HIP-HOP

REVIEW JUNE 2016
June 2016
NJEA.ORG
Transforming
high school journalism
RESTORING THE
GIFT OF TIME
WITH YOUR
DOCTOR
HIP-HOP
AS A LITERACY
BUILDING TOOL
TAKING
PRIDE IN
COMBATTING
ADDICTION

A northeast conference for flipped educators
August 1-2, 2016
Conference Site
SUNY New Paltz
Student Union Building
1 Hawk Drive, New Paltz, NY 12561
Register
www.FlipConNY.com
Register early to ensure your spot.
Conference registration: Only $295, includes
two full days of professional development,
including continental breakfast and lunch
each day. Credit card or purchase orders only.
Since seating is limited, no refunds will be permitted.
However, should you be unable to attend, you can
transfer your registration to a colleague.
Contact Us
(845) 255-1402
175 Route 32 North
New Paltz, NY 12561
flipcon@ulsterboces.org
Join Jon Bergmann and Aaron Sams,
world experts and pioneers of Flipped Learning, for
a two-day conference and Master Class. Teachers
who attend will not be “sitting and getting,” but
rather will be actively involved in developing flipped
lessons they can use in their classroom. Teachers
will work in small teams by subject areas to create
flipped lessons. Participants will leave with copies of
their own lesson, as well as those developed at the
conference by their colleagues. Experienced flipped
classroom teachers will help participants develop
quality lessons. Due to the intimate nature of the
conference, seating is limited so register quickly.
This is a hands-on learning experience.
To be able to fully engage and experience the full benefits of the program,
participants should bring their own laptop or tablet.
Special Offer
The first 50 registrants will receive
signed copies of Flip Your Classroom:
Reach Every Student in Every Class Every
Day, by Jon Bergmann and Aaron Sams.
FlipCon New York is being hosted by Ulster BOCES in partnership with Dutchess, Orange-Ulster, and Sullivan BOCES.

I AM NJEA
Members of the Faculty Association of Morris County (FAMC) take a breather during the
NJEA Higher Education Conference. From left: Keri Flanagan, FAMC Secretary Laura
Parker, Vickram Sawh and FAMC Treasurer Jeff Jones.
ABOVE: Justin Canha (l) was the keynote speaker at the NJEA Exceptional Children Conference
held on April 9. He describes himself as “an accomplished artist who happens to be autistic.”
Taking a look at his artwork, from left, are Franklin Township EA member Lois Mandell, Hazlet
Township EA member Jenna Lisa, EA of Mount Olive member Lianne Vivian, and Canha’s
mother, Maria Teresa Guanabara.
BELOW: NJREA members Joanne Peek and Jeanne Degatano learn about
local and county association websites at the NJEA Communications Tools
Workshop held at NJEA Headquarters on May 7.
ABOVE: At their Legislative Action Team meeting on April 13, members of the Cumberland County Council of
Education Associations show they are ready to activate their local associations to work for the constitutional
amendment on pension funding and to support other issues affecting public education.
ABOVE: East Orange EA
member Carla Hinds
speaks at the NJEA
Minority Leadership and
Recruitment Conference
after receiving the Ethnic
Minority Affairs and
Leadership Image Award.
Hinds is the FAST (Families
and Schools Together Work
for Children) coordinator
for her association. She has
established partnerships
with members of the school
and community bringing
in local, county and state
resources to provide
greater opportunities for
East Orange students.
JOIN
US
Check the events calendar for upcoming events
and conferences you can attend. To see more NJEA
event photos, visit flikr.com/njea.
PHOTO GALLERY ONLINE
flickr.com/njea/sets
JUNE 2016 3

Students from Trenton Public Schools were among the
hundreds of New Jersey residents who came out for the
Rally for Equity on May 15.

Resources for your profession and your association.
CONTENTS
JUNE 2016
FEATURES
20
TRAILBLAZING JOURNALISM
Teachers in the Pascack Valley
Regional High School District
are expanding their journalism
program.
BY ALANA ROME
24
COMBATTING ADDICTION
Morris County is taking the lead
in connecting local associations
with municipal programs to
address substance abuse.
BY DAVID YASTREMSKI
26
THE GIFT OF TIME
NJEA and other state public
employee unions are piloting a
voluntary, new kind of medical
practice.
28
HIP-HOP PEDAGOGY
Educators in the East Orange
School District are implementing
a culturally relevant curriculum
that is yielding results in student
achievement.
BY COURTNE THOMAS AND MIRVETK TONUZI
COLUMNS
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE 7
Social justice and labor unions
THE ADVOCATE 8
Know. Lead. Act.
THE BULLETIN BOARD 11
Cool stuff to check out
THE NJEA REPORT 12
Education in the news
HEALTH AND SAFETY 34
Don't ignore lead paint
EVALUATION 37
Is your student roster accurate?
BY RICHARD WILSON
THE TOOLBOX 38
RebelMouse: Let your content roar
BY CARINA GONZALEZ
CLASSROOM CLOSE-UP NJ 41
Highlights of NJEA’s Emmy-award
winning show
SUSSEX TO CAPE MAY 42
Workshops, field trips, grants,
and more
PROUD MOMENTS 45
Locals show their PRIDE
PRESERVICE MEMBERS 46
Leadership matters
RETIRED MEMBERS 47
News and events
MEMBER BENEFITS 49
Get your money’s worth
COMING UP 53
What’s next at NJEA
FINAL EXAM 54
#VoteNJPension
2016 NJEA
CONVENTION
NOV. 10-11, 2016
TOP TEN REASONS TO ATTEND 32
But there are so many more!
ON THE COVER:
Alana Rome, an English
teacher at Pascack Hills
Regional High School,
leads a transformation
in student journalism.
PHOTO BY
WANDA SWANSON
NJEA BUDGET SUMMARY 50
Fiscal year ending Aug. 31, 2017
JUNE 2016 5

VOLUME 89
NUMBER 11
Editorial Director Steven Baker
Editor
Patrick Rumaker
Art Director Jennifer C. Marsh
Graphic Designer Tara Esposito
Advertising Liz Murphy
EDITORIAL & PUBLISHING OFFICES
The New Jersey Education Association Review
(ISSN-0027-6758) is an official publication
of the New Jersey Education Association,
published monthly 10 times a year, September
through June, plus one special New Jersey
Education Association Review Convention issue,
which will be published in September. Send
correspondence relating to editorial material,
manuscripts, membership or subscriptions
to: 180 W. State St., P. O. Box 1211, Trenton,
NJ 08607-1211. Periodicals postage paid at
Trenton, NJ 08650 and at additional mailing
offices. E-mail: njeareview@njea.org
EDITORIAL COMMITTEE
Chairperson Erin Hilferty, Gloucester Twp.(Camden);
Susan Butterfield, Passaic; Ann Marie Finnen,
Pequannock; Casandra Fox, E. Windsor
EA; Andrew Lewis, Old Bridge Twp.; Kristene
Miller, Pleasantville; Alexandra Protopapas,
Orange; Miriam Reichenbach, retired;
Roberta Rissling, Franklin Twp. (Gloucester);
Steven Tetreault, Holmdel EA; Andrea Vahey,
Toms River Reg’l; Ira Wallin, Elmwood Park.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Atlantic: Elizabeth Miller; Bergen: Janet Bischak,
Susan McBride; Burlington: Andrew Jacobs;
Camden: Regina A. Andrews-Collette; Cape May:
Frank Toth; Cumberland: Anita Schwartz; Essex:
Kimberly Scott; Gloucester: Linda Martins; Hudson:
Roy Tamargo; Hunterdon: Ron Burd; Mercer: Heidi
Olson; Middlesex: Lois Yukna, Marilyn Weeks-
Ryan; Monmouth: Victoria D. McKeon; Morris:
Charlotte Bayley; Ocean: Beverly Figlioli; Passaic:
Joseph Cheff; Salem: Susan Maniglia; Somerset:
Gayle Faulkner; Sussex: Susan J. Davis; Union: Ann
Margaret Shannon; Warren: Edward Yarusinsky;
Higher education: Peter Helff; Retired: Patricia
Provnick; NEA Directors: ESP-At-Large: Ashanti
Rankin.
NEA State Directors: Gayle Faulkner, Deanna
Nicosia-Jones, Marilyn Weeks-Ryan, Gary
Melton, Andrew Policastro, Christine Sampson-
Clark, Laurie Schorno, Ann Margaret Shannon,
Eric Stinson & Donna Mirabelli; At-Large
ADVERTISING
Advertising is printed as a service to readers but
does not imply endorsement.
POSTMASTER
Send address changes to:
New Jersey Education Association Review
Attn: Membership Processing
180 W. State St., P. O. Box 1211
Trenton, NJ 08607-1211
NEW JERSEY EDUCATION ASSOCIATION
180 W. State St., P.O. Box 1211, Trenton, NJ 08607-1211 • 609-599-4561 • njea.org
President: Wendell Steinhauer | Vice President: Marie Blistan | Secretary-Treasurer: Sean M. Spiller
NJEA STAFF
Executive Office: Edward Richardson, executive director; Steven Swetsky, assistant executive director; Tom Falocco, associate director;
Matthew DiRado, human resources manager; David Rosenberg, associate director, member rights; Janet Morrison, field rep., family-school
involvement program; Bob Antonelli, field representative, educational support professionals; Marguerite Schroeder, field representative,
external organizing; Deborah Cornavaca, Alfred Beaver & Donnie Johnson, temporary field representatives, field-based organizing;
Michael Saffran, field representative, leadership training/organizing; Jim Boice, field representative, membership and organizational
development; Thomas Hardy II, field representative, organizing issues.
Business: Timothy McGuckin, director of business; John Cottone, information systems manager; Karen Kryven, comptroller, accounting
& finance; Susan Mongold & Michael Caracci, associate directors, accounting; Damien McKeever, membership processing manager;
Richard Roche, Rick Nachbaur, Howard Bookin, Anthony Leuzzi, Donald Miller, associate directors, information systems.
Communications: Steven Baker, director; Wanda Swanson and Christina Farrell, associate directors, video production; Dawn Hiltner,
associate director, organizing & coalition building; vacancy, editor, & Patrick Rumaker, editor, NJEA Review; Diane F. Barry, editor,
technology-related communications; Kathryn Coulibaly, Christy Kanaby & Matt Stagliano, associate directors, public relations; Jennifer
Cohn Marsh, associate director, visual communications.
Government Relations: Ginger Gold Schnitzer, director; Michael Flynn, Francine Pfeffer, Brian Volz, Anna Hanzes (temp), Sean Hadley,
Mike Giglio, Marybeth Beichert, Beth Schroeder Buonsante & Osomo Thomas, associate directors.
Professional Development & Instructional Issues: Michael Cohan, director; Darryl Ensminger, Amy Fratz, Pam Garwood, Janet L. Royal,
Rich Wilson, Michael Ritzius, Camy Kobylinski & Amanda Adams (temp.), associate directors.
Research and Economic Services: Kevin Kelleher, director of research; Ray Vojtash, Phil Lomonico, Peter Vala, Martha O. DeBlieu, Bob
Bobik, Dan Goldman, Julie Plotkin, Leigh Smargiassi, Sarah Lynn Geiger, Sarah Favinger & Greg Yordy, associate directors.
UniServ: Jim Loper, regional director/Central, Reg. 7-12 & 29, (732) 287-6899; Carmen Gonzalez-Gannon, regional director/Northeast,
Reg. 15 & 19-25 (973) 321-3221; Al Ramey, regional director/Northwest, Reg. 13, 17, 27 & 28 (973) 347-0911; vacancy, regional
director/South, Reg. 1-6 (856) 234-0522
UniServ Regional Offices:
REGION 1....... Cape May & Cumberland Cos......856-696-2670........ Jim Jameson & Rena Kallio
REGION 2....... Salem & Gloucester Cos..............856-628-8650........ Jane Travis-Address, Michael Kaminski & Marguerite Maines
REGION 3....... Camden Co.-East........................856-782-1225........ Donna Maurer (leave), Alison Braun (temp) & Caroline Tantum
REGION 4....... Camden Co.-West.......................856-964-2800........ Sharon Allen & Nancy Holmes
REGION 5....... Burlington Co..............................856-234-2485........ Patrick Manahan, Deborah Syer & Harry Zakarian
REGION 6....... Atlantic Co..................................609-652-9200........ Vincent Perna & Myron Plotkin
REGION 7....... Ocean Co....................................732-349-0280........ Meredith Barnes, Mary Novotny & Jennifer Raike
REGION 8....... Mercer Co ..................................609-896-3422........ Alex DeVicaris, Debbie DiColo & Susan Nardi
REGION 9....... Monmouth Co.............................732-403-8000........ Joseph Keough, Thomas Predale,
Lorraine Tesauro & Ronald Villano
REGION 11/12.Middlesex Co..............................732-287-4700........ Thomas Bohnyak, Brian Furry, Nancy Grbelja & Thomas Hayden
REGION 13..... Hunterdon & Somerset Cos.........908-782-2168........ Henry John Klein, Jennifer Larsen & Bill Render
REGION 15..... Union Co. ...................................908-709-9440........ Carol Feinstein, Dominick Giordano, Roselouise Holz, George Huk
REGION 17..... Morris Co....................................973-515-0101........ Douglas Finkel, Vickie Walsh & John Williams
REGION 19..... Hudson Co.-North.......................201-861-1266........ Thomas DeSocio & Edward Stevens
REGION 20..... Hudson Co.-South.......................201-653-6634........ John Dillon & Kevin McHale
REGION 21..... Essex Co., except Newark............973-762-6866........ Luis Delgado & Denise Policastro, vacancy
REGION 23..... Bergen Co.-East..........................201-265-6200........ George Lambert, Richard Loccke & Ray Skorka
REGION 25..... Bergen Co.-West.........................201-292-8093........ Dennis Grieco & Joe Tondi
REGION 27..... Passaic Co..................................973-694-0154........ Ron Bivona, William Cobb, Carol Pierce & Sasha Wolf
REGION 28..... Sussex & Warren Cos..................973-347-5717........ Kim Cowing, Pamela Niles & John Ropars
REGION 29..... Higher Education........................609-689-9580........ Chris Berzinski & Ron Topham
MEMBERSHIP
Annual membership dues are: Active professional: $840 (full time); $420 (part time) $420
(on leave). Active supportive $411 (full time) $205.50 (part time) $205.50 (on leave).
Retired: $79; $985 (retired life). Retired ESP: $54; $610 (retired ESP life); Student $32.
General professional (outside N.J. public education employment): $250. Subscribing $250.
Only those in education positions in N.J. public schools and colleges are eligible for active
membership. Payment of annual dues entitles a member to receive the Review for one year,
from January through December. Dues include $5 for the NJEA Review.
6 NJEA REVIEW

