Drury Thorp
Drury Thorp is a passionate elementary school teacher with over thirty years of experience. She has a rare gift for capturing students’ attention and develops innovative, inclusive teaching methods that elevate every learner. She creates learning environments where all students feel seen, valued, and inspired. In 2013, she was named Montclair School District Teacher of the Year and is a two-time recipient of the Judy Weston Award for Inspired Teaching, in 2010 and 2023.
A proud fourth-generation New Jerseyan, Drury was raised in Montclair by two esteemed educators. She attended Montclair Public Schools from kindergarten through twelfth grade, excelling both academically and athletically. At Montclair High School, she revived the tradition of academic symposiums and moderated a student-led discussion on U.S.–Soviet relations near the end of the Cold War, featuring Russian diplomats and Nobel Laureate George Wald—an early expression of her lifelong commitment to education and civic engagement.
Drury earned her degree in socio-anthropology and an elementary teaching certificate from Colgate University, followed by a master’s in curriculum and instruction from Nova Southeastern University. A master teacher, she is known for her unwavering dedication and for forging lasting relationships with the hundreds of students she has taught and their families. Her teaching philosophy centers on empowering students to be curious, observant, and creative problem solvers.
Over the course of her career, Drury has secured tens of thousands of dollars in grants to enrich student learning. Among her proudest accomplishments is co-authoring and implementing a grant to establish the Connected Courtyard—a native plant garden, outdoor classroom, and STEM learning center at her school. This space allows students to engage with the natural world and understand the essential role humans play in healing the planet.
Drury is widely known for her creativity and ability to bring required material to life through real-world applications. Her teaching regularly extends beyond the classroom: her classes have video-conferenced with scientists on research expeditions in Antarctica, analyzing data as they study the effects of climate change on whales and penguins. Her students grow produce in a hydroponic greenhouse for themselves and local food pantries, gaining hands-on scientific and civic learning. She recognizes the value of bringing in expert voices and invites community members to share their knowledge and challenge her students to think deeply.
Drury’s energy and enthusiasm are boundless. She has rallied communities around causes ranging from shark conservation to creating safe streets for those using active transportation. As a co-founder of the Montclair Bike Bus, she can be found every Friday leading a long caravan of parents and children joyfully biking to school.
She shares her love of life, learning, and the natural world with her husband—whom she met through their mutual passion for SCUBA diving—and their two daughters. Every time she dives beneath the waves, she is humbled by the planet’s beauty, mystery, and how much we still have to learn.