A Bergen County science teacher known for making chemistry more accessible — both inside his classroom and through free online science tools used around the world — has earned one of New Jersey’s top honors for educators.
OLD TAPPAN, NJ — Tomas Villa, a science teacher at Northern Valley Regional High School at Old Tappan, has been named Bergen County’s 2026–2027 Teacher of the Year, the New Jersey Department of Education announced this week.
Villa is one of 21 educators selected across New Jersey, with one teacher representing each county. The group will serve as ambassadors for the state’s public schools during the upcoming school year.
15 Years in the Classroom
Villa has 15 years of teaching experience and currently teaches multiple levels of chemistry at Northern Valley Regional High School, including honors courses and co-taught special education classes.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Ramapo College of New Jersey and a master’s degree in educational leadership from Montclair State University. He is certified in both chemistry and special education.
But his work extends well beyond traditional classroom lessons.
Villa created RadiantSims.com, a free platform featuring more than 80 custom science simulations. According to the New Jersey Department of Education, the simulations have been used thousands of times internationally as formative assessment tools.
Helping Students See Setbacks Differently
Villa also helped develop Northern Valley’s districtwide “Reflection and Revision” assessment policy, designed to encourage students to learn from mistakes and approach setbacks with a growth mindset.
His active-learning approach has also been credited with helping double enrollment in Advanced Placement Chemistry sections as student interest increased. He mentors new chemistry teachers, presents at educational technology conferences and serves as a technology lead for the district’s Intervention and Referral Services Committee.
The state describes Villa’s work as centered on making chemistry accessible and meaningful while sharing resources with other educators and removing barriers to effective learning.
Could Bergen County Produce New Jersey’s Next Teacher of the Year?
Villa’s recognition does not yet make him the New Jersey State Teacher of the Year.
He and the other 20 county winners now move forward in the statewide selection process. A panel of educators will review written applications, video submissions and interviews before choosing the 2026–2027 New Jersey State Teacher of the Year this fall. That educator will then represent New Jersey in the National Teacher of the Year competition.
For now, Bergen County has its representative — a chemistry teacher from Old Tappan whose classroom ideas have reached students far beyond North Jersey.
Sources: New Jersey Department of Education; Northern Valley Regional High School at Old Tappan. NJ.gov
By NJ RADAR Team