For many, deciding what to study in college and which career path to take in life is difficult. For others, like Stefanie Lachenauer, the 2024-2025 New Jersey State Teacher of the Year, it was easy. Education was her calling from an early age.
“I was one of those kids who always knew I was going to be a teacher,” Lachenauer said. “I would play school at home with my younger sisters and push them to finish the lessons I assigned before they could go play outside. I loved everything about school when I was younger. I loved the organization of materials, the smell of books, the way my teacher’s bracelets would jingle when she wrote on the board.”
Middle school, however, was more challenging and overwhelming, she admitted.
“Friendships changed, homework became more intricate, expectations grew, and I constantly felt misunderstood,” Lachenauer remembered. With the support of family and community, she completed middle school with the drive to support students just like her who were navigating the often common struggles of middle school.
After graduation from Rutgers University with her bachelor’s degree in sociology and later her master’s degree in elementary education with a specialization in middle school social studies, Lachenauer’s career commenced.
“I began my teaching journey at Montgomery Lower Middle School in 2007, and taught 5th and 6th grade for six years, then transferred to Montgomery Upper Middle School when a position opened in social studies, where I had the opportunity to design and teach new courses,” she said. “Montgomery Township School District has been my educational family and home for the past 19 years.”
Lachenauer was honored with the 2024-2025 New Jersey State Teacher of the Year for the mark she has made on students beyond their studies. She was recognized for “pioneering innovative curricula and courses,” according to the New Jersey Department of Education website. “From the Global Leadership course she created to the Skills for Success and Active Citizenship course, Stefanie’s classes transcend traditional boundaries, fostering a generation of socially conscious learners.”
Lachenauer said during this year of recognition, she was able to observe a “bird’s-eye view of education across New Jersey and to witness the incredible teaching and learning happening in our schools.”
There was more to come for Lachenauer in 2025, as her commitment to connect with students went beyond the classroom. Throughout her years as a middle school teacher, she observed the increasing stress that her students were experiencing. She wanted to help students navigate their adolescent years, so she decided in 2016 to write a book. It took a few years, but her commitment to writing came in 2021.
“I joined a writing group in 2021 because I knew I wanted to finish writing the book I had been thinking of since 2016,” Lachenauer explained. “The writing group gave me support and accountability. We never shared our work but knowing that people were expecting me to be at a meeting helped me make time for that.”
In October 2025, “Let the Glitter Settle,” was published. It’s a “mindfulness guide and journal designed for teens,” describes Lachenauer, who is also a certified mindfulness and trauma-informed resilience trainer. Adults can also gain from reading the book, she said.
“The book offers practical mindfulness tools for a wide range of real-life moments,” Lachenauer said, “along with reflection questions that help readers truly connect with themselves and embody the practices.
“At its core, the book is about finding your center and using mindfulness to navigate emotions and everyday experiences, whether you are feeling overwhelmed, bored, or finding joy and humor in the moment.
“‘Let the Glitter Settle’ supports readers in returning to the present, where our power is and where we are truly living our lives,” she explained.
Lara Katz, a Theater Arts and Film and Media Production teacher at Montgomery Upper Middle School, has worked with Lachenauer for three years. She describes her colleague Lachenauer as inspiring.
“Her book, ‘Let the Glitter Settle,’ feels like a natural extension of who she is as a person and educator,” Katz said. “It offers concrete, accessible practices (like designing glitter jars, guided breathing techniques, reflective journaling prompts, and gratitude exercises) that help children and adults slow down, regulate their emotions, develop empathy, and find moments of calm and presence in an often overwhelming world.
“What stands out most is the compassion woven throughout the book. It’s not about ‘fixing’ children, but about offering them tools to reconnect with themselves and feel grounded.
“Stefanie’s voice throughout the book is the same voice students experience daily – gentle, affirming, and deeply respectful,” she said.
A high point for Lachenauer is the positive feedback she receives from students who use the mindfulness skills she taught them. From creative classroom ideas to mindfulness teaching tools, Lachenauer continues to dedicate herself to the well-being of the whole student.
