Day of Giving

Dr. Marla James, a high school journalism, history, government and politics, and English teacher at Union Catholic, has been named co-winner of the New Jersey Non-Public School Teacher of the Year Award for 2024 in a competition sponsored by the NJ Council for American Private Education (NJCAPE).  The awards will be presented on Tuesday, October 8, 2024, at the Trenton Pastoral Center.  

Dr. James began her teaching career as an adjunct faculty member at Brookdale Community College, a position she held until 2019. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in in Speech Communications from the University of Pennsylvania, a Master of Arts in Journalism from Temple University, A Master of Arts in American History from the American Military University, and a Doctorate in E-Learning Specialization from National University, San Diego. 

Dr. James has become a leader in online learning and a master in online course design. She is a teacher for the Virtual High School (VHS) Collaborative and has written AP Government and Politics and AP European History coursework for VHS.  She has also designed and written coursework for UC's in-house virtual offerings on both the middle school level and the high school/college level. Dr. James has supported the UC faculty and staff through presentations on Project Based Learning (PBL), Universal Design in Learning (UDL), and Artificial Intelligence (AI) implementation for teachers and students.

UC Principal Sister Percylee Hart, RSM, said of James, “Since joining our faculty in December 2005, she has distinguished herself as a dynamic educator and leader, [who] has been instrumental in shaping our curriculum and fostering academic growth at UC.”

Ms. Bonnie Milecki, president of NJCAPE, remarked that “Having these two co-winners reiterates the strength of the Non-Public schools’ teaching community. We are blessed to have dedicated and talented teachers who prioritize excellent academic instruction and the mental health needs of our students.  It was impossible to choose which of these two teachers to honor because their individual areas of expertise complement one another and prove that in our schools we value the needs of the whole child.” 

Dr. George Corwell, Director of the Office of Education of the New Jersey Catholic Conference and Chairperson of the Selection Committee for the award, said the following about this year’s winners, “Non-Public schoolteachers are pivotal in preparing students for the skills and knowledge needed for the rapidly evolving challenges of the 21st Century, especially here in New Jersey. Their efforts strengthen the advancement of parental choice in education so that parents have the right to send their child to a school that best suits their individual needs. Our winners demonstrate each day what it means to be fully invested in your career and they represent the best and brightest among the thousands of devoted Non-Public school teachers who do their jobs in a way that embodies the true spirit of education, while enhancing the lives of Non-Public school children and the communities in which they live.”

The Non-Public School Teacher of the Year Award is conducted under the auspices of NJCAPE. All major Non-Public school constituencies in New Jersey are invited to submit a nominee for the award.  This award is significant because almost one out of every eight students in New Jersey is educated in a Non-Public school, a higher percentage than the nation as a whole. In addition to NJCAPE, sponsorship for the Non-Public School Teacher of the Year was provided by Catapult Learning, Inc. and ConnectOne Bank, as well as individual organizations within NJCAPE.  Dr. Corwell noted that “These companies have shown exceptional leadership in education within the state of New Jersey and nonpublic schools, and we are grateful for their continued support of this important award.”