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Social justice a hallmark of labor unions
Social justice has been a hallmark of labor unions, including
NJEA, since their inception. After all, the fundamental issue of
unionism is to improve the lives of its members through collective
action and, through our action and activism, to improve
the lives of all working men and women, their families and their
communities.
For NJEA members, our activism extends beyond the walls of
our classrooms and the confines of our contracts to the health,
safety, and social and academic quality of life for our students.
We advocate not only for the 200,000 active, retired and preservice
members of our association, but also for approximately
1.6 million schoolchildren in the state.
Yet we are not alone in our activism. We are proud to join with
other groups, individuals and organizations to advocate for the
best interests of our students. That is why NJEA members are
invited to join their colleagues across the country at the Save
Our Schools Coalition March and Rally on July 8 in Washington,
D.C. You can learn more about it in the article, “March for
social justice,” found on Page 8, and visit the march’s website at
saveourschoolsmarch.org.
The constitutional amendment to secure quarterly pension
payments and require the state to commit to a responsible
funding schedule is a common-sense approach to the pension
funding crisis. Not only that, but it benefits every taxpayer in the
state. By requiring responsible, predictable funding, the pension
funds will be able to maximize investments and ultimately shrink
the unfunded liability. This is the right move for New Jersey, as
well as our members. Learn how you can support the campaign
and bring responsible budget practices back to the state in the
article, “#VoteNJPension: constitutional amendment will rescue
pensions from politicians,” found on Page 54. And be sure to visit
votenjpension.org throughout the summer for updates.
Finally, take a look at NJEA’s 2016-17 budget on Pages 50-51 to
see how your dues dollars are being used to advance the interests
of members, students, and ultimately, the communities we serve.
As always, thank you for all that you do for public education,
your colleagues and your students. As challenging as this year
has been, imagine how much harder it would have been without
the support, encouragement and strength of your colleagues in
education.
Enjoy the warm summer months and keep up the excellent
work!
Paraprofessional Vivian Byrd (l) and teacher Martin Cannon (r) both Trenton Education
Association members at Hedgepeth Williams School, join NJEA President Wendell Steinhauer at
the Rally for Equity on May 15. See Page 19 for more.
WENDELL’S PICKS
Instagram
NJSEA at Montclair State University
Event
Techstock
Stockton University will host this
celebration of technology and
learning on Wednesday, July 13.
Registration ends on June 17. Go to
njea.org/teaching-and-learning for
details and to register.
Resource
Sustainable New Jersey grants
The Sustainable Jersey for Schools
Small Grants Program seeks to
provide support to districts and
schools for sustainability projects.
To date nearly $600,000 in grants
have been provided to districts and
schools to make progress toward
a sustainable future. See Page 9 to
learn more.
News
Rally for Equity
Associations from across the
state answered the Trenton
Education Association’s call for a
Rally for Equity to tell the state,
Gov. Christie, and all New Jersey
elected officials that it is time
for them to follow the law and
adequately fund our urban public
schools. See Page 19.
@njsea_msu: New Jersey Student
Education Association members spent
their Saturday morning volunteering
within the community and creating
hopscotch mats for elementary
school students #jerseycares
#JCD2016#WhyIJerseyCares #NJSEA
instagram.com/p/BFHUnENoF02
JUNE 2016 7

THE ADVOCATE
Know. Lead. Act.
March for social justice on July 8 in D.C.
Five years ago, Save Our Schools March rallied and protested in
Washington, D.C. to defend public education. The rally brought
together public education activists from across the country to
speak up and speak out.
Two years ago, the Badass Teachers Association (BAT) protested
on the steps of the U.S. Department of Education against privatization
schemes that allowed corporations to profit off of our
students and children.
This summer, both organizations, in coalition with the National
Council of Urban Education Associations, United Opt Out, the
NEA BAT Caucus and others will rally on July 8 at the Lincoln Memorial.
Diane Ravitch, Jonathan Kozol, Dr. Denisha Jones, Brett
Bigham, Jesse Hagopian the Dyett Hunger Strikers and members
of the Newark Student Union are among the speakers.
Join the coalition for a weekend of events that will publicize our
demands for what we want to see in our schools.
The event starts Friday, July 8 at the Lincoln Memorial with a
pre-rally gathering at 10:30 a.m. The pre-rally will include live music,
sign-making, face painting and other activities. The rally itself
begins at noon.
A march to the White House, concluding with a protest at Lafayette
Park, follows the rally.
The advocacy and activism will not end with the march. The
Save Our Schools Summit and Coalition Congress follows on July
9 and 10. Educators, parents and activists from across the nation
will share ideas and activities that have been successful in their
communities.
Both days are family oriented with activities and workshops
planned that are geared towards children and youth. Bring your
family for a summer event that will include a lesson in civic responsibility
and engagement.
State officer petitions available
Elections for NJEA state officer positions (president, vice
president, and secretary-treasurer) will be held during the
upcoming school year for the 2017-19 term.
All nominations for these positions may be made only by petition
on forms prescribed by the NJEA Elections Committee.
Petitions for state officers must contain at least 300 signatures
of NJEA active members (including active professional
and ESP, as well as life members and retired members who are
eligible to vote) with at least 10 such signatures from each of
11 counties. Persons who are retired are considered to be from
the county in which they last held employment prior to retirement.
No more than one nomination may be proposed on any
one petition.
Typically, petitions are available on Sept. 1 of even-numbered
years. If that schedule continues for this election cycle, petitions
will be available on Sept. 1, 2016. They may be obtained
from NJEA Headquarters in Trenton, or from a county or unit
representative on the NJEA Elections Committee.
However, this publication of the Review went to press before
the NJEA Delegate Assembly (DA) meeting on May 21.
The calendar for elections could have been revised through
action at that meeting. Therefore, if you are interested in running
for the office of NJEA president, NJEA vice president, or
NJEA secretary-treasurer, you are urged to visit www.njea.org/
njeaelections to confirm the date upon which petitions will be
available, and when they must be returned.
All signed petitions must reach NJEA Headquarters at 180
W. State St., Trenton, or an NJEA-NEA UniServ office no later
than 5 p.m. on Oct. 14, 2016. Again, please visit www.njea.org/
njeaelections to confirm the deadline, as the DA may have taken
action at its May 21 meeting to adjust the elections calendar.
These procedures and the deadlines are for state officer
positions only and do not affect nominations for other NJEA
positions.
Balloting for contested positions will take place in the regular
2017 NJEA spring elections.
NJEA election results available at njea.org
In 2014 the Badass Teachers Association (BAT) protested on the steps
of the U.S. Department of Education against privatization schemes.
Earlier this spring, NJEA members elected state and county
representatives to the NJEA Executive Committee, NJEA Delegate
Assembly (and Alternates), and NEA Representative
Assembly in some counties and units, as well as some county
association offices. Go to njea.org and click on “News and
Publications” to scroll to the article. Results are provided by
county. A link to the results for uncontested offices is also provided.
8 NJEA REVIEW

THE ADVOCATE
From robotics to edible gardens, grant program
advances sustainability across New Jersey
In December, representatives from 46 New Jersey schools and
districts gathered at NJEA headquarters to accept Sustainable Jersey
for Schools grants funded by NJEA. Each school was awarded a
grant ranging from $2,000 to $10,000, to fund diverse school-based
sustainability projects.
Schuyler-Colfax Middle School, Wayne Township public schools
The Schuyler-Colfax Middle School is using its $10,000 grant
to create a courtyard garden of organic, edible plants and flowers.
The harvest will be used in school lunches. The proposal, “Digging
in the Dirt,” was developed by the Schuyler-Colfax green
team that includes teachers, education support professionals,
community members, students and even a master gardener.
Schuyler-Colfax Middle School is one of the first 59 schools in
New Jersey to achieve certification with the Sustainable Jersey for
Schools program.
“We’re nearly done the planning for the garden,” said Principal
Aimee Toth. “We have a passionate and informed group, so the
visioning and decision-making process was very thorough.”
The green team had to develop a solution for the family of ducks
that come each year to live in the courtyard. After researching humane
solutions, the team decided to collect used CDs, which they
will string across the top of the courtyard. The sunlight reflected
from the CDs should prevent the ducks from landing.
Special benches that convert into tables are being designed.
Two National Honor Society students are developing the garden’s
Instagram page. Members of the STARS Club are working as mentors
to students with special needs to plan the garden that will be
used as a skills-based classroom. These students, along with the
general education student mentors, will help design, prepare,
plant, harvest and maintain the garden.
Mount Hebron Middle School, Montclair Public Schools
Students from Mount Hebron Middle School will benefit from
a new robotics class that was enhanced with a $2,000 Sustainable
Jersey for Schools grant. Mount Hebron’s proposal, ‘Enrichment
Program Through Partnership,” was written by STEM coordinator
and NJEA member Daniel Taylor and focuses on strengthening
the robotics program.
“We recently engaged with a Newark-based organization called
Bricks4Kidz on the programming of EV3s and the building of robots
with Legos,” explained Taylor.
The Sustainable Jersey for Schools grant money was used to
purchase additional materials needed for the program in an effort
to expose more children to the challenge of building, engineering
and programming with the Lego EV3 robotics kit.
These materials will be used in the class titled, “Game Creation
with Robots.” The focus of this new elective is to challenge students
to conceptualize and build a game based on the programming
of Finch robots and, later, to program and build the EV3
robots to interact with the First Lego League board challenges.
Approximately 50 students participated in the first elective class.
“By offering this class as an elective during school, we’re able to
reach students who might not have the opportunity for the afterschool
enrichment that included this technology,” Taylor added.
“The class offers problem-based education that will help equip
students to tackle the challenging sustainability problems in the
future by having 21st-century skills.”
A New Jersey first
New Jersey is the first state in the nation to have a comprehensive
sustainability program for communities that links certification
with strong state and private financial incentives and a fully
resourced program of technical support and training. Currently,
77 percent, or 434, of New Jersey’s 565 municipalities are participating
in Sustainable Jersey’s municipal certification program and
174 school districts and 448 schools are participating in the Sustainable
Jersey for Schools certification program.
“NJEA is proud to work with Sustainable Jersey on this important
program that directs resources into our schools,” said NJEA
Secretary-Treasurer Sean Spiller. “By emphasizing the value of
sustainability, we help ensure that we leave a better world for our
students.”
To learn more about the Sustainable Jersey for Schools Small
Grants Program, visit, www.SustainableJerseySchools.com.
[TOP LEFT] Shown with the $10,000 Sustainable
Jersey for Schools/NJEA check is Donna Drewes, codirector
of Sustainable Jersey; Phread Ayres, Schuyler-
Colfax Middle School science teacher; Jamie Cape,
Schuyler-Colfax language arts teacher; Tracy Mara,
Schuyler-Colfax special education teacher; Aimee Toth,
principal of Schuyler-Colfax; and Sean Spiller, New
Jersey Education Association secretary/treasurer
[ABOVE] Students from Mount Hebron
Middle School, S.T.E.M. Magnet, working
with the Lego EV3 robotics kit.
JUNE 2016 9

THE ADVOCATE
#NorthMovement
creates entry point for early-career members
A conversation that began at the Winter Leadership Conference
North has created #TeamNorth, a group of members
who organize networking events across northern New Jersey
under the hashtag #NorthMovement.
NJEA members just starting their careers often feel overwhelmed.
That feeling is amplified by a well-funded corporate
“reform” movement that seeks to weaken unions and
make private profit from public education. Stress is a weapon
of choice for these profiteers, and members feel exhausted
from fighting this battle.
A support system of family, friends and colleagues is particularly
vital for early-career members who deal with both
the stress of a new job and the stress of attacks upon the
profession they’ve devoted their lives to. It’s important that
these members carve out time to come together across departments,
job categories, districts and counties to celebrate
that profession.
The kick-off event for #NorthMovement was titled “Blowing
Off Steam after PARCC Testing.” Members from Morris,
Sussex and Warren counties descended upon a local restaurant
in Morristown. Though they would not normally have
an opportunity to connect with each other, these members
hit it off sharing stories, laughs and ideas—some related to
PARCC, some not. Overall, it was a friendly atmosphere leaving
those in attendance to ask, “What’s next?”
Thanks to support from the statewide NJEA Early Career
Network, #TeamNorth was able to organize two larger
events. At its largest event, members from Hudson, Essex
and Union counties turned up on a Tuesday evening in Jersey
City. The third gathering took place in Rochelle Park for
members in Bergen and Passaic Counties.
These events were critical entry points into the Association
for well over a hundred members.
Bergenfield Education Association Treasurer Gabriel
Tanglao contributed this article. He notes that through the
member-to-member relationships it fosters, #TeamNorth is
strengthening the fiber of the union. Tanglao can be reached
at gtanglao@gmail.com.
To learn more about developing member-engagement
opportunities for early-career members in your area, contact
Jim Boice, field representative for organizational development,
at jboice@njea.org. Check the news blog at njea.org/
earlycareermembers to stay up-to-date on what early career
members are up to.
Nominate a human and civil rights advocate
Nomination forms and documentation for the NJEA Human
and Civil Rights Award are due Dec. 1, 2016. Awards will be presented
at the NJEA Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Human and Civil
Rights Celebration next January.
Nominees may be individuals, groups or organizations working
in the area of civil rights. If the nominee is eligible for NJEA
membership, he or she must be a member of the Association to
be considered for the award.
For award criteria and to make a nomination, go to njea.org/
HRCnomination.
For more information call 609-599-4561, ext. 2290.
NJEA seeks apprentices
Are you looking for a new challenge?
Would you like to develop skills to prepare for an association
leadership role?
Have you thought about what it would be like to join the NJEA
staff?
Consider applying to be part of the 2016-2018 NJEA Bolivar L.
Graham Practicing Apprentice Program.
NJEA created the apprentice program to provide ethnic-minority
and female members with the opportunities, knowledge,
and skills needed for association governance roles and potential
NJEA staff employment. Graduates of the program include current
full-time NJEA staff members, part-time NJEA consultants,
and many statewide, county, and local leaders.
Following an open house for all applicants this month, the
program will run from August 2016 through May 2018. In the first
year of the program, Apprentices attend monthly weekend sessions
that provide intensive training in communications, leadership,
human relations, team building, organizational structure,
and other skills. In addition, apprentices attend core activities
that include a variety of NJEA conferences and meetings.
Each apprentice is assigned a mentor from the NJEA staff.
Details and an application are available at njea.org when you
log in as a member.
You may also email or call:
Matt DiRado
Human Resources Manager
609-599-4561, ext. 2314
HR@njea.org
SELFIE OF THE MONTH
The Occupational Therapy Department of Burlington County Special Services School District
celebrated Read Across America. They noted that they unintentionally formed an “O,” thus
inadvertently also celebrating OT Month. Clockwise from top: Deanna Sears, Jennifer Nizio,
Larisa Gambale, Kimberly Niehaus-Scheetz, Diana Stepp, Kathy Nizio, Thera Paetzold and Elise
Engber.
Attending a local, county or state training or meeting? Working a PRIDE event? Send your selfies
to njeareview@njea.org. Be sure to identify where the picture was taken and the members who
appear in the photo.
10 NJEA REVIEW

