I am a kindergarten teacher entering year 13 in the district. I’m proud of the strong relationships I build with my students to make their kindergarten year magical, and of the work I do on committees to help EAS and FTPS shine. I’m a big fan of getting lost in a good book and exploring new places with my family whenever I can!

I have been an elementary Science Specialist for the past 6 years, working in the district for 16 years.  Currently I am working on my next certifications through NJEXCEL.  When I am not teaching science, or spending time with my family, I am talking about Disney and secretly planning my next trip to WDW.

I have been working in Franklin for 8 years. I have taught kindergarten and first grade in my tenure here. My current role is teaching kindergarten in an ICR classroom. I most recently became a PBS Coach in my building! I love going on road trips, as long as I am not driving and watching documentaries! 

I have had the absolute pleasure of working in the Franklin Township Public School District for 13 years. My current role is a Special Education  - Science Teacher grades 6-8.  I am currently in the process of pursuing a doctorate in Special Education. I love riding my bicycle and volunteering with the NJ Randonneurs! Randonneuring is a journey of endurance, self-discovery, personal growth and incredible friendships! 

I have been teaching in district for 20 years, in kindergarten for 18 of them. I enjoy learn and you can often find me watching PD on 2x speed, especially in the summer. I also love running, hiking with my partner, and travel.   

I am a high school Spanish teacher who has been in district since 2013. Recently, my 2 year old daughter has been responding more to Spanish which makes me proud as a mother who is also a Spanish teacher. Outside of educating, endurance sports are one of my passions, having recently cut half an hour from my personal best time in the Ironman 70.3 distance this past spring.

I have been the role of Supervisor of Equity & Inclusion four years. I have worked in Franklin Township Public Schools 16 years. Two recent accomplishments I am proud of is, collaborating with our Equity Leaders to increase the Culturally Responsive Self-Efficacy of our staff increase to 66%, up from 34%. Also, collaborating with our Restorative Practices Core Team to build the capacity of over 20 Restorative Practices Trainers across the district. I love to attend music concerts and comedy shows.

I have been working in Franklin Township Public Schools for 12 years. My current role is the Literacy Coach at MacAfee Road School. Prior to becoming a Literacy Coach, I taught kindergarten for 11 years. A personal goal of mine has been teaching others (not just educators) about the importance of literacy and how they can help their children be successful. I enjoy traveling, reading, and spending time with my family. 

I’m the Literacy Coach at Elizabeth Avenue School and have been part of the Franklin Township family for 18 years. Born and raised in Staten Island, I started teaching in Canarsie, Brooklyn, before making New Jersey my home. Growing up with a learning disability, I always dreamed of helping children like me—and in 2024, I proudly earned my Orton Gillingham Certification to do just that. Summers are for Ocean City, NJ, traveling with my favorite people, and laughing as much as possible because laughter is really my favorite! My future goal? When I retire and I would like to become a consultant who spreads the love of teaching far and wide!

I have been proud to serve in the district for the past 20 years. Currently, I am an Instructional Literacy Coach at Claremont Elementary School, and I have previously held the same role at Franklin Park School, as well as teaching Pre-K and Kindergarten at Hillcrest.

One of my most rewarding experiences has been moving to Claremont when it first opened and collaborating with staff from across the district. Over the past several years, my goal has been to support educators in strengthening their literacy instruction while fostering a love of reading and writing in both teachers and students.

I am currently the Literacy Coach at Sampson G. Smith, and I have been working in Franklin Township Public Schools since 2014.  In in addition to working with the ELA team at SGS, I also teach English and Journalism at our Road To Success High School.  I am also a proud member of the PBSIS team, the SGS Green Team, and our CLR team.  I like to play music, exercise and cook in my free time! 

I am a 6th grade physical science teacher who has been teaching a total of 7 years, all at Franklin Middle School at the Hamilton Street Campus. I recently spoke in front of 6000+ attendees at the NEA RA in Portland, Oregon this July. I also traveled to Japan recently, which has been a dream of mine! Other than traveling the world, one of my passions is cosplaying, which is the art of dressing as a character from a fictional work. For my cosplays I style wigs, create my own props, and attend anime conventions. 5 years ago I created our HSC Anime and Manga Club, which combines my students and I’s passion for anime and manga!

This is my sixth year working in FTPS!  I am an ESL Teacher at FHS, teaching grades 9-12.  One of the goals I am actively pursuing includes reading more for pleasure.  And with the help of a book club started by a college friend, I am on pace to read more books in 2025 than I have since I was a student!  Some fun facts about me include that I have a three-legged rescue cat named Kevin, and if I ever left teaching, I would probably apply to be a National Park Ranger at a historic national park. 

With an impressive 27 years of invaluable teaching experience, 18 of which have been spent right here within our district, I am a seasoned professional ready to make a meaningful impact on students and fellow educators. Most recently, I earned my Post Baccalaureate certificate in Teaching the Holocaust and Prejudice Reduction.  I also had the honor of representing the FTEA and the National Rep Association in Portland, Oregon.  I am an animal lover with three dogs, three birds, and two cats.  I love gothic literature and skulls, so my teaching ELA 12 is a perfect fit!

This will be my second year in this district.  My role is an ESL teacher at PGM.   I planned and hosted a district literacy night, which encouraged parents the importance of reading at home.   One fun fact about myself- I was on the cover of New York Times, it was on the day of my wedding photo shot at World Financial Center NYC.

I’m an ESL teacher at Pine Grove Manor, now starting my second year in the district. One highlight from my first year was building strong relationships with students and creating a welcoming classroom community. And a fun fact—I once had dinner with Chris Rock at a luau in Hawaii!

I am a high school Spanish teacher who has been in district since 2013. Recently, my 2 year old daughter has been responding more to Spanish which makes me proud as a mother who is also a Spanish teacher. Outside of educating, endurance sports are one of my passions, having recently cut half an hour from my personal best time in the Ironman 70.3 distance this past spring.

I currently serve as the Principal of Franklin High School and have been in the district for almost 6 years now. I am very proud to be in the process of writing my dissertation in pursuit of my Doctorate in Education Leadership, Management and Policy from Seton Hall University. I love to read (when I have time), cook, and spend time with my 3 kids.

I am the Vice Principal of The Class of 2027 at Franklin High School.  This is my 8th year in FTPS. One fun facts about me is I met and worked with 2 former United States Presidents and 1 former First Lady of the United States.  Another fun fact about me is I have driven across this country twice.  A future goal is..."one day, the novel that living rent-free in my mind will finally pay its dues on paper.”

Gwen Duralek is an experienced social studies teacher at Franklin High School dedicated to instructional excellence. She has significantly contributed to pedagogy research and curriculum development, notably designing lessons for the teacher's edition of Ways of the World, 3rd edition, and has presented these strategies and resources at numerous local, statewide, and national conferences. As a teacher leader, Gwen has served as department chair, acts as a mentor teacher and trainer, and as a cooperating teacher for student teachers. In addition to supporting colleagues through advocacy with FTEA, Gwen enjoys the outdoors and shares her skills as an outdoor skills trainer with Girl Scouts Heart of NJ.

¡Hola!  I have enjoyed the role of Spanish Teacher and more in the Franklin Township district since 2013.  My goal is to continue being a role model for staff by engaging in professional development where I can share my knowledge and to be the best educator that I can be for my students.  I have a love for the outdoors, exclusively for beach and water activities as well as hiking with my puppy and loved ones.