The Phil Patire Teacher of the Year award is the most prestigious honor we bestow upon teachers at iLearn Schools, celebrating outstanding leadership and dedication.
This award carries the legacy of Mr. Philip Patire, a beloved iLearn Educational Consultant, mentor, and friend who devoted over fifty years to the field of education. Mr. Patire’s vision for recognizing exceptional educators lives on through this program, which fosters a shared celebration of teaching excellence across our organization.
Each year, this award shines a spotlight on educators who embody the very best of what it means to teach. These individuals are selected through the School-Based Teacher of the Year process, with the final honoree chosen from among the previous year’s recipients.
It is a rigorous yet rewarding journey, one that celebrates the passion, creativity, and hard work our educators bring to their classrooms every day.
For the 2023-2024 Academic Year, a distinguished panel of community leaders took on the challenging task of selecting the overall winner. Our heartfelt gratitude goes to panel members Mr. Nick DiDomenico (Primerica Financial Group), Ms. Trish Rubin (Educator and Author), and Ms. Debbie Emery (River Dell Regional School District) for their thoughtful and thorough evaluation of these exceptional educators.
We are thrilled to announce that Mr. Vasilios Ikonomidis from Paterson Arts & Science Charter Primary School is this year’s Phil Patire Teacher of the Year!
Mr. Ikonomidis exemplifies what it means to be an extraordinary educator, demonstrating innovative teaching practices, exceptional leadership, and an unwavering commitment to his students. His work is truly an inspiration to all of us at iLearn Schools.
We also proudly recognize our two outstanding finalists:
2nd Place: Ms. Daisy Illescas from Bergen Arts & Science Charter Primary School. Her dedication to fostering a love of learning and her steadfast commitment to excellence continues to inspire everyone she works with.
3rd Place: Ms. Emily Star from Bergen Arts & Science Charter High School. Her passion for education and her ability to connect with her students leave a lasting impact on those she teaches.
We would also like to honor all the School-Based Teacher of the Year recipients, whose dedication and hard work have enriched their school communities:
- Joseph Giordano (Bergen ASCS Elementary)
- Sydney Feinberg (Bergen ASCS Middle)
- Parbattie Khalawan (Bronx ASCS Elementary)
- Veronica Hernandez (Hudson ASCS Elementary)
- Adam Tairi (Hudson ASCS Middle)
- Georgeanne Letson (Passaic ASCS Primary)
- Valeria Ceballos (Passaic ASCS Elementary)
- Tyika Walker-Agu (Passaic ASCS Middle)
- Gicella Sanchez (Passaic ASCS High)
- Elisa Wassel (Passaic-Clifton ASCS Primary)
- Irisvette Palacios (Passaic-Clifton ASCS Elementary)
- Adam Tonner (Passaic-Clifton ASCS Middle)
- Gianna Esposito (Paterson ASCS Elementary)
- Jillian Plotkin (Paterson ASCS Middle)
- Steffany Ojeda (Paterson ASCS High)
Thank you to every member of our panel for their time, effort, and dedication in recognizing the exceptional contributions of these educators.
For more details about the School-Based Teacher of the Year process and to see past participants of the Phil Patire Teacher of the Year program, please visit this link.