BULLETIN BOARD
COOL STUFF
California Casualty offers athletic grants
The Thomas R. Brown Athletics Grants are awarded to select
public middle and high school athletics programs. The awards
must be used to help subsidize school sports programs in ways
such as purchasing new equipment or paying for competition
travel costs. The grant cannot be used for individual student
awards. Grant recipients must be NEA members.
Five schools in New Jersey received a grant this year: Kearny
High School, Edison High School, John P. Stevens High School
(also in Edison), Rahway High School and Linden High School.
You can read about these schools' grants on njea.org.
The annual deadline for the grants is Jan. 15. Applications are
being accepted now for next year’s grant program. Only grant requests
for public middle and high school athletics programs will
be considered. Grant recipients must be NEA members.
Go to www.calcasathleticsgrant.com for application information.
Don’t let students go hungry this summer
Many students rely on school meals to get the nutrition they
need to grow, be healthy and succeed in school. In the summer,
these children lack access to those meals and families struggle to
put food on the table.
The federal summer meals program provides a solution to
summertime hunger for kids. But last year, just 19 percent of eligible
children in New Jersey received these meals.
The New Jersey Food for Thought Campaign and the New
Jersey Department of Agriculture are launching a campaign to
spread the word to parents about these programs and we need
your help. More information and outreach materials, including
downloadable flyers, are available at acnj.org/school-breakfast/
summermealsnj.
THE UNIVERSITY OF
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schedule, and at your own pace.
WGU was recognized by the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ)
as the #1 program in the country for secondary teacher education programs,
and #16 for elementary teacher education programs.
Benefits for all NEA members:
• 5% tuition discount for up to four terms.
• Eligibility to apply for the WGU NEA Academy Partner Scholarship,
valued at up to $2,400.
• Free application to WGU.
wgu.edu/NEA
WG330616
16-13206_NATL_SR_NJ_NEA_ReSize_Ad_DS_20160407.indd 1
4/7/16 4:34 PM
JUNE 2016 11

EDUCATION NEWS
THE NJEA REPORT
South Brunswick educators, parents demand accountability—and succeed!
Hundreds of South Brunswick residents, parents, educators and
elected officials converged outside of the Crossroads North Middle
School on May 9 to demand accountability and action by the local
board of education. They were frustrated by the board’s inaction
in the face of dozens of questionable administrative decisions and
numerous community concerns raised in the last two years.
The “Rally for Accountability” took place just before the board’s
monthly work session. Their raucous chants of “Do your job!” drew
the attention of media outlets from around the state.
Flanked by members in his own and other district locals, South
Brunswick Education Association President John Lolli had one
goal: to urge the board of education to restore the district to a place
of respect in the community.
SBEA members had long enjoyed a period of stability, prospering
in an environment where union leaders and administration
worked in well together. But that changed 18 months ago with the
appointment of Dr. Jerry Jellig as school superintendent.
Fear replaces collaboration
Collaborative relationships were replaced with a climate of fear
and retribution in the school community as the 748-member local
association came under fire. Intimidation in the workplace, a quid
pro quo promotional process, inappropriate and unprofessional
administrative conduct, questionable spending habits and antagonistic
anti-union behaviors plagued the district.
“The climate had grown so toxic that teachers, administrators,
and district personnel began leaving at alarming rates,” said SBEA
President John Lolli. “Our assistant superintendent, a 30-year veteran
of the district and our business administrator both resigned,
which only elevated our concern.”
To complicate matters, SBEA was in the midst of bargaining, and
Lolli soon found himself a constant target of rebuke. In February
2015, the high school staff received an email from the superintendent,
who expressed his disappointment with Lolli for not agreeing
to the district’s negotiations demands.
“It was a blatant attempt to have members question SBEA leadership,”
stated Lolli. “The collective bargaining process was defiled
and confidentiality broken in an attempt to divide us. However,
SBEA members saw through the tactic and stood in unity. These
actions only served to strengthen our solidarity.”
Since early this year, the SBEA has been denounced that behavior
and urging the board to correct its course. SBEA also took legal
action, filing an unfair labor practice with the New Jersey Public
Employment Relations Commission (PERC) when the Jellig formally
reprimanded two teachers who spoke out during a closed
union meeting.
Keeping up the pressure
For the last six months, Lolli and his SBEA members have attended
monthly board meetings and have worked closely with
parent groups to ensure that the turmoil doesn’t find its way into
classrooms and affect student achievement. All of that work paid
off as the crowd filed into the middle school auditorium to hear the
results of the marathon closed session meeting of the board.
Board President Dr. Stephen Parker announced—amidst thunderous
applause—that Jellig has been placed on indefinite administrative
leave. The board appointed human resources director,
Richard Chromey, as the district’s interim superintendent. Parker
said that the board is eager to sit down with the SBEA leadership to
resolve all outstanding grievances.
Lolli thanked the board for finally taking decisive action to end
the animosity and bring the district back together. “We are empowered
by your actions tonight,” Lolli said. “You heard us, and
you took steps toward helping us regain all we had lost. Together
we will restore South Brunswick to what it was and always has
been—excellent.”
LEFT: South Brunswick
Education Association
President John Lolli
calls on the board of
education to do its job.
BELOW:Members of
SBEA were joined
by colleagues from
across Middlesex
County to protest
the board’s inaction
over questionable
administrative
decisions.
12 NJEA REVIEW

EDUCATION NEWS
What ESSA means for “’highly qualified” teacher rules in NJ
Do you hold the previously issued “N-8 elementary” or
“teacher of the handicapped” New Jersey instructional teaching
license? Then you should pay special attention to the changes
in federal law authorized by the Every Student Succeeds Act
(ESSA).
The act, which amended and reauthorized the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act (ESEA), eliminated the overarching
federal “Highly Qualified Teacher” (HQT) criteria and restored
state certification requirements as the authority for which subjects
and grades teachers can teach.
The federal law had effectively narrowed the scope of several
teaching certificates by requiring subject-specific majors, degrees,
certificates, or other proof of subject knowledge in order
to teach core subjects in departmentalized middle grades or in
high school.
In New Jersey, this most affected:
• Elementary teachers holding nursery through grade eight
(N-8) elementary certificate endorsements who were teaching
one or two subjects in middle grades.
• “Teacher of the Handicapped” (TOH) endorsement holders,
whose teaching license had authorized
This development doesn’t
mean any teacher should throw
out his or her “highly qualified”
paperwork. In fact, retaining
that material is still important.
them to teach any subject to special
education students at any grade level.
• “Teacher of Blind or Partially Sighted”
and “Teacher of Deaf or Hard of Hearing”
endorsement holders who had
been authorized to teach all subjects
to students with those disabilities at all
grade levels.
As a result of ESSA, the New Jersey Department
of Education (NJDOE) issued an
advisory to school districts on March 29
and again on April 5 alerting them that, effective immediately,
the “Highly Qualified Teacher” (HQT) provision was eliminated.
Consequently, individuals can be assigned to teach any grade or
subject that their teaching certificate authorizes them to teach.
This again opens up the assignment possibilities for those
holding N-8 (with limits for teaching preschool outlined below),
TOH, and Teachers of Blind or Deaf instructional certificate endorsements.
This does not affect assignment of individuals who
hold the K-6 elementary or the Teacher of Student with Disabilities
endorsements.
As a result of state regulations passed in 2006, N-8 certified
teachers whose endorsements were issued by March 1, 2008,
must have the equivalent of two academic years of full-time experience
teaching three- and four-year-olds under their certificates
in order to teach preschool in a public school or Department of
Children and Families facility. The district or DCF facility must
retain documentation of the teacher’s preschool teaching experience.
Retain your HQT paperwork
This development doesn’t mean any teacher should throw out
his or her “highly qualified” paperwork. In fact, retaining that
material is still important.
The NJDOE is urging school districts to continue to use the
HQT matrix in assigning educators “to ensure that contentqualified
teachers are in place to support student achievement.”
So while the HQT is no longer required, school districts still have
the right to assign teaching staff members
within the scope of each individual’s certificates,
including grade level and—if in
departmentalized middle school settings
or high school settings in the case of the
teacher of the handicapped—the content
he or she should teach.
NJEA advises every educator to make
sure that he or she retains a copy of all
“highly qualified” documentation with
other important documents related to his
or her employment and career.
NJEA and the NJDOE are still reviewing
the amended federal law to determine how changes in the
“highly qualified paraprofessional” requirements will affect
employees in New Jersey who are covered under that provision.
NJEA advises all affected members holding such positions in
public school classrooms and libraries also to retain proof of
their “highly qualified” status.
NEA President, Sen. Deignan honored by Education Law Center
NEA President Lily Eskelsen García delivered the keynote
address at the Education Law Center’s Seventh Annual
Education Justice Lecture at the Edward J. Bloustein School of
Planning and Public Policy in New Brunswick. She and Sen.
Patrick J. Deignan Jr. were later honored at a reception where
Eskelsen García received the ELC’s Education Justice Award and
Deignan received the Marilyn Morheuser Award.
NJEA President Wendell Steinhauer participated in a panel
discussion at the event, along with Deignan and Mary Bennett,
a retired principal of Newark’s Malcolm X. Shabazz High School
and an education leader and activist.
The event, which was co-sponsored by NJEA and ETS, focused
on issues related to educational equity and opportunity.
In her keynote, Eskelsen García, a sixth-grade teacher in Utah
who began her career in education as a “lunch lady,” discussed
the dire state of school funding in Utah and the positive impact
that the state school employees’ union has had advocating for
funding equity and educational opportunities for students.
Eskelsen García touted the importance of union membership,
engagement and advocacy. Despite challenging political and
economic circumstances, education has seen successes, which
Eskelsen García credits to the power of collective action. She
cited the achievements of NJEA and the Education Law Center
in advocating for funding, resources and opportunities for New
Jersey’s children.
“Because of warriors—whether they are lobbyists or lawyers
or third-grade teachers or lunch ladies—we have had successes
advocating for other people’s children.”
JUNE 2016 13

EDUCATION NEWS
State Board considers changes to teacher evaluation regulations
At the May 4 State Board of Education meeting, the N.J. Department
of Education heard, at the first discussion level, revisions to
N.J.A.C. 6A:10, Educator Effectiveness, state regulations around
teacher evaluation, and N.J.A.C. 6A:9C, Professional Development.
These revisions, if approved, would go into effect sometime in the
fall of 2016.
The major difference for NJEA members in the proposed language
is in the number and duration of classroom observations.
Tenured teachers would see the required number of observations
changed from three to two. Nontenured teachers would still have
three required observations, but the current combination of long
and short observations would change. All observations would be
required to be at least 20 minutes, meaning the mandated time
of nontenured teachers’ observations would be half of what it was
prior to TEACHNJ.
Other staff members who are not teachers, such as school counselors,
media specialists, and child study team members, would
have observations with a minimum time of 20 minutes. In the prior
regulations, there was no mention of time for this group.
The proposed regulations allow for some flexibility for evaluation
of those teachers with a highly effective rating in their most recent
evaluation, although the proposal is vague as to what that flexibility
would permit. The proposal refers to a list of acceptable activities
that will be posted on the department website. Although the department
reported to the State Board that teachers would have to
agree to any deviations from classroom observations, that is not
explicitly stated in the proposed regulations.
Another set of changes deals with the deadlines for certain activities.
The department proposes that Professional Development
Plans (currently done with the annual review in the spring), Corrective
Action Plans (currently required to be completed by Sept.
15) and Student Growth Objectives should all have a final due date
of Oct. 31.
There are a number of other changes in the regulations, including
changes in the principal evaluation system, but those listed here are
the ones with the most impact on NJEA members.
This is the first step for the proposed changes. At its June 1 meeting—after
press time for this edition of the NJEA Review—the
board will consider the changes at the second discussion level. At
that meeting, the board will take public testimony on the proposed
changes.
At its July 8 meeting, the board will vote to publish the proposed
regulatory changes in the New Jersey Register at proposal level.
There will then be a 60-day comment period and a public testimony
session, followed by a board vote to publish the regulations in the
New Jersey Register for adoption. Once they are published, the
changes become law. Depending on the publication schedule of the
New Jersey Register, the time from proposal to law can take up to
four months.
It is not unusual for changes to be made in regulations from first
discussion to the final adoption of those regulations. NJEA staff are
analyzing the changes in the regulations to determine any negative
effects they could have on members, and will be testifying and lobbying
through the summer to make any changes that are needed.
THE NUMBERS
18.7 16.1
The percentage of
New Jersey teachers
who supplement their
income with jobs
outside the school
system.
The percentage of
teachers nationwide
who supplement their
income with jobs
outside the school
system.
WNYEA protests deplorable BOE proposal
Yellow police tape lined the east side of 6028 Broadway in West
New York where about 400 members of the West New York Education
Association (WNYEA) lined the sidewalks. Led by WNYEA
President Anita Kober, they marched to protest the $1,700,000 in
budget cuts proposed by their board of education.
Dressed in red and carrying signs that read, “School Employees
Matter!” the group expressed its frustration over the school board’s
failure to make a respectable proposal during negotiations. Rallygoers
chanted under the watchful eye of police who were present
to keep the peace and protect the crowd from the busy street a few
steps away.
Contract negotiations have stalled. Bargaining is headed into
mediation after the association received a series of unreasonable
proposals from the board of education. The board offered no salary
increases, the elimination of longevity, no increase in extra curricular
positions, and no movement on the salary guide.
“Our contract expired June 30 of last year,” said Kober. “The board
has told us that they have no money for a raise this year, next year,
or the year after. Zero percent over three years is unacceptable! We
have members who are potentially losing their homes. They are taking
home less pay now then they did five years ago.”
The association leadership and members plan to attend board
meetings and community functions to inform the public about the
crisis. WNYEA will continue to pressure the board of education to
do the right thing for students and staff while advocating for a fair
settlement.
West New York EA members protest stalled
negotiations and cuts in the board of
14 NJEA REVIEW
education budget.

