On Tuesday, October 13, Secretary of Education Cindy Marten announce that Dr. Jessica Liu, who teaches at Etta J. Wilson Elementary School in Christina School District, will serve as the 2027 Delaware Teacher of the Year. Liu will now seek the title of National Teacher of the Year.
“Thank you for this honor,” Liu said after the announcement. “To my fellow district and charter teachers of the year, I am so privileged to be among so many incredible educators. You know, from advice to our observations to what we’re going to wear tonight, I am so glad we were in this together. And to our family and friends who cheer us on through every high and low.”
Liu also thanked her family and her partner, Travis, for the sacrifices, lessons and dreams, giving gratitude to a family that reached across generations and countries. She also thanked her colleagues, district leaders and board members.
“To my Wilson family for being my rock and for always entertaining my crazy ideas. To my mentors Mabel, Natalie, and Amber for believing in me and for leading with such wisdom to the Delaware Department of Education, our elected officials, community partners, for expanding opportunities for our students,” Liu said. “To Allison May, thank you for the care you’ve put into making this journey so special for us, and finally, I want to recognize the people who may not be in this room, but who should always have a seat at our table, which is our students and their families, because every voice deserves to be heard.’
Liu ended her speech with a toast she learned on a trip to Georgia from a Columbian couple which translated to “for you, for me, and for all the good that’s still to come.”
Liu will receive a $5,000 grant from the Department of Education to use for the educational benefit of her students as well as two personal grants totaling $5,000. Other gifts include a gold ring from Jostens and a full doctorate program from the University of Delaware and Wilmington University.
Although not recognized as the state teacher of the year, Milford School District could actually boast two nominees for the award this year. Erin Raniszewski, a third-grade teacher at Mispillion Elementary School received the Milford School District Teacher of the Year award while Brian Gilewski, a 2013 graduate of Milford High School was nominated by Lake Forest School District. Gilewski is a social studies teacher at W.T. Chipman Middle School.
“There’s been so many times I’ve said to them “you guys know what? I’m actually kind of stressed about this, so we’re going to walk through this together. If we don’t do it right, we’ll try again” and, at that age, they are shocked that adults are not perfect,” Raniszewski said in her introductory speech. “They know that means they are okay to make mistakes, too. And the more we tell them they don’t have to be perfect, you just have to be yourself, I feel like we’re going to see a shift in dynamic that’s going to help the entire community, the entire world, and that’s what I’m here for.”
One parent whose child thrived in Raniszewski’s classroom last year spoke about the dynamic in her classroom.
“Mrs. Raniszewski always made sure everyone in the class felt supported and understood,” the parent said. “She would make sure if a student had an issue, she enabled them to figure out what the issue was, and they would come up with a solution together.”
The parent also mentioned her older daughter was mentored by Raniszewski through an after school program and that Raniszewski helped her feel confident and heard, allowing her the space to express her feelings while making her feel supported.
Gilewski explained that he tried to give his students an hour of respite from the world when they were in his class.
“The way I try to teach is to give my students an hour of respite from the craziness of being a seventh grader and a room they can kind of relax, be themselves,” Gilewski said. “That is my overall goal. I had a seventh-grade teacher who kind of created that safe haven and thankfully, it was the first class of the day. So, I was always able to start my day knowing there was a teacher who set the tone for the day.”
One colleague stated that Gilewski’s greatest strength was to turn learning into an experience.
“During the 2024 election season, he was instrumental in organizing the school’s mock election,” the colleague said. “He is equally committed to helping fellow educators grow. He mentors first and second year teachers by meeting with them monthly, providing guidance, sharing instructional strategies and helping them navigate the challenges that come with the profession. He understands that investing in new teachers strengthens an entire school, and his willingness to share his knowledge and experience has made a lasting impact on both our staff and the students they teach.”
Both Raniszewski and Gilewski, along with the other district nominees, will receive grant of $2,000 as well as gifts from Wilmington University, Advantech Incorporated and their district superintendents or Delaware Charter Network.
