Get to know Ms. L. Vélez 

Ms. Velez was born in New York and raised in New Jersey. Her father, born in Barranquitas, PR and her mother, born in Pinar del Rio, Cuba, migrated to this country in order to provide their family with better opportunities and experiences that instill and promote their values of hard work, dedication and education. She feels blessed to have had such great role models in her life that have influenced her to be the best and to be proud of her heritage. Ms. Velez is the youngest of three and is the only member in her family to graduate from college.

                She graduated from Union County College and obtained a certification in the field of Medical Assistant. She was promoted to office manager and head of surgical assistants in a private practice.  As a single parent she later enrolled at Kean University where she attended part time and worked full time in order to pursue her true passion which was to become an educator.

                Ms. Velez is a Summa Cum Laude graduate of Kean University and a member of Phi Kappa Phi and Alpha Sigma Lambda Honor societies. She received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Elementary Education, obtained a Bilingual/Bicultural Education certification and has completed an academic major in the field of Earth Science. Earning a 3.96 GPA. When she completed her Senior Field at J.J. Flynn School, she knew then that she wanted to continue to serve the community of Perth Amboy.

                She had accepted a temporary position at A.V. Ceres School due to an increase in class enrollment. At the end of that academic year she was so happy when she was offered a permanent position at Samuel E. Shull School. Ms. Velez was hired to teach sixth grade bilingual students. During her first year at Shull School she received recognition from her Administrators and Colleagues. She was presented with The Rising Star and Leader of Tomorrow Award for her hard work, dedication and care for the students and parents of our community. She has had the honor of being chosen by the Bilingual Department to teach the sixth grade Bilingual Gifted and Talented Program. She has been an advocate for such programs since she first entered our community thirteen years ago.

                Ms. Velez was nominated and chosen as Governor Teacher and Teacher of the Year for Shull School. She completed the interviewing process successfully to become Perth Amboy’s District Teacher of the year for 2007-2008. She has conveyed the honor and privilege that she feels in having been chosen to represent our city. A city that she feels possesses so much talent and embraces diversity.

                On December 12, 2007, Ms.Velez received a citation from Mayor Vas and the City of Perth Amboy. Mayor Vas also presented her with an Award for Excellence in Education. She is the first to receive The New Jersey Legislature Award in Education from the New Jersey Assemblymen. Her tenacity and passion for teaching has earned her these accolades. She has furthered her education by graduating with a 3.98 GPA and receiving her Masters in Mathematics from Farleigh Dickinson University in May of 2011. Ms. Velez is presently teaching eighth grade Pre-Algebra courses at Samuel E. Shull School, servicing the English Language Learners.

                As a product the public school system, the daughter of English Language Learners and a proud Latina, she feels a connection with her students and the people of our community. To embrace ones culture, language, and heritage while assimilating into the American Society is one of the many personality traits that Ms. Velez possess and  advocates. She instills pride and a sense of belonging to each and every child she comes in contact with. She maintains a high level of expectation for all her students, present and former. Her students have continued on into Gifted and Talented Programs base on her recommendation. They have made her proud in their academic excellence as they today are in Honors English, Math and Science, and AP courses at Perth Amboy High School.

            As an educator, Ms. Velez maintains a student-teacher relationship with all her students. She will always consider herself to be their teacher and will always be available and willing to assist them academically so that they may obtain their full potential and achieve their goals. She leads by example. Ms. Velez demonstrates desire and passion in her field of education. Her eagerness, hard work and efforts to be the best that she could be have earned her this recognition and she expect nothing less from her students.