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WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ
JUNE 2016 15

EDUCATION NEWS
MCCEA honors Lisa Galley, editor of the NJEA Review
The Morris County Council of Education Associations is very
proud that for the last 15 years one of their own, Lisa Galley, was the
editor of the NJEA Review. On April 5, MCCEA honored her with
the Friend of Education Award for her service to the profession and
to NJEA members. Prior to her career at NJEA, Lisa was a history
teacher at Mount Olive High School in Morris County and an awardwinning
tennis coach.
Lisa was unable to accept the award in person. She was in the final
weeks of her battle with ovarian cancer—a diagnosis with which she
struggled mightily for five years. Her NJEA colleagues in the Communications
Division accepted the award on her behalf and delivered
the remarks she had prepared for the event.
“Morris County will always hold a special place in my heart,” Lisa
wrote. “Like so many of you, my association involvement started because
I was drawn to those who really cared about their colleagues
and their students.”
Lisa often remarked that when she first began teaching, she noticed
that those in her school building whom she perceived to be the
best teachers were, more often than not, the same individuals who
were active in the Education Association of Morris (EAMO). The
professional example set by those educators was what brought her
into association involvement.
A harbinger of the kind of work Lisa would do at NJEA, she became
the editor of EAMO’s newsletter, but writing was not the only
skill she brought to association work.
EAMO created a political action committee, naming Lisa its chair.
The Political Action Committee for Education (PACE) made voting
recommendations for the local school board elections.
“We were so successful that we had a board member challenge us
with the state ethics commission,” Lisa recalled. “That challenge led
to a new rule in the state that an endorsed candidate could not vote
on the collective bargaining agreement.”
The “Mount Olive Decision” required board of education members
who had been publicly endorsed by a local association to recuse
themselves from contract negotiations with that local and from voting
on contract ratification for a period of one year following their
election.
Once she was hired as the editor of the NJEA Review in January
2001, Lisa knew that her job was about more than article selection,
grammar and punctuation. As the editor of the Association’s professional
journal, Lisa understood that she would need to work closely
with the NJEA Professional Development and Instructional Issues
Division. She wanted to be sure that the publication would serve
members well as they navigated teaching or provided support staff
services in New Jersey's public schools.
Lisa carefully studied education policy at the state and federal
levels—and kept a close eye on emerging trends—to ensure that she
could explain complex matters to members in clear, direct prose.
NJEA quickly recognized that Lisa’s dedication to members extended
beyond her editorial responsibilities to the NJEA Review
and invited her to serve on a staff committee to develop a plan to
improve mentoring for new teachers. NJEA and then-Gov. Christine
Todd Whitman negotiated a plan to improve the state’s mentoring
requirements. Whitman appropriated $5 million for the effort. Lisa,
16 NJEA REVIEW

EDUCATION NEWS
along with her Communications Division colleague, Dawn Hiltner,
developed a handbook for new teachers at all grade levels to help
them with their teaching and planning skills.
Lisa also helped shape the revisions to the mentoring regulations
and program, including language mandating that the state, not the
new teacher, pay the $550 fee for mentoring during the provisional
year.
To ensure the success of the new program, NJEA enlisted other
statewide groups, including school superintendents and local association
presidents to develop training materials for regional meetings
to be held throughout the state. Lisa was a key writer of those
materials and partnered with her colleagues at NJEA and senior staff
from the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) to plan and
deliver the training for superintendents and NJEA’s local association
leaders.
That cooperative effort with the NJDOE did not mean that Lisa
would shy away from biting criticism of the department. In more
recent times, Lisa took aim at the NJDOE’s overly complex formulas
used to attach a number to every teacher’s evaluation. When even
a high-ranking department appointee struggled to explain how
teacher evaluation scores based on two very different standardized
tests would be calculated, saying “I’m not a psychometrician, but I’m
going to do my best to answer,” Lisa penned an editorial titled, “Is
there a psychometrician in the house?”
“What employee would happily submit to an evaluation system
that, in part, can’t be easily understood or readily explained by a supervisor?”
she wrote.
Lisa served not only NJEA members, she stepped up and served her
communications colleagues nationwide as an officer and ultimately
president of the State Education Editors (SEE). SEE is a professional
organization for editors, webmasters and graphic designers who
work for affiliates of the National Education Association. In 2014 at
its conference in Denver, SEE awarded Lisa the George Badner Award
for Excellence in Editing.
Despite the challenges ovarian cancer brought into her life, Lisa
took the lead in overseeing the merger of the NJEA Reporter into the
NJEA Review. That move significantly reduced publication costs for
NJEA, leading to a more efficient use of members’ dues dollars. A
portion of those savings produced the new Review, which has received
high marks from members for both the quality of its content
and its physical appearance.
Lisa succumbed to ovarian cancer on April 16, but her influence
will live on at NJEA and in the classroom.
Among the attendees at the MCCEA Education Celebration was
social studies teacher Nicole Barbato. Now the secretary and PRIDE
chair for the Roxbury Education Association, Nicole attended Mount
Olive High School. She graduated in 1999, just one year before Lisa
left teaching. Nicole wrote to Lisa after the MCCEA event. In addition
to noting that she had become active in local and county association
leadership, Nicole wrote of Lisa’s impact on her life.
“I wanted to take this time to remind you of how amazing you were
as a history teacher and how truly deserving you are of this honor,”
Nicole wrote. “Because of you and your inspiring attitude, I went on
to become a social studies teacher myself. It has been a great experience,
and I enjoy the magazine immensely.”
PREVIOUS PAGE:
For Ovarian Cancer
Awareness Day on
July 21, 2012, Lisa
Galley fulfilled a
lifelong dream to sing
“The Star-Spangled
Banner” at a New
York Mets game. Her
family, friends and
colleagues joined her.
Her performance can
be viewed at
bit.ly/lisasings.
RIGHT: Lisa Galley
took the lead in
merging the NJEA
Review with the
NJEA Reporter.
The new Review
began publication
in September 2014.
She is pictured here
with editor Patrick
Rumaker.
Lisa often remarked that
when she first began
teaching, she noticed
that those in her school
building whom she
perceived to be the best
teachers were, more
often than not, the same
individuals who were
active in the Education
Association of Morris.
JUNE 2016 17

EDUCATION NEWS
Emerge New Jersey holds “Building the Bench” breakfast
NJEA played host for Emerge New Jersey’s first-ever Building the
Bench Breakfast on May 3.
Emerge New Jersey identifies, trains and encourages women to
run for office, get elected and seek higher office.
Deb Howlett, the communications director for the American
Civil Liberties Union and an award-winning reporter, moderated
a panel discussion of prominent female New Jersey legislators.
The panel included Sen. Linda Greenstein, D-Mercer, Sen. Nellie
Pou, D-Passaic, Assemblywoman Pamela Lampitt, D-Camden, and
Assemblywoman Sheila Oliver, D-Essex.
Each panelist shared her journey to elected office and the
challenges they overcame.
“The road to becoming the first woman to represent the 14th
Legislative District in the Senate has not been without challenges,
but it has been very rewarding for me,” said Greenstein. “I believed
I could be a senator and a wife and a mother, and I am.”
Following the panel, Emerge New Jersey honored four women
for their efforts of “building the bench” around the state:
• Princeton Public Affairs Group Partner Sonia Delgado
• McManimon, Scotland & Baumann, LLC General Partner
Lillian A. Plata
• NJEA Government Relations Director Ginger Gold Schnitzer
• Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer
“Each honoree is a supporter of Emerge New Jersey and its
efforts to change the face of New Jersey politics by identifying,
training and encouraging Democratic women to run for office. We
owe them a great debt of gratitude and thank them for building
the bench in the state,” said Emerge New Jersey Executive Director
Truscha Quatrone.
The breakfast drew a crowd of more than 70 Emerge New Jersey
supporters from around the state, including Senate President Steve
Sweeney.
“I want to congratulate Emerge New Jersey for the role it has
played in helping New Jersey’s Democratic Party expand the role
of women in politics,” Sweeney said. “The truth is that we live in
an incredibly fractured time in politics. If my experience has
proven anything, it’s that increasing the involvement of women in
our state political circles will have a constructive and thoughtful
impact on the way we govern in New Jersey.”
Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto also spoke to attendees about
the importance of building the bench in their communities and
empowering more female leaders. Speaker Prieto emphasized the
value female leaders bring to organizations and thanked Emerge
New Jersey for the work it is doing to develop more qualified
Democratic female leaders in the state.
Emerge New Jersey provided this article. Learn more about the
organization and the opportunities it affords at emergenj.org.
Emerge New Jersey’s Building the Bench event drew experienced leaders and rising stars
together to encourage and prepare women to run for elective office. From left: NJSEA
member Colleen Curren, NJEA Vice President Marie Blistan, NJEA Secretary-Treasurer Sean
M. Spiller and Emerge NJ Vice Chair Lori Price Abrams. For more photos from the Building the
Bench Breakfast, visit the Emerge New Jersey Facebook page.
PENSION UPDATE TOTAL PENSION FUND: $68.61 BILLION
The totals below reflect market values as of Feb. 29, 2016, and for comparison,
Dec. 31, 2015. The figures, which are rounded, may not reflect the
current market values of some alternative investments through the period
noted, due to lags in reporting under industry standards.
Feb. 29, 2016 Dec. 31, 2015
Market Value Asset Market Value Asset
($ billions) Allocation ($ billions) Allocation
Global Growth $39.05 56.91% $42.19 58.84%
Income $14.53 21.17% $14.89 20.76%
Real Return $5.42 7.9% $5.51 7.69%
Liquidity $5.26 7.66% $4.60 6.42%
Risk Mitigation/Capital Preservation $3.54 5.16% $3.63 5.06%
Other $0.81 1.19% $0.88 1.23%
Total $68.61 100% $71.69 100%
Real Return
7.9%
All reports and financial statements are posted on the Division of Investments’ website at www.nj.gov/treasury/doinvest/index.shtml.
Income
21.2%
Liquidity
7.7%
Risk Mitigation
5.2%
Other
1.2%
ASSET ALLOCATION | FEB. 29, 2016
Global Growth
56.9%

EDUCATION NEWS
Rally for Equity demands fair funding for urban schools
Over 500 NJEA members, parents, and community
activists from urban locals around the state, including
Atlantic City, Paterson, Camden and Newark, attended
the Rally for Equity on the steps of the Statehouse on
Sunday, May 15. The Trenton Education Association
(TEA), with the support of NJEA, organized the rally
which called upon the state, Gov. Chris Christie, and
all of New Jersey’s elected officials to follow the law and
adequately fund urban public schools.
TEA President Naomi Johnson-LaFleur explained
that Trenton schools received flat funding from the
state for the last four years and as a result fired over 300
school employees. Meanwhile, the district was forced to
shell out millions of dollars to cover the costs of charter
schools in the city.
“The motto of the Trenton Public Schools is ‘Children
Come First,’ but how can we put children first when
the state keep shortchanging urban schools?” asked
Trenton Paraprofessional Association President Betty
Glenn. The Trenton Board of Education is threatening
to fire 92 paraprofessionals who work with children
with special needs.
Several speakers pointed out that the Trenton School
District is the city’s biggest employer of city residents,
so layoffs directly impact the city’s financial health.
Community activist Darren “Freedom” Green also
addressed the crowd. He said that denying schools resources
continues the cycle of poverty for students.
NJEA President Wendell Steinhauer, NJEA Vice President
Marie Blistan, and NJEA Secretary-Treasurer Sean
Spiller were also on hand to share words of encouragement
and support.
The People’s Organization for
Progress (POP) was among the
many organizations that was
represented at the Rally for Equity.
POP Chair Larry Hamm, at left, was
one of the rally’s featured speakers.
The Artist/Teacher Institute
ICYMI
CHECK OUT THESE
STORIES ON NJEA.ORG
NJEA ON PARCC CASE SETTLEMENT:
GOOD FIRST STEP, MORE WORK TO DO
Published on Monday, May 9, 2016
NJEA CONDEMNS EQUAL PAY VETO
Published on Thursday, May 5, 2016
NJEA, SOSNJ OPPOSE PARCC AS
GRADUATION REQUIREMENT
Published on May 4, 2016
NJEA LETTER OF SUPPORT TO VERIZON WORKERS
(Includes footage of N.J. Statehouse rally supporting Verizon workers)
Published April 19, 2016
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JUNE 2016 19

Trailblazing
the transformation of high
school journalism
BY ALANA ROME, PASCACK HILLS HIGH SCHOOL
Students pitch
stories at an
editorial meeting.
Journalism teacher Shawn
McDonald (l) and Alana
Rome discuss Pascack Hills
High School’s online student
newspaper, the Trailblazer.
The innovative initiative
Pascack Valley Regional High School District can be best defined in
one word: innovation. Eleven years ago, our school was one of the first
nationwide to adopt a 1:1 laptop initiative. This year, we have an English
teacher experimenting with an open curriculum classroom. Select Pascack
classrooms are adorned with bistro tables and couches in lieu of
uncomfortable desks.
In that fashion, my supervisor approached me last spring with another
spark of innovation. The superintendent and my principal at Pascack
Hills High School decided that the district would implement annual initiatives:
special year-long projects that one teacher in each high school in
the district would work on. These teachers would teach only three classes
and use the other two nonprep periods to work on this initiative. No real
parameters would be given, other than the initiative goal. This year, the
goal was to expand and renovate our district’s journalism program and
newspaper clubs.
Initial initiative hesitations
At first, I had several reservations about being chosen for this district
initiative. As a nontenured teacher, I feared this was my supervisor’s way
of demoting me to part-time and phasing me out. I’m also a very Type A
person. The idea of having no parameters or expected end-product terrified
me. How were my superiors going to determine whether the faith
and time they invested in me was a success or failure?
There wasn’t much time to ruminate on my fear. Pascack Valley, the
other high school in the district, had already made the transition to
online journalism the previous year and cultivated a steady social media
following. They had a leg up on us at Pascack Hills. If the district wanted
me to renovate the newspaper program, I needed to get to work, and fast.
Not the only one
Although it is a huge undertaking, the need to renovate newspaper and
journalism programs is paramount for districts across New Jersey and
the country. Journalism itself has been forever transformed by blogging
and social media. Print is going by the wayside, usurped by 140 character
Tweets and Instagram posts. As a result, journalism teachers and
newspaper advisers cannot simply teach fossilized textbooks about print
journalism and completely ignore interactive news and social media platforms.
Exceptional education mimics real life.
The generosity of my superiors afforded me ample time to build up
and modernize our journalism and newspaper programs. To that end, I
realize everyone doesn’t have that kind of time. In fact, next year, I will be
back to a full course load, making it essential to transform the newspaper
into a largely self-sufficient entity. Regardless, here are 10 easy, quick
ways to help bring any high school newspaper and journalism program to
the next level.
20 NJEA REVIEW

