The Morris Hills community congratulates Mrs. Dalton, a Spanish and AVID teacher, on being named the 2025-2026 Teacher of the Year. Over the course of her 19-year career here, Mrs. Dalton has made a significant impact on our school community, recognizing students as more than just learners and seeing the complexity of their lives.
As a teacher, Mrs. Dalton draws inspiration from her own high school years. Her humanities teacher, Ms. Gonzalez, left a particularly strong impression, treating her students like the complex individuals they are. “She never told us what to think,” Mrs. Dalton noted. “She asked for our opinions. She challenged us. And she made us feel seen.” At that point in her life, Mrs. Dalton did not yet see herself as a teacher, but that experience later helped shape the kind of teacher she wanted to become.
When she began teaching soon after college, Mrs. Dalton found support and inspiration from several mentors. She credits Mrs. Toriello with providing her with honest, constructive feedback she relied on to continue improving, as well as Dr. Toriello for his emphasis on organization and structure. She also thanks Mr. Melvin, her current supervisor, and the many other staff members that helped her gain confidence and improve in the classroom.
One of the biggest values that Mrs. Dalton centers her teaching style on is connection. She strives to make students feel seen and respected, just as she once felt, and she sees the impact it has on her students when they return to visit her and share how an interaction or assignment in her class stayed with them even after they graduated.
Nevertheless, Mrs. Dalton admits that she learns a lot from her students too. She explains that teaching has made her a better parent by helping her understand the pressures, resilience, and aspirations young people deal with. “Students are so busy. They have so many goals and worries,” she said.
In fact, one of the biggest challenges of Mrs. Dalton’s career came during the COVID-19 pandemic. After going on maternity leave in 2020, Mrs. Dalton came back to a classroom vastly different from the one she left. Adapting to virtual learning was a struggle, and when schools closed indefinitely in March 2020, she faced the heartbreak of her AVID seniors not getting to experience their graduation. However, Mrs. Dalton and a colleague drove to every graduating senior’s home that summer to deliver gifts, showing just how much she values her students and the relationships she forms with them.
She finds great fulfillment in her role as a Spanish and AVID teacher. AVID allows her to see the journey her students take as they grow, occasionally stumble, and succeed throughout their high school career. Meanwhile, teaching Spanish helps her connect to her roots and share her language and culture with others.
For Mrs. Dalton, teaching is an opportunity to grow, and her Teacher of the Year award is a recognition of nearly two decades of compassion, dedication, and confidence in her students.