to plan the Class of 2020 graduation festivities. I am not sure how she squeezes as much as she does into one day; her commitment to NHS is second to none. Janice truly cares about the Newtown community and we are lucky to have her as part of our NHS team.”

Gabriel was also “instrumental” in the recent Newtown Public Schools “At Our Core” event, Dr Rodrigue said. The district’s PEAC (Parent Educator Advisory Council) and members of local PTAs were behind the creation and the event.

“Her job just extends beyond the norm because she has a competence level in areas that people, need, want, and desire,” Dr Rodrigue said. “And she is just always willing to help anyone: That is just who Janice is.”

Reflecting on the news, Gabriel said being named this year’s Teacher of the Year is the “icing on the cake of why I became a teacher.” Roughly ten years ago she switched a career in marketing for one in education.

“To have this honor, and, especially in such a difficult year, means that all the hard work I have put in and all the hours have been worth it,” Gabriel said.

When she first came to Newtown, she knew she wanted to work in the district. She was a substitute teacher at first, and she applied for multiple full-time jobs before getting a part-time job, and eventually she became full-time.

“It was just something about Newtown from the moment I walked in,” said Gabriel.

While it may have been a long road to land her current job, Gabriel said, “I knew it didn’t matter because I was where I wanted to be.”

Right after she learned she had been named Newtown’s Teacher of the Year, Gabriel asked Dr Rodrigue to call her mother, Eileen Gabriel, to share the news “with my biggest cheerleader.” By the time she arrived home from work, there were flowers from her mother near her front door.

“I am so honored to be chosen among the, I’m sure, incredible pool of people who were nominated,” said Gabriel, adding that she feels fortunate to work with her fellow educators.

The committee that selects the teacher of the year includes a teacher representative from each school, two administrators, and the previous teacher of the year, who was NHS science teacher Kim Lowell. Nicholson said it is important to take “a little bit of time” to recognize Newtown’s educators and the more nominations submitted, the more teachers can be recognized. All nominees, unless they do not want to be recognized, are typically honored in the fall at the district’s convocation.