More about The Trailblazer, Pascack Hills
High School’s online newspaper
1Delegate—and trust whom you delegate
If your job and livelihood depend on how well the student
newspaper performs, you’re not going to want to leave it in the
hands of teenagers. You have to realize, though, that your job
is not to create the paper; it’s to do what your job title suggests:
4
teach, moderate or advise. You’re guiding your students and giving
advice when they ask for it or when you see fit.
Furthermore, you need to trust the people to whom you delegate
the work. Choose students who have the maturity to handle
tasks responsibly and independently. You may want to choose
students whom you have previously taught. You will already have
an established rapport with them and know how they work. Have
a way that you can get in touch with your journalism students
quickly, but do so only within the express guidelines of boardapproved
district policy.
With a staff of almost 100 students, I let section editors handle
their sections. Editors will schedule and conduct meetings, assign
articles, approve pitches from writers, and edit and send articles
to a Google doc folder for me to approve for appropriate content.
2
Have clearly defined sections
Although it’s normal and expected to have a few writers who
float from section to section, having clearly defined sections helps
to organize a large staff. We have Arts and Entertainment, Video
News, Opinion, Local/World News, Sports and School News. As
previously stated, each section works independently with the
editor(s) at the helm.
Motivate, but don’t overwhelm
Finding a middle ground between being an adviser and turning
your staff into workhorses can be very difficult. In the beginning,
I felt like we had to do everything possible to transform the newspaper,
all at once. Before the school year even started, I contacted
my editor-in-chief and managing editors, relayed conference
dates, and discussed implementing podcasting and mentoring
programs.
All my enthusiasm was well-intentioned, but to my staff it was
overwhelming. They were prepping for college and trying to enjoy
the rest of summer, and I was running the risk of turning my
students off to the joy of journalism. After a heart-to-heart with
them soon after, I apologized for my overzealousness and started
fresh. From then on, I vowed only to introduce one new idea or
goal a month. 3Eventually, the students were the ones having the
ideas. Their latest one was to create a point system. Club members
earn points by doing various things such as fundraising or
writing. Points translate to opportunities for higher positions the
following school year. This idea was totally theirs. They were taking
ownership of the club.
The Trailblazer website: phhstrailblazer.org
The Trailblazer on Twitter: twitter.com/phhstrailblazer
Alana Rome’s educational blog: trialsoftrailblazing.edublogs.org
Alana Rome’s National Council of Teachers of English blog
series on scholastic journalism: bit.ly/ncterome
The Trailblazer was also featured on NJEA’s television show,
“Classroom Close-up NJ”: classroomcloseup.org/segments/
trailblazer
Join organizations, attend conferences, and enter contests
I love authentic assessments. I always tell students that I would
hate for their hard work to “die” in the classroom, unseen by others.
In the same way, I would hate for our school newspaper to
“die” in Hills High School. This year, we have been expanding our
readership through conferences and contests. We attended the
Garden State Scholastic Press Association (GSSPA) and the Columbia
Scholastic Press Association's (CSPA) fall conferences. We
joined the Journalism Education Association, the National Scholastic
Press Association, GSSPA and CSPA. We entered the Best
of Student Newspapers Online (SNO), American Scholastic Press
Association, and CSPA contests. The exposure has created more
opportunities, as well. I have been asked to be a CSPA judge for
GSSPA's annual newspaper critiques, and one of our managing
editors has been published in outside, professional publications.
The more contests we enter, the more potential exposure and
awards we receive, not to mention that many of these contests
have critiques where we can get professional feedback. We have
received second place standing for ASPA and NSPA and a Gold
Medalist Award from CSPA. Moreover, for many of these conferences,
schools bring copies of their newspapers to distribute.
Since we are completely online this year, we handed out pens with
our website address on them instead: PHHSTrailblazer.org.
Engage through #SocialMedia
Twitter is the new wave of news, in 140 characters or less. We
set up @PHHSTrailblazer and follow hundreds of students, news
affiliates and journalism organizations. We use news affiliate
Twitter accounts for inspiration during pitch meetings. We tag local
news affiliates when we publish an article about local happenings,
or teachers and students when it’s a school-related matter.
Know your audience: student newspaper doesn’t
mean student audience
Although students are the primary audience, advisers often
forget about another very vital source of readers: parents. I invited
parents to subscribe to our Trailblazer Weekly Roundup email,
created with MailChimp, where we feature the top three articles
of the week. This way, parents are informed and we increase our
readership. We’ve also received emails from parents with feedback
on what we should cover. Expanding our audience also gives
students a sense of responsibility; their peers aren’t the only ones
reading their work!
5
JUNE 2016 21

Furthermore, once you have your audience, know it! Create
polls and Google forms asking for readers’ opinion or feedback.
Use Google analytics to figure out what articles are getting the
most hits, and by extension, what readers are most interested in.
Ask your editors’ opinions on what types of merchandise would
be best for fundraisers. They know better than you what is appealing
to today’s teen.
7
Create a handbook
If you’re expanding your staff numbers, it’s hard to make sure
everyone knows all of the rules. Use Google Sites to create a staff
handbook. This can include general formatting tips, as well as
specific pages for different sections. Our Arts and Entertainment
page, for example, gives tips for writing reviews. You may also
include a page with “experts” to contact for article quotes or a list
of contacts for useful resources such as bus companies for field
trips. This handbook helps your staff become more self-sufficient,
which is essential when many advisers have limited free time.
Apply for grants
Almost every school has some sort of parent teacher association,
and many of them give out grants to various school projects
every year. After I wrote a grant proposal over the summer, our
Parent-Faculty Association gave us $900. This money helps us pay
for promotional materials, such as banners, pens and T-shirts, as
well as conference registrations. Just know the deadlines for proposals.
Talk to Everyone
No one is expecting you to reinvent the wheel. There are many
exemplary high school journalism and newspaper programs
around the country. Google some award-winning high school
newspapers and contact their advisers. Ask them what new and
exciting things they’re up to. Most are more than willing to share
because they’re excited about what they’re doing. Talk to members
of GSSPA, CSPA and the attendees of these organizations’
conferences. If you belong to JEA, they have a listserv, or online
forum, where you can ask other members questions or offer advice.
The more people you speak to, the more information you’ll
get on how to bolster your own school’s program.
9
Don’t Forget to Have Fun!
Again, I know sometimes it feels like your job may depend on
the success of the newspaper, keeping the students in line, and
getting all your articles printed or uploaded in a timely, professional
manner, but keep in mind that your students are not professional
journalists. They’re just kids. They have chores, dates,
family obligations, sports, clubs and other schoolwork. They are
0
doing this for the love of journalism, so don’t squeeze that passion
out of them. Cultivate it!
Praise students for their successes in between the feedback
and critique. Throw them the occasional pizza party. If you have
a small budget, most local pizza places are more than willing to
donate some pies for school events. I’m using some of our grant
money this year to buy my editorial staff Trailblazer T-shirts
for the holidays. Make them feel like they’re making important
contributions and fueling a passion that will hopefully endure
beyond graduation day.
Twitter accounts to follow
@TheRecordNJ (The Record newspaper)
@News12NJDesk (News 12)
@PolitickerNJ
@NJNewsCommons (Montclair University)
@AP (Associated Press)
@nytimes (The New York Times)
Organizations to join
Garden State Scholastic Press Association
(New Jersey)
American Scholastic Press Association
Journalism Education Association
Quill and Scroll
Columbia Scholastic Press Association
Useful websites
SNO (www.snosites.com) - Educational
website service from WordPress
Piktochart (www.piktochart.com) - Creates
infographics
Google Analytics (www.google.com/
analytics) - Keep track of hits and audience
Slack (www.slack.com) - Online group
messaging service
Tribune News Service (www.mctcampus.
com) - Associated Press-style website for
high school journalism
Alana Rome is an English teacher at Pascack Hills High School in Montvale.
She can be reached at arome@pascack.k12.nj.us.
22 NJEA REVIEW

Taking PRIDE
in combatting
addiction
Using NJEA’s PRIDE in Public Education program, Region 17 in Morris County takes the lead in connecting
local associations with community organizations to educate students and parents about substance abuse.
by David Yastremski, NJEA communications consultant
Heather Marsh, an administrative assistant in the NJEA UniServ
Region 17 office, sits on the Municipal Alliance in Jefferson Township,
Morris County, her hometown. Municipal Alliances are
established by municipal ordinance and engage residents, local
government and law enforcement officials, schools, nonprofit
organizations, faith communities, parents, youth and other allies
in efforts to prevent alcoholism and drug abuse in communities
throughout New Jersey. They receive funding from the Governor’s
Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, which was established in
1989.
In 2012, Marsh realized that NJEA members and the NJEA
PRIDE in Public Education program could assist local alliances
and organizations to develop programs that help students resist
the lure of drugs, alcohol and tobacco. She approached John Williams,
a Region 17 UniServ field representative, about ways that
NJEA could help Jefferson Township develop and promote these
important initiatives.
The result was the formation of JTEAM, the Jefferson Township
Education Association and Municipal Organizations. Since 2012,
JTEAM has built bridges between JTEA, the Jefferson Township
Municipal Alliance Committee, the school district’s parent-teacher
associations and other community organizations to combat
drug addiction. Through school and community events, a website
(www.jeffersonteam.org) and social media outreach, JTEA members
are educating their communities about how to recognize and
manage substance abuse.
Program expands
The success of JTEAM encouraged Marsh and Williams to
expand the initiative to other alliances in Morris County. Marsh
explains that while the Governor’s Council on Alcoholism and
Drug Abuse funds 28 separate alliances in Morris County, there are
restrictions on how the funds can be spent.
“This creates a perfect opportunity for local associations to
leverage PRIDE grants to enhance these alliances by offering educational
giveaways, refreshments and other support,” Marsh said.
Local association members also volunteer at the events, establishing
a unified approach to address substance abuse among
children.
“Many times we hear people blaming the schools for not doing
enough to prevent substance abuse,” Marsh continued. “By taking
this approach, our members are rightfully seen part of the solution.”
Since 2013, PRIDE grants totaling nearly $49,000 have been allocated
to 13 local associations to foster partnerships with local
municipal alliances.
Associations, community organizations co-sponsor events
The Hanover Township Education Association and the Hanover
Park Regional Education Association hosted former Boston Celtic
Chris Herren in February. Over the course of two days, Herren
talked to parents, high school students and middle school students
about his descent into drug abuse and his life as a recovering
addict.
“Each audience received a presentation targeted specifically to
them,” said Karen Perry, secretary of the Hanover Township Substance
Abuse Council. “This is important since our events involve
a wide spectrum of the community. John and Heather have been
wonderful in connecting the schools to our programs. It’s great to
see the teachers and school staff members there working with the
committee and volunteers.”
The Region 17 UniServ office has helped other locals bring similar
programs to their communities during this school year.
• The Jefferson Township Education Association, the Education
Association of Mount Olive and the Morris County Council of
Education Associations worked with the Jefferson Township
Municipal Alliance Committee and the Lake Hopatcong Elks
on “Dinner with Doug.” Doug Collier, a former federal Drug
Enforcement Administration special agent, discussed how prescription
drugs and heroin abuse are affecting suburban youth.
24 NJEA REVIEW

• Working with the Mountain Lakes and Boonton Township Municipal
Alliances, the Mountain Lakes Education Association
brought author Randy Nathan to speak with parents, coaches,
and students on bullying concerns in sports and schools. MLEA
provided copies of Nathan’s book, Bullying in Sports: The Injuries
We Don’t See.
• Four-time World Series champion Darryl Strawberry spoke
about his addiction struggles at Morris Knolls High School
where the Rockaway Township, Morris Knolls, and Rockaway
Borough education associations co-sponsored the event with
the Rockaway Township Substance Abuse Alliance.
• With the Wharton Municipal Alliance, Wharton Education Association
helped sponsor “Hidden in Plain Sight.” At that event,
a member of the Wharton Police Department shared tools and
techniques for parents to help their children avoid drugs.
• Jefferson Township Education Association and the Jefferson
Township Municipal Alliance presented “In Their Shoes,” teen
suicide prevention program.
Entry point for association member engagement
“This is something that all members can be involved in: teachers,
bus drivers, paraprofessionals, custodians, secretaries, nurses, food
service staff, and guidance counselors,” Marsh said, noting that
many of the local association volunteers were early-career members
who understand many of the issues that young people experience.
Williams added that the opportunity has helped members find a
place for themselves in association activities.
“A member may not be able or ready to serve on a grievance committee
or negotiations team, but all members have the opportunity
to get involved with these events,” Williams said.
Diane Mascolo, president of Hanover Township Education Association,
discussed how the events can build bridges between local
associations in Morris County.
“Working with the HPREA during the Chris Herren event, provided
a nice opportunity for members to join together and contribute
to the effort,” Mascolo said. “Through the PRIDE grant, both
locals signed up registrants while handing out books, T-shirts and
wristbands. It allowed the attendees to leave with something concrete
to continue the discussion at home with their children.”
Kristine Wilsusen, community health educator for Jefferson
Township, agrees, stressing the importance of resources.
“These programs are about sharing and pooling our resources to
help with our common goal of education and awareness,” Wilsusen
said. “By providing resources, parents and students can share their
information with others. We have caring parents and caring teachers
working together. That’s the beauty of this effort.”
With the success of the various programs across the region,
Marsh hopes to see other locals and regions take advantage of
this civic engagement between members and their communities.
They have presented their program at the NJEA Summer Leadership
Conference where they have received a positive response from
members throughout the state.
“Through PRIDE, these partnerships have the potential really
make a difference for our students,” Marsh said.
“PRIDE is part of what I do,” Williams added. “It’s a vital part of
negotiating, of organizing, of reawakening our communities to how
NJEA serves our students. It’s the right thing to do.”
David Yastremski is an NJEA communications consultant and an English
teacher at Ridge High School in Bernards Township. He can be reached at
dyastremski@njea.org. Heather Marsh can be reached at hmarsh@njea.org.
John Williams can be reached at jwilliams@njea.org.
JUNE 2016 25

Restoring
the gift of
time with
your doctor
NJEA and other
state public
employee unions
to pilot a voluntary,
new kind of
medical practice
Personal experiences with physicians are not rated
highly in New Jersey and around the country. Too often,
patients are spending more time in waiting rooms
than with their doctors. Adding insult to injury,
insurance premiums and other out-of-pocket costs
continue to rise each year.
In focus groups conducted over the past year, NJEA
members were asked what changes they would like
to see in how they receive health care. Three answers
were consistently voiced:
• Easier access to a doctor
• More time with the doctor
• Lower out-of-pocket costs
In response, NJEA and other public sector unions in
New Jersey launched an initiative to tackle all of these
issues, and more, by establishing a pilot program for a
new health care model available for School Employees’
Health Benefit Plan (SEHBP) and State Health Benefits
Program (SHBP) participants. The benefits available
in this voluntary program provide NJEA members
who are still actively employed, and their dependents,
with virtually unlimited access to a personal primary
care doctor, 24/7 access to that doctor, and the elimination
of all copays and deductibles for the primary
care services they receive.
The Direct Primary Care Medical Home (DPCMH)
model restores a cherished feature of American health
care that has all but disappeared over recent decades:
health care delivered by a trusted family doctor who
knows his or her patients and takes personal responsibility
for their care.
Unlimited access to a personal doctor
While the new DPCMH option restores the central
importance of a personal patient-to-physician
relationship in modern health care, it also sets out to
assure that participating family doctors are equipped
with tools of 21st-century medical technology that enable
them to deliver high-quality care to their patients.
The DPCMH option gives each enrollee the choice
of a personal physician who is accessible 24/7 by telephone,
online, by email and secure text.
Urgent care appointments are guaranteed, but the
traditional physician’s office appointment is just one of
many ways patients can access their personal doctors
in the DPCMH model. For example, patients typically
have their physician’s cell phone number. Doctors in a
DPCMH practice encourage patients to call them directly
if medical questions or urgent care needs arise.
The gift of time
Patient access to personalized care in the DPCMH
option is made possible by limiting the number of
patients under each doctor’s care to fewer than 1,000.
This compares to patient-to-physician ratios of 3,000
to 1 and higher in typical primary-care practices. These
patient-to-physician ratios are growing steadily higher
because of the increased pressure on physicians to
see more patients as insurance companies lower their
reimbursement rates. The DPCMH model allows doc-
26 NJEA REVIEW

