Three GSE Alumni Named 2025 County Teachers of the Year

Rutgers Graduate School of Education (GSE) is proud to announce that three of its alumni have been added to the roster of educators honored with the distinction of New Jersey County Teacher of the Year. 

Kiran Musad, who earned her Ed.M. in Elementary Education in 2007 from the GSE, has been named the 2025 Somerset County Teacher of the Year. 

“This award means so much because it’s not my award alone. Anyone who’s in teaching knows it’s a team effort,” Kiran said. “We are in the trenches with incredible humans and educators who support us. Being selected makes me feel empowered, heard, and widens my platform to hopefully continue making the changes I want to see systematically.” 

Kiran is currently in her 18th year of teaching at Hillside Intermediate School, where her established roots have enabled her to pursue and explore opportunities outside of her school, such as the Fulbright Program. The Fulbright Program is a prestigious US government educational and cultural exchange program that enables students, scholars, teachers, and professionals to study, teach, and conduct research abroad. Kiran completed her Fulbright studies in Uruguay, but also visited schools in Pakistan and Costa Rica to learn about cultural diversity in the classroom. 

“I believe kids are kids everywhere, and dedicated teachers universally strive to give their students the best opportunities possible,” she said. “My teaching philosophy has become even more focused on ensuring that lesson plans and practices acknowledge and value the diverse cultural and religious backgrounds of the students in the room. Teaching requires moving beyond a one-size-fits-all model.”   

Heide Kowalski, who completed her Ed.M. in Science Education from the GSE and her Teacher of Biological Science certification (K-12) from the GSE in 1996, is the 2025 Camden County Teacher of the Year. 

“This award is the most significant honor of my career,” Heide said. “Yet my greatest contribution in education is the quality time I give my students to help each of them to achieve success. I’ve had students with tragedies and situations beyond what I ever imagined. As a teacher, I try to support students in navigating those challenges. When they enter my classroom, I help students to build their confidence and genuinely celebrate their successes.” 

Heide also has a Teacher of English (K-12) certification. She’s been teaching English Language Arts at Ann A. Mullen Middle School, and as of this year is teaching science. Mullen is part of the New Jersey Positive Behavior Support in Schools (PBSIS) cohort, a collaboration between the New Jersey Department of Education and the Boggs Center at Rutgers. The Boggs Center specializes in disability education, research, and service, helping to improve the lives of people with disabilities. 

Through NJ PBSIS, Heide’s school is working on a multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) and focuses on the acronym CARE, which stands for Collaboration, Accountability, Respect, and Empathy. “I’m truly thankful for my amazing colleagues and administrators who lead our CARE team, and for the success that our collaborative efforts are having on supporting our students.” 

Pamela Eng, who earned her Ed.M. with Certification in Elementary Education (K-6) from the GSE in 2010, and both her Reading Specialist and Teacher of Students with Disabilities (TOSD) Certifications from the GSE, has been named the 2025 Middlesex County Teacher of the Year. 

“This award is special—and there are so many teachers who do amazing work who don’t receive recognition,” Pamela said. “I’d like to think this title is not just for me but also represents the work that all teachers do.” 

Pamela completed her student teaching at Lincoln Elementary in Edison and later returned to the school, where she has spent the last 11 years as a third-grade teacher. 

“I stay for the kids who make every day special,” she said. “It’s a community that has welcomed me, allowed me to grow and be a learner myself, to make mistakes, and it has taught me to become the teacher I am today.” 

For Kiran, Heide, and Pamela, education was a path they felt strongly called to pursue. 

“I wanted a profession that gave me the opportunity to create change every day,” Kiran said. “I originally wanted to go to law school, but teaching offered me the chance to build thousands of relationships in my life while also making an impact.” 

At Hillside Intermediate School, Kiran serves as an advisor for the school’s Roots and Shoots program. The curriculum for the program, designed by Dr. Jane Goodall, empowers young people to make a positive change in their communities. 

