#46 Sussex County Teacher Edition: Lafayette / Pat Faris

"The Nutrition Committee evolved into an overall Wellness Committee.  From nutrition, we'd have a Family Activity Night. We emphasized the need to be active as a family.  We also started...Screen Free Time. With a grant we recevied equipment for videos, mats, etc. so the staff could exercise and do yoga after school."

- Pat Faris

One of the one things I’ve come to know about facing challenges and tragedies is that kids of all ages sitting in classrooms all throughout Sussex County and the state of New Jersey suffer greatly from them. Year after year I witness these levels in children increasing. Students trust themselves less, they lack resiliency, as well as the ability to cope with minor disruptions.

My Mission

As the Sussex County Teacher of the Year with a platform for embedding yoga and mindfulness into daily classroom instruction, it's become my mission to seek out other teachers in the county who are making tremendous shifts in the learning process for kids.  While I accept this honor very graciously, I also acknowledge the fact that there are many other teachers in the county who deserve to be highlighted for implementing the same practices.

With the help of our Executive County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Rosalie Lamonte, and all the Chief Administrators in the county, I‘ve been able to make some great connections, hear some inspirational stories, and learn about the healthy goodness that’s happening with our kiddos in the classroom to help them build strong social and emotional character, which creates a solid foundation to confront the personal and academic challenges they are facing.

"[The Committee] not only helped individuals with wellness, but helped us to become closer as a staff." - Pat Faris

Contact Pat: [email protected] or [email protected]