Patient access to personalized care in the DPCMH option is made possible by limiting
the number of patients under each doctor’s care to fewer than 1,000. This compares to
patient-to-physician ratios of 3,000 to 1 and higher in typical primary-care practices.
tors to spend more time with each patient.
The picture looks quite different for physicians in DPCMH
practices, however. In DPCMH practice models, reduced patient
loads give family doctors the opportunity to spend more time with
their patients, getting to know their individual health needs and
preferences, attending to patients’ preventive, acute, and urgent
care needs, developing individualized patient care plans, curing
illnesses, and coordinating appropriate specialist and hospital
care.
Dr. Suzanne Gehl, a Wisconsin primary care doctor who practices
with Paladina Health, a DPCMH provider, observes that the
DPCMH care model provides primary care doctors with the “gift
of time.” They can build genuine, personal relationships with
their patients, deepening their understanding of the individual
lifestyles, preferences and social factors that affect their patients’
health.
“I know from experience that when I have time to build partnerships
with my patients, we can produce better health outcomes,”
Dr. Gehl said. “It’s why I entered family medicine.”
In the new DPCMH program, authority to
make the choices in accessing care will remain
squarely with the patient.
Medical and financial sense
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC), about 75 cents out of every health care dollar
Americans spend goes to treating chronic illnesses. Many chronic
illnesses could have been avoided with better care at an earlier
time. More effective primary care earlier will reduce the need for
more extensive, more expensive care later on.
Studies undertaken by the CDC and the World Health Organization
reveal that least 80 percent of all heart disease, stroke,
and Type 2 diabetes, and up to 40 percent of cancer is, in fact,
preventable.
It makes financial and medical sense to encourage NJEA members
and their families to access primary care on a routine basis.
From a financial and a health perspective, we want our members
and their families to have regular, convenient, and cost-free access
to high-quality primary care that will helps them avoid illnesses
later on that are expensive to treat and diminish the quality
of their lives.
Protection of patient choice
The expanded role of the family doctor as a provider and coordinator
of care in the DPCMH model does not involve gatekeeping
or referrals. NJEA members who have SEHBP plans and choose
the DPCMH option will retain the same choice among specialists
and hospital providers that they have in their currently selected
health plan options.
Should a member decide to see a physician who is outside of the
DPCMH option, they will still have access to the same network of
providers that their SEHBP plan provides. These providers will be
subject to the copayments and deductibles that the plan currently
designates—there will be no added out-of-pocket costs for choosing
to see a physician who does not participate in the DPCMH
pilot program.
DPCMH family doctors will have the time and tools to provide
valuable support to patients in managing their overall health care.
They will serve as partners and coordinators of their patients’
care. Rather than creating a physician gatekeeper, the DPCMH
option will provide SEHBP members with access to a physician
who can help guide them through a fragmented and sometimes
confusing health care system. In the new DPCMH program, authority
to make the choices in accessing care will remain squarely
with the patient.
The expanded role of the family doctor as a provider and coordinator
of care in the DPCMH model does not involve gatekeeping or referrals.
NJEA members who have SEHBP plans and choose the DPCMH option
will retain the same choice among specialists and hospital providers
that they have in their currently selected health plan options.
JUNE 2016 27

Using
hip-hop
pedagogy
as a
literacybuilding
tool
28 NJEA REVIEW

By Dr. Courtne Thomas and Dr. Mirvetk Tonuzi
Research and our own classroom observation tell us that a
culturally relevant curriculum is an avenue toward increasing
achievement for African-American children. Research also tells us
that problems of performance are particularly acute when considered
by race. Propelled by a compelling desire and need to address
this problem, we went about designing a unit inspired by the hiphop
music phenomenon.
Working as middle school language arts educators at Sojourner
Truth Middle School in the East Orange School District, we often
discussed the lack of interest and engagement our students have
demonstrated with their learning materials and, as a result, their
poor performance on formative and summative assessments. Student
engagement and achievement were the driving forces behind
designing this high-interest unit of instruction. Given the growing
body of scholarship that examines the intersection of hip-hop
culture and classroom pedagogy, our solution made perfect sense.
A culturally relevant curriculum
This unit we developed, “The Message: Using Hip-Hop Pedagogy
as a Literacy-Building Tool” is a five-week program. The
curriculum, which aligned to the English Language Arts (ELA)
Common Core State Standards, is designed for students with varying
academic abilities in Grades 6-8. We will make adjustments
as needed to ensure the curriculum is aligned to the recently approved
New Jersey Student Learning Standards.
The lessons build students’ understanding of hip-hop and its
relationship to social justice issues and the entrepreneurial spirit.
They are organized as follows:
• The origin and history of hip-hop.
• Merging cultural ideas, talents, and circumstances that influence
the music style.
• Understanding the fundamental source of hip-hop’s existence.
One of the program goals was to advance student achievement
on designated ELA Common Core State Standards by 10 percent
over five weeks. This goal would be achieved by increasing student
engagement through the use of relevant and high-interest materials.
After garnering approval from district administration and the
board of education, the program was piloted by a team of staff at
Sojourner Truth Middle School over the course of five weeks. For
this pilot, the team used the curriculum as an intervention tool
to address matters of student achievement. However, it can also
be used as an enrichment program. After the pilot launch and the
curriculum’s publication by the International Literacy Association
in May 2015, the project team reflected about the curriculum's
shortcomings.
More than 80 percent of the program participants’
demonstrated growth as evidenced on benchmark
assessments. In addition, approximately 40 percent
of the students met the initial program goal of 10
percent improvement on designated ELA Common Core
State Standards as evidenced on the district’s Model
Curriculum Assessment.
While investigating topics such as poverty, food insecurity
and homelessness, as well as more positive topics such as
determination, perseverance and resilience, students are
able to make connections to economics, management,
digital acumen and communications that are fundamental
to entrepreneurship education.
Entrepreneurship Education
The team agreed that the breadth and depth of the unit could
be expanded with a focus on entrepreneurship education. In our
effort to further merge theory in practice, we once again reviewed
the literature. Our findings revealed that the average American
teenager between the seventh and 12th grades will listen to 10,500
hours of rock or hip-hop music.
Central to hip-hop music is a storytelling narrative about the
political, social and economic challenges faced by people living in
poor communities. The messages couched in many hip-hop songs
illuminate the potential for teachable moments. While investigating
topics such as poverty, food insecurity and homelessness, as
well as more positive topics such as determination, perseverance
and resilience, students are able to make connections to economics,
management, digital acumen and communications that are
fundamental to entrepreneurship education.
That research led us to include the National Content Standards
for Entrepreneurship Education and its Performance Indicators
framework, adding 10 more lessons to the curriculum. The program
offers a three-pronged approach to learning: hip-hop pedagogy,
entrepreneurship education and social justice.
The lessons are infused with technology, make use of graphic organizers,
close read exercises, research projects, and small-group
and whole-group discussions and activities. Overall, they are
exciting and robust while satisfying specific Common Core State
Standards and propelling higher order critical thinking skills.
Analyzing results
Using a sampling of our students, 22 male and 20 female students
between the ages of 11 and 14 were drawn from a grouping
of students identified as at-risk for academic failure. More specifically,
these participants scored poorly in at least three Common
Core State Standard areas tested and did not achieve a passing
score within the 70th percentile on the district benchmark exam
for two testing cycles. School data further revealed that all the
participants in the pilot were eligible for free participation in the
school lunch program.
It should be noted that the school is organized in a single-gender
classroom format, which has been the case since 2006. Thus,
the male and female participants in the pilot were kept separate
during instruction.
The students completed pre- and post-surveys to gauge their
understanding of hip-hop. Data collected from both the male and
female participants was illuminating. More than 80 percent of
the program participants’ demonstrated growth as evidenced on
benchmark assessments. In addition, approximately 40 percent of
the students met the initial program goal of 10 percent improvement
on designated ELA Common Core State Standards as evidenced
on the district’s Model Curriculum Assessment. Further,
JUNE JUNE 2016 2016 29 29

89 percent of the participants responded that they learned more
about the challenges faced by inner-city residents from studying
hip-hop.
A female participant wrote, “I’ve learned more about the challenges
faced by inner-city people from studying hip-hop because
the rappers talk about how there is a lot of poverty where they
come from.” One of her classmates shared, “I learned major
events have impacts on people’s lives and affect what they do.”
“I learned that hip-hop started in a poor neighborhood,” a
male participant explained. Another stated, “I learned that hiphop
has meaning.” Similarly, another male participant responded,
“Hip-hop is a global thing—meaning that not just one group
can appreciate it.”
One hundred percent of male participants and 95 percent of
female participants responded that they learned more about the
background of hip-hop. Another question inquired if their view
about hip-hop and its use in learning has changed. Sixty-seven
percent of program participants responded “yes.” One male participant
stated, “Hip-hop has a lot of meaning to it.” A female
participant explains, “Yes, I learned more about where hip-hop
originated but also why.”
Other comments included:
• “The lessons were exciting. They helped me learn more. They
should do this program again.”
• “I learned that hip-hop is a part of history.”
• “I hope that we do similar projects in the future.“
• “I thought that this was a fun end of the year activity. I hope
that we can do it again.
• “I like this program.”
• “Hip-hop can be used in math or any other subject.”
• “Hip-hop is an academic thing. Hip hop is global. Also it is a
fun thing to do.”
• “After this lesson, I sort of love hip-hop. It was exciting. I love
that the teacher showed us movie clips and had us make a
project. I actually think that it’s my favorite lesson.”
The promising results of the program initiative, overall, have
led us to conclude that a hip-hop curriculum as a viable educational
tool should not be ignored. Shy students became engaged
in lessons, but more significantly student achievement grew to a
level that reinforces our contention that culturally relevant curricula
must be taught to ensure student success.
For those interested in receiving a copy of the curriculum unit,
contact Dr. Courtne Thomas at courtnethomas1@gmail.com.
Courtne Thomas, Ed.D., is a language arts inclusion educator at Sojourner
Truth Middle School in East Orange. She earned her doctorate at Rowan
University with the successful completion of her project, titled, Academic
Resilience: Narratives of High-Achieving Black Female Middle School Adolescents.
She can be reached at courtnethomas1@gmail.com.
Mirvetk Tonuzi, Ed.D., is a language arts teacher at Sojourner Truth Middle
School in East Orange. She earned her doctorate at Seton Hall University
with the completion of her project, titled, Leadership Responsibilities
Associated with the Academic Achievement of At-Risk Students: A Study of
the Perspectives of National Distinguished Elementary School Principals
in an Era of Ubiquitous Educational Accountability.
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30 NJEA REVIEW
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JUNE 2016 31

The top
10 reasons to
go to the NJEA
convention
You can bring the kids.
While you attend workshops or other daytime convention events,
10
your children will have tons of fun and experience loads of learning
from KiddieCorp—the child care provider for members at the
2016 NJEA Convention. Activities will include arts and crafts, board
games, dramatic play, group games, music and movement, stories,
You don’t have to bring the kids.
Once the convention floor closes for the day, Convention After
Dark begins. Last year, this included comedy troupes and special
concerts for NJEA members. Around town, special deals for NJEA
members at some of Atlantic City’s nightspots are usually available.
Are you in the first years of career? You’ll want to come to the convention
for the Early-Career Member Networking Event—one of the
most-sought after tickets for Thursday evening entertainment.
9
If you are looking for top-notch entertainment that shows off
the great talent of New Jersey’s students—and is completely freeof-charge—check
out the All-State Jazz Ensemble and Honors Jazz
Choir on Thursday night and the All-State Chorus and Orchestra
concert on Friday.
8
science and nature, and more. See njeaconvention.org for details.
You can get a great deal on overnight accommodations.
NJEA has blocked hotel rooms at a reduced rate during the NJEA
Convention—some as low as $59 a night. Not only will you find great
rates, but free shuttle service to and from the Atlantic City Convention
Center is available only from these hotels. You can reserve your
room online. Just go to njeaconvention.org to make your reservation.
You can hang with all the cool kids on Digital Boulevard.
In the Teacher to Teacher Learning Lounge members will present
one-on-one and small group demonstrations of technology activities
they have tested in their own classrooms.
Some of the biggest names in educational technology have staked
out property on Digital Boulevard. So far Edmodo, TeacherCast,
GoogleEDU, Promedia, Code.org, Black Rocket, EverFi, and PicoTurbine
are moving in. Edmodo is the official sponsor of Digital Boulevard.
Makerspace will carve out some space on Digital Boulevard as well.
Come join your colleagues in a space full of materials and ideas to
design, create and experience. There will be a range of technologies
to demonstrate, things for kids (old and young) to build, electronics
to hack and explore, and even have some time to get goofy.
You can brush up on things “Jersey.”
NJEA member and blogger Mark Weber—aka Jersey Jazzman—is
a featured plenary speaker at the 2016 NJEA Convention. The widely
read blogger and critic of what passes for education “reform” in New
Jersey will become the widely heard blogger when he addresses several
thousand NJEA members on Thursday, Nov. 10.
Coming at New Jersey from a different angle, New Jersey-based
7

4
3
1
children’s book author Lisa Funari-Willever takes the plenary stage
on Friday, Nov. 11. Funari-Willever’s popular Nicky Fifth series
focuses on New Jersey. A former teacher in the Trenton’s public
schools, her latest book is T-Bone Takes a Stand for Public Schools.
You can finally make good on your New Year’s resolution.
Start training now for that 5K you has been meaning to run. The
37th Annual George M. Adams Boardwalk Run and Fun Walk will
step off in front of Boardwalk Hall on Friday morning, Nov. 11. Mark
that date on your calendar and use this summer to be ready to lead
the pack by the time the NJEA Convention comes around.
Discover that the Boardwalk Run isn’t the only feat of
endurance at the NJEA Convention.
You’ll amble much farther than five kilometers as you explore
the Atlantic City Convention Center’s vast exhibit hall, packed
with representatives from field trip venues, educational publishers,
colleges and universities, curriculum developers, social justice organizations,
professional development providers, and others. NJEA
Member Benefits partners will be well represented on the exhibit
hall floor in the sponsored vendors’ area.
At the center of it all is Main Street NJEA, where you can meet
staff from every division of NJEA and members of many of NJEA’s
committees. Here, too, you’ll find the ESP Pavilion, which is a great
spot for educational support professionals to network and discussions
issues and concerns for school support staff.
You can see the stars.
The educational stars, that is. The Hipp Celebration of Excellence
is a feel-good commemoration of all that is right with New Jersey’s
public schools. You’ll hear from new NJEA President Wendell Steinhauer
as well as the 2016-17 New Jersey Teacher of the Year.
NJEA members who have won grants for the 2016-17 school year
from the Hipp Foundation will also be honored.
Finally, NJEA will bestow the Award for Excellence on outstanding
New Jersey public school graduates who have demonstrated
exceptional leadership in their fields of expertise.
You’ll have a chance to say all those things you’ve
said in the faculty room.
Only now you’ll have the chance to say them to people who can
effect change!
New Jersey Commissioner of Education David Hespe and the
state board of education will return to take your questions. Their
sessions have been consistently lively as members raise questions
about teacher evaluation, the Partnership for Assessment of
Readiness for College and Career (PARCC) exams, and academic
standards. This coming year—with the adoption of the New Jersey
Student Learning Standards and more proposed changes to teacher
evaluation (see Page 14)—is likely to be no exception.
Can you say “hundreds of workshops”?
At the heart of the NJEA Convention are the hundreds of workshop
sessions on the third and fourth floors of the Atlantic City
Convention Center for teachers, educational services staff, and
educational support professionals. Twenty-eight education professional
organizations present well over half of these programs ensuring
that the programs are of the highest standards.
Educational support professionals will find workshops designed
for their job descriptions. And certificated school staff such as
nurses, librarians, speech and language pathologists, social workers,
school psychologists and others will find programs to attend.
On the exhibit hall floor the professional development continues
in the Great Ideas Forum where NJEA members showcase their
Hipp grant-winning projects and programs.
The Educational Information and Resource Center is also on the
on the convention floor with regularly scheduled walk-up sessions
to attend.
5
2

HEALTH & SAFETY
DON’T
ALLOW
DISTRICTS
TO
IGNORE
LEAD
PAINT
BY ADRIENNE MARKOWITZ AND EILEEN SENN
While lead in school drinking water dominates the news,
lead in paint must not be neglected. Staff and students can
be exposed to lead from both water and paint, giving them a
double dose of the toxic metal.
Last month, the NJEA Review covered in detail the hazards
posed by lead in school drinking water. The same health
problems occur from exposure to lead-based paint. Poisoning
can be caused by just a microscopic bit of lead paint dust that
is easily inhaled or accidently ingested. Staff and students
can inadvertently expose their families, including the most
vulnerable—pregnant and nursing women and children under
age two—if lead dust travels home from school on shoes,
clothing, backpacks or any exposed item.
Lead-based paint was banned from use in schools in 1978.
However, it is still present on interior and exterior painted
walls, ceilings, floors, doors, windows, woodwork, handrails,
radiators, fences, roofing, gutters, downspouts, and playground
equipment in virtually all schools built before 1978.
Lead-based paint must be properly maintained and
managed. If it is blistering, chipping, peeling, cracking, or
chalking from age, weather, or water damage, it can expose
students and staff, especially custodial and maintenance
workers, to lead's harmful effects. Drilling, sanding, and sawing
can disturb lead-based paint. Abatement of lead-based
paint, which is designed to permanently remove it through
replacement, encapsulation or removal, can create high
exposures if not done with precautions such as physical
isolation and negative air pressure, so that air flows into the
isolated area, not out of it.

