Montville Township Public Schools is proud to announce that Scott Baird, Theater Director at Montville Township High School, has been recognized with the Outstanding Teacher of Theater Award by the Speech and Theatre Association of New Jersey (STANJ). The award was presented during the annual New Jersey Governor's Awards in Arts Education ceremony held on Saturday, January 10, at Montclair State University.
This prestigious honor recognizes exceptional theater educators across the state who demonstrate excellence in teaching, leadership, and student impact. Mr. Baird was nominated by colleague Ted Cherney, with the support of Jordan Green, whose encouragement and advocacy played a key role in the nomination process.
Mr. Baird has dedicated the past 13 years to building and leading the theater program at Montville Township High School. During his tenure, he has directed and produced the school’s annual Fall Play and Spring Musical, along with numerous additional theater events. In total, Mr. Baird has directed 21 productions and approximately 17 Broadway Night cabarets, working with hundreds of students and providing them with opportunities to grow as performers, collaborators, and confident individuals.
Reflecting on the honor, Mr. Baird emphasized that the award is not a measure of the impact he has had on his students, but rather the profound impact they have had on him. He shared that entering the doors of MTHS each day to watch students grow—both as artists and as people—has been the greatest honor of his career. Through the theater program, students are encouraged to show up authentically, challenge themselves creatively, and build something meaningful together.
Mr. Baird also expressed his sincere gratitude to the MTHS and Montville Township Public Schools administration for their continued support of arts education. This support has allowed him to inspire students in the same way he was inspired by his own high school theater teacher, while continuing to be inspired by his students in return
Montville Township Public Schools congratulates Scott Baird on this well-deserved statewide recognition and celebrates his outstanding contributions to arts education and the MTHS community.