“I’m able to make a difference in a way that I don’t think I would be able toin other places,” Kiran said. “Our students help fund the education of learners in Kenya and Tanzania. At other times, we will visit a local pregnancy aid center to support new mothers by providing them with essential items and resources. Our students spend time with local senior citizens, donate items to an animal shelter, and learn from local environmental organizations. Through these events, the kids learn to care about humans, animals, and the environment, which is the Roots and Shoots philosophy.” 

Heide’s path to education began from the moment she was born. Her grandparents gifted her parents a copy of The Sense of Wonder by Rachel Carson, instilling in her a lifelong appreciation for curiosity and the natural world. After completing her Bachelor of Science in biology, she moved to Europe to continue studying biology in German. 

“My empathy for students who are English language learners or who struggle to communicate stems from the humbling experience of how it felt to be a foreigner, to be mimicked for my accent—while trying to compensate for my lack of proficiency in German—while teaching biology,” Heide said. “In Rachel Carson’s book, it says that it takes just one adult to help a child experience that sense of wonder. As a teacher, I hope to be that person who allows students to experience a sense of wonder in everything they learn. I want them to know that their voices are heard, and that their strengths are celebrated, so they never have to feel the way I did.” 

Pamela originally started her career in television production but wanted something that felt more meaningful and important. After running into her second-grade teacher at the grocery store, the conversation convinced her to go back to school and change her career.  

“You’re not just a teacher. You become a therapist when the kids feel sad, you’re the nurse when they’re hurt, and the day doesn’t end when the school day is over,” Pamela said. “My mind is always on the kids. I don’t think I understood how connected I would be to the job and how much it becomes a part of you in the best way possible.” 

Part of Pamela’s teaching philosophy includes understanding the child as a whole—not just as a learner, but as a person. Her approaches allow students to explore and build their curiosity.  

“Being an educator in New Jersey is such an honor. I have the opportunity to meet people of all different backgrounds and walks of life,” she said. “We had a guest speaker come in to teach us about Diwali, which is a celebration that is important to a lot of my students. Introductions like these encourage my students to recognize the world around them, celebrate others, and learn about their passions.” 

During their time at the GSE, the three educators immersed themselves in their classes, taking in everything their professors had to say. Despite them attending the school over a decade apart, the GSE’s emphasis on culturally responsive teaching remained the same. 

“One of the classes I took acknowledged the need for cultural and religious literacy in our classrooms. As someone who is from a marginalized community, I felt seen and heard,” Kiran said. “The GSE offers diverse program options that provide a strong foundation of theoretical knowledge based on current research. There is access to experienced mentors, hands-on learning, and valuable resources. It puts you on a path to a successful career because you start building a strong network of quality educators.” 

Heide sought out the GSE as the school incorporated everything she was looking for, including instruction in classroom management, teaching strategies, effective methods for addressing student challenges, and differentiated learning practices.  

“In one of the courses I took, we analyzed science curricula. To this day, the analysis I conducted has served as the foundation for much of the curriculum writing I’ve done, even up through implementing the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS),” Heide said. “The courses I took were phenomenal. My experience working in inner-city schools through the practicum I completed as part of the GSE has greatly helped me establish educational equity in my classroom. Rutgers is on the cutting-edge for everything a teacher needs.” 

As a child of Rutgers alumni, the university always felt special to Pamela. After recognizing that a child’s basic needs had to be met before learning could take place, she appreciated that a significant focus of the GSE was getting to know students and building connections.  

“When I graduated from the GSE, it was during an era when many teachers were being laid off,” Pamela said. “Finding a job was quite scary, but the professors stepped up and practiced job interviewing with us, went over our resumes, connected us with schools that were looking to hire, and even brought in other teachers to help guide us. There was a built-in support system in place for students. Going to the GSE not only prepares you to become a teacher, but it also creates a sense of community that will help you along the way.” 

With incredible teachers striving for change across New Jersey, the GSE continues to shape the lives of educators each year. 

“Education is one of the most meaningful careers because it allows you to make a lasting impact,” Pamela said. “I hope more people consider this profession because it gives you the power to profoundly change someone’s life, just as a teacher once changed mine.”