HEALTH & SAFETY
Local association action plan
Lead poisoning from paint is preventable if lead-safe policies
and procedures are followed. Local associations should work with
their UniServ field representatives to ensure that school districts
do all of the following:
• Identify all lead-based paint, or assume that all painted surfaces
contain it, in schools built before 1978.
• Use a state-licensed lead consultant that employs New Jerseycertified
lead inspectors for lead inspection and testing.
• Develop a lead-based paint management plan so that staff
members are aware of surfaces that should be handled with
care.
• Provide staff with the support, tools and equipment they need
to work in a lead-safe manner.
• Provide staff with lead-safe work practices training to safely
perform renovation, repainting or maintenance projects that
will disturb lead-based paint. The course must be given by a
state-approved training provider.
• Repair paint that is cracked, chipped, or peeling using leadsafe
work practices.
• Prohibit tasks that create uncontrolled lead dust, chips or
fumes. For example: dry sanding, heat-guns, dry scraping, or
water blasting.
• Ensure proper containment and cleanup throughout the duration
of the project.
• Prohibit access into containment areas by unauthorized persons.
• Protect surrounding soil from contamination if exterior work
is being performed.
• Schedule major renovations and painting projects for summer
months or other times when students and staff will not be
present.
• Ensure proper cleanup takes place by performing lead-in-dust
wipe sampling upon completion of projects.
• Never allow untrained staff or volunteers to perform any task
that might disturb lead painted surfaces.
Districts must comply with multiple lead paint rules
Local associations have the law on their side when it comes to
lead-based paint. Locals can have federal and New Jersey laws enforced
if school districts don’t do the right thing. Note that leadbased
paint abatement activities are regulated differently than
renovation, repair and painting jobs, even though activities are
similar. New Jersey regulations apply to inspection, risk assessment,
project design and abatement activities. EPA regulations
apply to renovation, repair and painting. Federal Occupational
Safety and Health Administration regulations apply to both.
EPA Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting rules require contractors
who are hired to perform renovation, repair and painting
projects in homes, child care facilities, and schools built before
1978 that disturb lead-based paint to be Lead-Safe Certified and
follow specific work practices to prevent lead contamination.
If school employees conduct renovation, repair, or painting activities
in a pre-1978 child-occupied facility, then the school itself
must become certified. (Enforcement: EPA Region 2, 732-321-6671,
http://1.usa.gov/1NjN7Ns)
OSHA and PEOSH Lead in Construction Standard, 1926.62,
requires safe practices in all construction, demolition, renovation
and maintenance work where employees may be exposed to lead.
It sets requirements related to the permissible level of worker
exposure, exposure assessment, work practices, personal protective
equipment including respirators, medical surveillance programs
including blood testing, housekeeping, hygiene facilities
and practices, signs, and recordkeeping. (Enforcement: PEOSH
for public employees, 609-984-1863, http://bit.ly/peoshpubemp;
OSHA for private sector employees, 800-321-6742, www.osha.gov/
SLTC/lead)
Certification, licensing, training: All individuals who conduct
lead abatement activities in NJ must be certified by the NJ Department
of Health (DOH) and be employed by a firm licensed by
the NJ Department of Community Affairs (DCA). (Enforcement:
DCA Lead Hazard Abatement, 609-633-6224, http://bit.ly/leadhazardabatement)
Training agencies that wish to conduct NJ lead abatement
training for workers and supervisors, inspector/risk assessors,
and planner/project designers must be certified by the DOH.
(Enforcement: DOH Occupational and Environmental Health
Assessment Program, 609-826-4923, http://bit.ly/dohenvhealtassess)
Adrienne Markowitz holds a Master of Science degree in Industrial Hygiene
from Hunter College, City University of New York. Eileen Senn holds a Master
of Science degree in Occupational Health from Temple University in
Philadelphia. They are consultants with the New Jersey Work Environment
Council, which is a frequent partner with NJEA on school health and safety
concerns.
For more
information
Small Entity Compliance Guide to Renovate Right:
EPA’s Lead-Based Paint Renovation, Repairs, and
Painting Program, EPA, 2011, 30 pages. http://1.usa.
gov/1W7lf1y.
What Workers Need to Know about Occupational
Lead Exposure, N.J. Department of Health, two pages.
http://bit.ly/occleadexposure
JUNE 2016 35

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36 NJEA REVIEW

It’s 2016:
EVALUATION
Does your district know who your students were?
by Richard Wilson, NJEA staff
It’s June: A time for coming to closure in the classroom.
A time for final exams and end-of-the-year assessments. A
time for beginning to pack up your classroom while reflecting
back on the ups and downs of the school year. And, if you
are teaching fourth- through eighth-grade language arts, or
fourth- through seventh-grade math, it’s also time to think
about your median student growth percentile (mSGP).
Why is it time to think about your mSGP?
You have received your score for the 2014-15 school year
and your students have taken the PARCC (Partnership for
Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers) tests for
2015-16, so why think about mSGP now? Because now is the
one opportunity to make sure that your district gets their
part of this metric right.
The mSGP has been promoted by the New Jersey Department
of Education (NJDOE) as a measure of teacher effectiveness
using students’ performance on standardized tests.
Students are placed into “academic peer groups” based on
their performance on standardized tests in the prior year.
Each student is ranked for this year’s test performance and
compared to the other students in the academic peer group
from last year. The student is assigned a percentile rank
based on test performance in the current year. The teacher’s
students are then listed in rank order, and the teacher’s
mSGP is the median score on that list.
For the 2013-14 school year, mSGP was based on the New
Jersey Assessment of Skills and Knowledge (NJASK) and
counted for 30 percent of the annual summative evaluation
score for teachers in tested subjects. In 2014-15, the score was
based on the new PARCC test. Under pressure from NJEA
members, the impact of the mSGP score was reduced to 10
percent.
Because of late feedback from PARCC, the scores from the
2013-14 school year were not reported to school districts and
teachers until March and April. The mSGP for the 2015-16
school year, which will be reported sometime in 2017, will
also count for 10 percent of the summative evaluation rating.
Make sure your student roster is accurate for mSGP calculation
Your school district is required to report rosters of students
to the NJDOE the summer. Teachers should make sure
that the student roster the school district reports to the state
is accurate so that when the mSGP score is reported next
year, it actually reflects the students who were taught by the
teacher.
There are rules concerning how to assign students to your
roster for mSPG purposes.
For what percentage of the year did you teach the course?
1In order to be assigned an mSGP score, the teacher had to
have been teaching the course for 60 percent of the school
year from the first day of school to the first day of testing.
Teachers who have been on leave may need to count the days
to be sure that they fall into this category.
For what percentage of the year, was a student enrolled in
2your class? For a student to be assigned to a teacher’s roster,
the student needs to have been enrolled in that teacher’s
class for 70 percent of the year from the first day of school
to the first day of testing. If a student has moved into the
district later in the year, or if he/she transferred in from another
class, the district must take this timeline into account.
Also, if a student is found to be eligible for special education
services during the year and has a change in placement, it
is possible that the student might not be on any teacher’s
roster when it is submitted to the state. The key word here is
“enrolled.” If a student is absent for more than 30 percent of
the year, he/she is still on your roster for mSGP purposes if
that student was enrolled in your class.
Team teaching may also affect which students are on your
3roster. In a co-teaching/in-class support situation, there are
several possibilities. If both teachers are responsible for the
learning of all students in the class, both teachers can be
assigned all students on their rosters. If the class makeup is
such that the special education teacher spends most of his/
her time with classified students and has little contact with
general education students, the special education teacher
may be assigned the special education students only. The
general education teacher in the same classroom could be
assigned all of the students or just the general education
students. Because there are many possible team-teaching
configurations, it is up to the school district to decide which
students will be assigned to which teachers in these coteaching
situations.
For the last two years, in June, the NJDOE has sent a
broadcast memo to superintendents strongly encouraging
them to verify SGP rosters with educators before their submission
to the state. This year will be no different. Now is the
time for each teacher in a tested subject to check with his/
her principal on the process for determining accurate 2015-16
class rosters.
Richard Wilson is an associate director in NJEA’s Professional Development
division. He can be reached at rwilson@njea.org.
Teachers should
make sure that
the student
roster the school
district reports
to the state is
accurate so that
when the mSGP
score is reported
next year, it
actually reflects
the students who
were taught by
the teacher.
JUNE 2016 37

RebelMouse:
Let your content roar!
BY CARINA GONZALEZ
The work that education professionals do inside of
a school extends well beyond classroom instruction.
Every adult in the school building teaches, even if it’s
just in the brief interactions we have with our students
in the halls, but we don’t always do it in the same way.
Nurses teach. Bus drivers teach. Library media specialists
teach too.
But some of us don’t have the advantage of seeing the
same students frequently. Or we have so many students
that making a personal connection with each and every
one can be quite a challenge. I’m talking about the
physical education teachers, the child study team and
guidance counselors, custodial staff and information
technology staff. We don’t always get to see the same
students regularly, yet we all still make a significant
contribution to their learning environment.
One way that I have approached this challenge is
through a free program called RebelMouse, which can
be used alone or embedded in a website. It allows me
to communicate with all of my students, teachers and
parents quickly and easily.
RebelMouse allows you to curate and publish from
anywhere: Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, LinkedIn,
Google+, RSS feeds, your original content, and more!
You can then take that content and publish to webpages,
apps, email, and social platforms.
Even better, readers can subscribe to your content
and receive email digests of updates.
The possibilities are endless
All of this tech speak means that RebelMouse saves
you a lot of time. You can post something to Twitter
and it will appear on your website. You can blog about
a homework assignment and your parents will receive it
via email. You can use a specific hashtag on Instagram
and be sure that your supervisor gets that artifact.
RebelMouse streamlines all of your social media, effectively
turning your public 1.0 website into a 2.0 hub of
interactivity and relevant content.
I can see nurses using RebelMouse to share the latest
in health policies and procedures with students, staff
and parents; athletic departments sharing their latest
victories; math teachers sharing flipped classroom
videos; or students using RebelMouse to share resource
choices with an English teacher for assessment.
As a Library media specialist, I use RebelMouse most
for research projects with my students. When conducting
research, students in our high school can get information
virtually from many locations “in” the library
media center. They can search our databases, our books
or other online aggregate locations.
Using RebelMouse, I can provide students access to
all of our resources in a one-stop-shopping experience
right on the front of my site. This allows the teacher
and me to tailor how much—or how little—support the
students need. Some developing learners will need everything
spelled out with direct links to each and every
resource, while other learners will need the challenge
of broader resources, creating a focus on topic distillation.
Either way, all students find the information in the
same place, and it’s accessible 24/7/365. And, of course,
students can be notified if new resources are added.
With a RebelMouse account, you have a lot of control
over what content is shown, how it is shown, and how
often it rotates out. For research projects, I can “freeze”
content until I remove it or have it automatically cycle
in or out on a specific date. I also often freeze information
about current school events or for the latest articles
of the school newspaper. The free layout and color options
within RebelMouse are also generous, with many
more customizable features available if you choose to
upgrade.
RebelMouse streamlines all of
your social media, effectively
turning your public 1.0 website
into a 2.0 hub of interactivity
and relevant content.
Another great way I use RebelMouse is to communicate
with my school community at large. As a library
media specialist, I often come across information that
would be of use to my colleagues, administrators or parents.
If they are signed up on RebelMouse, they will always
get the latest information that I post with no extra
work on my part. And they can unsubscribe themselves
at any time.
And finally, RebelMouse also makes your website
look constantly updated, even if you never actually
change a thing on your site. For school professionals
that need to keep an updated site, in short, RebelMouse
will make you look really good.
Carina Gonzalez is a high school Library Media Specialist at
Lawrence High School in Lawrenceville. She is virtually everywhere
and welcomes networking with other connected educators
at www.librariancarina.com.

