An Edison High School graduate herself, Mrs. Danielle Andriano ‘01 has been selected as 2022-2023 Teacher of the Year!  

Referring to her achievement, she stated, “I am so honored to receive teacher of the year. There are so many hard-working and amazing teachers in this building, and I am honored and proud to be chosen.”

Since she was in high school, Mrs. Andriano always had a passion for math. “In high school, you’re required to take four years of math, and I liked it a lot. When I went to college, you have to take required math courses as well, and I loved taking those math courses. At that point, I realized, ‘why don’t I major in math?’” Mrs. Andriano attended Rutgers University for her Bachelor’s Degree in Mathematics and Master’s Degree in Education and came back to teach a future generation of EHS students. She currently teaches Geometry and Algebra 2.

“I wanted to do teaching because I wanted to help others learn math and have the same positive effect my teachers had on me,” notes Mrs. Andriano.

Outside of teaching, Mrs. Andriano is a dedicated and involved member of the community. She is a cheerleading coach and co-advisor of National Honor Society (NHS). In addition, she also teaches at Yvonne’s School of Dance on Vineyard Road in Edison, the dance studio she went to in high school. She currently specializes in teaching tap dance at the studio even though she has also taught other types of dance such as hip-hop and jazz. 

“It’s nice to see my dance students in school. It’s also nice that they get to see a familiar face in school, especially coming in as a freshman. Plus, it’s fun to be able to help them with dance during my periods off, even at school,” said Mrs. Andriano. 

“Mrs. Andriano is not just an involved and dedicated teacher, but also impacts her local community, making her an involved member in Edison in general,” said Mrs. Elizabeth Lell, the Mathematics Supervisor for the Edison District. 

As Mrs. Andriano reflects on her sixteen dedicated years of teaching, she points out the life lessons she has learned throughout her career.  

“I’ve learned a lot of patience. I’ve learned how to adapt my lessons and my teaching because everyone learns differently. That helps me in daily life because I’m about to communicate and connect with others,” claims Mrs. Andriano.  She says that incorporating all the lessons she has learned allowed her to become a better teacher for her students. 

“Mrs. Andriano knows the curriculum well and is able to prepare her students for state testing and college. She is able to articulate her lessons in a variety of ways that allow her to connect with each and every student,” said Mrs. Lell. 

She would also like to thank her high school math teacher, Mr. Levinson, college professor Mr. Butler, and her teaching mentor Mrs. Dodd-Harris for their support and guidance. 

“They have helped me mold into the teacher I am today,” said Mrs. Andriano. 

Mrs. Andriano encourages aspiring teachers to reflect on their lessons and to persist even through bad days.