By Kelly Nicholaides
Two Franklin School educators have gained recognition for their impact in and out of the Classroom.
An avid reader, Mariann Ruhno, 39, was drawn to becoming an English teacher since childhood. “I was the oldest of all my cousins, which blossomed into babysitting, teaching Girl Scouts, book clubs, and volunteering,” she says. “Teaching English was a natural path.” She starts each day at Franklin School with a journal prompt for her sixth graders. Topics range from overcoming obstacles to creative writing for National Cupcake Day.
Tapping their inner authors
“The children tap into their experiences, and it reflects in their writing,” she says. “I get to know them more as each student finds their voice.”
Guiding students through novels like “The Giver,” developing their style, and analyzing multimedia information technology, the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) Governor’s Educator of the Year for the district is revered for her instructional mastery, leadership, character, and professionalism. Beyond the classroom, she is the co-leader of both the Newspaper Club and the Theater Club.
“She masterfully navigates the delicate balance between high academic expectations and authentic, personalized support,” writes Franklin School Principal Dr. Yvonne Cali. “Her capacity to establish genuine and productive rapport ensures that every student feels seen, respected, and challenged, which directly results in a substantial flourishing of both academic performance and self-confidence.”
Ruhno’s philosophy of teaching is student-focused. A fluent bilingual instructor, she bridges communication gaps, is an indispensable institutional asset, and gets on a more personal level with students who reveal aspects of their lives and learning styles. “I come in each day with an open mind and heart,” she explains. “Teaching is an opportunity to learn and grow, give students your best, and aim to get the best out of them.”
The English curriculum includes a My Perspectives anthology of literature, essays, three novels, “Imagined World” fiction writing, and multimedia such as podcasts, videos, and more. Students analyze writing in groups, provide peer reviews, and write collaboratively on characters, plots, conflicts, and more.
Ruhno especially enjoys teaching young adult novels. “The subjects are about childhood issues, growing up, and overcoming challenges of adolescence, learning to live in the world around you,” she notes.
She is grateful to the support system of educators at Franklin School, all of whom care about children’s social, emotional, and academic progress. “It’s not only about numbers, test scores, and data. At Franklin School, we let kids be kids. The focus is on their growth and development,” Ruhno says.
Ruhno holds a Master’s in Curriculum Design and Outcomes Assessment from Aspen University and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Montclair State University. She worked in Newark and West Orange schools before arriving in Kearny eight years ago. The Ironbound resident lives with her husband and their blended family of four children, ages 3 to 20.
Relationship with science, students
Catherine Sickinger, 56, has greeted a new group of about 100 sixth graders in her science classes every year since 2007—at the same school she attended in the town where she was raised. Former students drop in to chat when they’ve moved on to college, careers, and families. The New Jersey School Boards Association Exemplary Educator of the Year says her teaching philosophy evolves every year.
“When I started out, my focus was on education. It became more of a student-driven philosophy of kindness, love, and compassion,” Sickinger says. “You need to have a great relationship with the kids. Since the pandemic, they need more softening, and we meet them where they are, get to know them, and figure out their needs and learning Styles.”
A former recreational therapist in a nursing home for Alzheimer’s patients, Sickinger holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, minoring in Gerontology from Kean College. When her mother was diagnosed with dementia, Sickinger founded a caregivers’ support group for Kearny Public Schools staff members meet in her class after hours. She recalls the intergenerational connection when Kindergarteners visited the nursing home to craft and play games with seniors. It would foreshadow her future working with children. Sickinger’s father encouraged her to move in with her parents, along with her husband and their two daughters, start subbing, and take the Praxis for science teachers through the Alternate Route program at Saint Peter’s University in Jersey City.
The career change was ideal for a young mother wanting to be home for her children after school. “I didn’t see myself getting married, having kids, and being in a 9 to 5 job and working weekends,” she reflects. “When I was in school, my mom worked regular office hours and dad was a mailman.”
A highly effective educator and leader, Sickinger credits the outstanding support system of teachers and administrators in Kearny Public Schools for her success. In addition to sharing resources, the district has subscription services with Brain Pop, Generation Genius, and more to keep children motivated, interested, and involved. “Kearny does a good job strengthening the curriculum, and the middle school resources trickle down to Franklin School. I love our team and peers,” she says. The sixth-grade science curriculum is hands-on and student-centered, covering ecosystems, forces and motion, and weather and climate. “I introduce the topics, teach, and facilitate. They learn through their activities, videos, demos, and more. Some students are auditory learners, so they want me to talk through the lesson. Others are visual learners. Some have a combination of learning styles, so I use a lot of modalities,” she says.
Franklin School Principal Dr. Yvonne Cali praised Sickinger in the nomination letter to the NJSBA, noting that she collaborates with colleagues to scaffold lessons to make them accessible to all students, provides Peer-to-Peer advisory for many years, and gives students experience organizing food drives for local food banks, animal shelters, and more.
“She doesn’t shy away from hard work, whether literally or figuratively speaking. She shows up for her family, friends, students, and coworkers no matter what she may be experiencing at the given time,” Dr. Cali says. A Cedar Grove resident, Sickinger comes from a teaching and nurturing family. Her husband, James, is a teacher at Schuyler School. Their daughter, Kate, is a seventh-grade ELA teacher at Lincoln School, and Lindsay is a vet tech at The Animal Care Center of North Jersey in Riverdale.