Fifth-grade teacher Megan Roth-Ueno is making history for the Port Jefferson School District. After a rigorous application and selection process she has been named a New York State Master Teacher, the first for the district. She will join a reputable group of innovators and leaders in STEM education who bring a unique perspective to enhancing their students’ education.

According to Roth-Ueno, as a classroom teacher it is often difficult to learn firsthand what is happening in other schools and programs. It generally requires being out of a teacher’s own classroom in order to visit other schools. The New York State Master Teacher Program will enable her to learn about other programs outside of the school day and help her become more aware of her cohort’s schoolwide programs and eventually work to create and plan curriculum together.

“The NYSMTP is an opportunity for me to collaborate with and learn about what other educators are doing in their classrooms,” she said. With a realigned New York State science curriculum in the process, her enthusiasm for collaboration also sparked an idea to create short instructional science videos with her new colleagues.

Teaching since 1995 and in the Port Jefferson schools since 2000, Roth-Ueno co-founded the Suffolk County Elementary Math Tournament just over 10 years ago as there was no elementary opportunity in Suffolk County. Its growth and annual tournament at Stony Brook University, is supported by the Institute for STEM Education, where Roth-Ueno is excited to be in a room of several hundred students who are enthusiastic about math.

“We are extremely proud of Mrs. Roth-Ueno,” said Port Jefferson School District’s Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction Jessica Schmettan. “It is a testament to her dedication and hard work.”