Jill DeRosa, a second grade teacher at Verne W. Critz Elementary School in the South Country Central School District, has earned her doctorate from Molloy University, marking a significant milestone in her 18-year career within the district.
Dr. DeRosa spent four and a half years completing the degree, centering her dissertation on an area she has long prioritized in her classroom: understanding how elementary students themselves experience engagement during learning.
“My research centered on listening to students’ voices and understanding what helps them feel connected, involved and motivated during learning,” DeRosa said. “Their insights were powerful, honest and incredibly important for shaping more meaningful classroom experiences.”
She added that earning her doctorate “represents years of balancing responsibilities, growing as a researcher and staying committed to improving education through student-centered practices.”
Before beginning her doctoral work, DeRosa had already achieved one of the profession’s highest distinctions: National Board Certification in literacy. The certification process goes beyond the requirements of a standard teaching license and evaluates educators against national benchmarks that define accomplished teaching.
For DeRosa, the process included deep exploration of literacy content knowledge, instructional differentiation, teaching practices, learning environments, and the development of reflective and effective professional habits.
Throughout her nearly two decades in South Country, DeRosa has taught first, second and third grade, working at both Verne W. Critz Elementary and previously at Brookhaven Elementary.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts in child studies from St. Joseph’s College and a Master of Arts from Stony Brook University.
Beyond the classroom, DeRosa co-authored the book “WIRE for Agency” with Jennifer Hayhurst and has shared her expertise at national conferences, including the National Council of Teachers of English Annual Convention, LitCon, and the Literacy for All Conference. She has also presented at several Long Island–based education conferences.