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Before the Beach...
Summer at FDU!
Are you a teacher who likes to
stand out in the classroom?
Learn the latest in best practices at
Fairleigh Dickinson University’s
Summer Classes for Educators.
Summer Classes For Educators
In addition to the courses below, FDU offers
other summer classes in such areas as
educational leadership and dyslexia studies.
Learn more at fdu.edu/summer.
6-Week Online Class In Math
For elementary and middle school teachers
working toward becoming highly qualified in
math or who want to increase their skills and
knowledge in this content area.
Summer Technology Classes
• Computer as a Teacher’s Aide
• Cloud Computing and Social Media
• Literacy & Tech Across the Curriculum
• Smartboards in the Classroom
• Web 2.0 Tools & Educational Applications
Affordable Access for Educators
Learn more at fdu.edu/soe
• Significant tuition reduction for educators
• No hidden fees
• Accredited by the Council for the Accreditation
of Educator Preparation (CAEP)
Degree & Certificate Studies
At New Jersey County Colleges
Learn more at fdu.edu/ccp
• Offering convenient graduate education studies close to work or home!
• Choose from Burlington, Cumberland or Gloucester County Colleges
• Courses of study include:
— Educational Leadership
— Literacy/Reading Specialist
— Teacher Certification
— Teacher of Students with Disabilities
NEW DEGREES IN FALL 2016!
• Bilingual/Bicultural Education
• Early Childhood Education/Pre-School – Grade 3
For more details, call 201-692-2862.
fdu.edu/grad
SUMMER CLASSES • COUNTY COLLEGE LOCATIONS • AFFORDABLE

CLASSROOM CLOSE-UP
A CLOSER LOOK monthly highlights
The season finale airs in June, highlighting character
education programs in schools across the
state. Make sure you see the stories on teen suicide
prevention, lessons on taxes, and mentoring
programs in the garden. The NJTV Pledge Drive
will preempt the afternoon and evening airtime
in June, so be sure to catch the show all month
at 7:30 a.m. And throughout the summer, encore
performances will air every Sunday at 7:30 a.m.,
12:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on NJTV. The new season
will start on Oct. 2. For details about the show, be
sure to visit the website at classroomcloseup.org.
JUNE
05
watch
JUNE 5
Third-grade students from Riverdale School learn
what it’s like to work at a local pizzeria called Coney
Island. Last summer the students experienced mini
internships during a financial and economic literacy
and career exploration program.
JUNE 12
Parents join their children for a night of music and
art at the Teaneck Community Charter School. The
Musical Brush program is funded by a Hipp Grant.
JUNE
12
JUNE 19 AND 26
Children from Oxford Central School dress as
superheroes to teach the entire school the meaning of
CORRECT (courage, optimism, respect, responsibility,
empathy, citizenship and trustworthiness). The
character education program has transformed the
entire school environment.
classroomcloseup.org
Visit classroomcloseup.org to watch
individual segments, the entire show, or
to see what’s coming up. On Twitter, follow
@CCUNJ and “like” the show at facebook.
com/crcunj. The show continues to gain
fans, especially since it is available online
and can be downloaded or emailed to
family and friends.
JUNE
19/26
AIR TIMES
NJEA's “Classroom Close-up NJ” has won 14 Emmy® awards. It inspires and
educates the public about the great things happening in New Jersey’s public
schools. The show airs on NJTV on Sundays at 7:30 a.m., and 12:30 and 7:30
p.m., on Wednesdays at 11:30 p.m., and Saturdays at 5:30 a.m. It is sponsored
by PSE&G.
JUNE 2016 41

SUSSEX TO CAPE MAY
SUSSEX TO
CAPE MAY:
Workshops, field trips,
grants and more
showcase
These experiences have been endorsed by NJEA’s Professional Development Institute and are also
posted on njea.org.Providers seeking endorsement should call NJEA’s Professional Development
Division at 609-599-4561.
Ramsey Google Summit
Eduscape Learning invites educators, administrators
and IT professionals to register for the two-day Ramsey
Google Summit being held July 13-14 at Ramsey High
School. The summit will equip educators to use Google
for Education in the classroom and district. Sessions are
aligned to state standards, as well as best practices in the
classroom.
You will learn to build your own YouTube channel,
navigate the Google Admin Console, and send Forms with
automatic email responses, among other skills. Grab a
quick reality check as you experience Augmented Reality
for the classroom with apps from the Google PlayStore.
You’ll “drive” away confident and ready to create new possibilities
with Google for Education.
The fee for the two-day event is $299. Breakfast and
lunch are included.
For more information, contact Darlene Palmer at 201-
497-6621 or Darlene@myeduscape.com. To register, visit
bit.ly/googlesummitramsey.
highlights
Google Summit, NGSS, climate science,
monarch butterflies, and Starlab.
42 NJEA REVIEW

SUSSEX TO CAPE MAY
More to learn throughout the state
Programs at Duke Farms
Climate Science and Sustainable Actions: A
Summer Teacher Institute at Duke Farms
Let the 2,700 acre Duke Farms property
serve as your living laboratory and source
of inspiration for exciting new lessons when
you join a team of experts for an actionpacked
weeklong summer institute.
Master teachers Laura Gallagher and
Missy Holzer will be the lead faculty for the
workshop.
Participating teachers will conduct
hands-on outdoor fieldwork, hear lectures
from New Jersey’s top experts and develop
Next Generation Science Standards-aligned
lesson plans that will bring the concepts of
climate change and sustainability to life for
students.
Ample opportunities will exist for networking
and collaboration with other K-12
educators.
When: Aug. 1-5, 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Where: Duke Farms, Hillsborough Township
Cost: $150 per educator
Visit www.dukefarms.org to register.
Teaching and Learning with
Monarch Butterflies
Each fall, monarch butterflies from the
U.S. and Canada begin a 2,000 mile migration
to Mexico. The following spring, their
great grandchildren return. This is a twoday
workshop combining classroom and
field experiences where participants are
taught by a team of experienced educators
that provide participants with the knowledge,
skills, materials and confidence to
raise monarchs on their own.
The workshop enables pre-K through
12th grade educators to teach essential skills
in literacy, math, science, geography, technology,
Spanish, the arts and social studies
through the captivating story of monarchs.
Each participant receives hands-on instruction
by experienced teachers, rearing
cages, books, posters, DVDs and other essential
materials. strategies for creating butterfly
gardens, activities for any subject area,
proven models for engaging community
support and on-going support.
When: August 15-16, 8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Where: Duke Farms, Hillsborough Township
Cost: $50 per person.
Visit www.dukefarms.org to register.
NGSS professional
development workshop
series for 2016-17
During the 2016-17 school year, the Science
Education Institute at Raritan Valley
Community College will offer a series of
seven one-day workshops designed to help
teachers of grades K-12 and their supervisors
prepare for implementation of the Next
Generation Science Standards (NGSS).
Participants will be introduced to a performance
sequence that consists of three
stages: gathering, reasoning, and communicating.
Each workshop will focus on different
stages and the science and engineering
practices and crosscutting concepts that
each emphasizes. Participants will engage
in several performance tasks that are similar
to the NGSS performance expectations and
integrate Science and Engineering Practices,
Crosscutting Concepts, and Disciplinary
Core ideas. They will be introduced to a nationally
field-tested Lesson Idea Template
to begin planning their own NGSS-aligned
lessons.
The 2016-2017 NGSS Professional Development
Workshop Series will include
eight workshops:
• Asking Questions/Planning and Carrying
out Investigations – Wednesday,
Sept. 28
• Analyzing and Interpreting Data – Tuesday,
Oct. 18.
• Engineering Design and Technology –
Wednesday, Nov. 16
• Developing and Using Models –
Wednesday, Dec. 14
• Crosscutting Concepts – Wednesday,
Jan. 25
• Constructing Explanations/Engaging in
Argument from Evidence – Wednesday,
Feb. 15
• Planning NGSS-Aligned Lessons for
Grades K-5 – Wednesday, March 15
• Planning NGSS-Aligned Lessons for
Grades 6-12 – Wednesday, March 22
All workshops are held at Raritan Valley
Community College in North Branch.
Workshops begin promptly at 9 a.m. and
end by 3:30 p.m. Light breakfast and lunch
will be provided.
The fee is $125 per workshop.
Register early. Last year several of our
workshops were filled weeks in advance.
For more information and to register visit
www.raritanval.edu/njace or contact
Mariel O’Brien at mariel.obrien@raritanval.edu
or 908-526-1200, ext., 8942.
For long-term professional development
on the NGSS in your district contact Dr. Wil
van der Veen at wil.vanderveen@raritanval.
edu or 908-526-1200, ext. 8566.
Starlab Training on Nov. 30
Starlab is an inflatable dome on which
you can project vivid images of the night
sky, ancient mythological characters, our
solar system and galaxy, Earth’s weather
patterns and geological features, or the
biological cell. It is easily transportable
and fits into a small car. It can be set up in
fifteen minutes and accommodates up to 30
students. The Starlab dome does require a
clean floor space of 20 x 22 feet and a 12 feet
high ceiling.
Starlab is the prefect tool to make science
come to life for students. It helps teachers
prepare for the Next Generation Science
Standards (NGSS) by allowing students
to make observations, collect and analyze
data, and construct explanations for natural
phenomena in astronomy, earth science,
and biology. Astronomical phenomena such
as the daily and yearly motions of the sun,
moon, planets, stars, and constellations
are easily observed with Starlab. Data from
these observations presents students with
the evidence to develop models and construct
explanations for these phenomena.
Starlab also includes projection cylinders
related to earth science concepts such as
ocean currents, weather and climate, and
plate tectonics, and biology concepts such
as the cell.
The Starlab Training will be held at
Raritan Valley Community College in North
Branch. At the training, participants will
learn how to set up, maintain, and repack
the Starlab system.
The training will begin promptly at 9 a.m
and end by 4 p.m. Light breakfast and lunch
will be provided.
The fee is $150. Teachers who complete
the training are eligible to rent Starlab for
$375 per week.
Customized Starlab training is also available
at your district site. Because the highly
individualized nature of the training it can
only accommodate up to five teachers.
For more information and to register visit
www.raritanval.edu/njace or contact Mariel
O’Brien at mariel.obrien@raritanval.edu or
908-526-1200, ext., 8942.
JUNE 2016 43

Felician University
School of Education
ü Teacher Education Certification
ü Master of Arts in Education
ü Master of Arts in Education Leadership
ü Master of Arts in Education: School Nursing and/or Health Education
ü Post-Master’s Certificate Program for Supervisory Endorsement
ü Graduate Certificate in School Nursing and Health Education
This year we had two education students named as a
New Jersey Distinguished Student Teacher! Felician students
have been honored for the past four consecutive years.
OPEN HOUSES: JULY 20 & AUGUST 10
11 a.m.–2 p.m. & 5–7 p.m. in The Castle
One Felician Way | Rutherford, NJ 07070
Felician University is Sponsored by the Felician Sisters
Sign up online: felician.edu
201.355.1465 | admissions@felician.edu
BECAUSE IT’S IMPORTANT
TO PROTECT YOUR INCOME.
Like many people, if you couldn’t work due to a disability,
you may only have enough money to pay for 6 months or less
of bills. 1 The New Jersey Education Association (NJEA) Endorsed
Disability Insurance Program works for you when you can’t because
it helps protect your income if you’re too sick or injured to work.
The NJEA Endorsed Disability Insurance Program — the ONLY
disability program endorsed by the NJEA — is administered
by The Prudential Insurance Company of America (Prudential).
0278799-00003-00
To enroll, contact your
EIS account executive. Go to
www.educators-insurance.com,
or call 800-727-3414, prompt 3.
1 The Disability Divide Consumer Study
2014 - Council for Disability Awareness.
The New Jersey Education Association
Endorsed Disability Insurance Program is
administered by The Prudential Insurance
Company of America, 751 Broad Street,
Newark, NJ 07102.
© 2015. Prudential, the Prudential logo,
the Rock symbol, and Bring Your Challenges
are service marks of Prudential Financial,
Inc. and its related entities, registered
in many jurisdictions worldwide.
Contract Series 83500.
181914
44 NJEA REVIEW

NJEA PRIDE
PROUD MOMENTS
PRIDE IN OUR
GREAT PUBLIC SCHOOLS
The WARREN TECH EDUCATION ASSOCIATION (Warren) is proud to have
held a “Save Your Teen Driver” event on April 26. Students and parents
took an interactive, online driver's test to get a score for their risk of
being a driver in a car accident.
The HAMILTON TOWNSHIP EDUCATION ASSOCIATION (Mercer) is proud of its “Little
Free Library” ribbon cutting ceremony on May 11 at Langtree Elementary School. The
Little Free Library initiative seeks to promote literacy at the elementary school level
through fiction, nonfiction and multicultural reading opportunities and experiences. The
Little Free Library commemorate the late Joyce Palumbo, an educator in the district
for nearly 40 years having served as an teacher, school librarian and administrator. Her
family is picture here with the Little Free Library.
The EAST WINDSOR EDUCATION ASSOCIATION (Mercer) is proud to have partnered with
United Way to set up a “CLIP” (Child Literacy Improvement Project). This program sets
up a reading corner in a local barber shop/salon so that children have a place to read
and enjoy books while their parents, siblings, or they themselves wait for a haircut. The
bookcase and each book’s bookplate has the local's name on it. Funding also pays for
upkeep and re-stocking of books. An extra bonus for EWEA President Ellen Ogintz is that
the barber shop, Legends of Hightstown, is owned and operated by her former student,
Izzy Vargas, pictured here.
The RED BANK BOROUGH EDUCATION ASSOCIATION (Monmouth) is
proud to have participated in the Red Bank International Food Festival on
April 24. A portion of the proceeds from the festival went to the Red Bank
Education Foundation. Pictured are member Kevin Cuddihy and RBBEA
President Carol Boehm.
Submit your best local association PRIDE photo to ProudMoments@njea.org.
JUNE 2016 45

PRESERVICE MEMBERS
NJSEA leadership matters
The pre-service perspective:
Who inspired you to teach?
By Sarah Pawlak, Seton Hall University
In an age of standardized testing and SGOs, it sometimes can
be difficult to believe that as a teacher you are truly making a difference.
However, the influence you have on a child, the passion
you bring to the classroom, the love you have for your students
are things no effectiveness score can measure. I know that sometimes
when you stay late, bring work home and tirelessly bring
positive energy to your room, even in the most trying of times, it
can feel as though no one notices, as though no one is watching. I
am here to tell you that that is a fallacy.
I, like all preservice educators, have been inspired by your actions.
Growing up in South Brunswick Township, I encountered
teachers who have molded and shaped me for my future in ways
they probably still don’t even know and probably can’t even imagine.
Almost 15 years ago, my first grade teacher, Mrs. Carrino, had
our class write a book together on what we wanted to be when we
grew up. Undoubtedly, my page was about me becoming a teacher.
Because of Mrs. Carrino I love learning and still do to this day.
Her encouraging warmth and demeanor made me want to be like
her. I felt loved, important and respected in her classroom. If you
asked me what I learned academically so long ago, few details
come to mind. However, I do remember that I left loving to learn.
She made me a new student, and with that, also a new person.
As I moved into middle school I was placed in Ms. Laskowitz’s
social studies classroom. We did projects on songs, reviewed the
upcoming presidential election and followed current events. She
taught me a lot about social studies and being a good citizen, but
she taught me even more about myself. She had high expectations
of me, and I always rose to meet them. I just wanted to
make her proud. Because of Ms. Laskowitz I continued to love
school.
At South Brunswick High School, excellent teachers surrounded
me. Señora Abrego instilled in me a love for languages
and showed me that games can often lead to the best learning—
Are members of your family in
school preparing to become
teachers? Encourage them to
join NJSEA!
yes, hard to believe, but even better than standardized tests! Mr.
Barnes taught me that a little humor in the classroom makes a
lasting impact on student engagement and enjoyment. Ms. Saldanha
showed me the importance of close personal relationships
with students and how to care about your learners not just as
students, but also as people.
Most of all, the teacher who inspired me to teach was Mrs.
Pawlak: my mom. A kindergarten teacher, she has always been
silly and goofy, but she also takes learning seriously and so I
learned too, as well. She taught me that teaching is not teaching
unless your passion leads you there.
Unless you know in your heart that this is your calling and
what you were meant to do, this profession is not for you. Most
of all it takes a passion and love for children. No one goes into
teaching because they love standardized tests. No one goes into
teaching for vacation days. People go into teaching because they
know there is nothing better than that “Ah ha!” moment when a
student who once struggled now feels confident and has grown to
love learning. My mom taught me the most important lesson of
all without saying a word: teaching doesn’t come from a textbook
or a test, it comes from the heart.
Sarah Pawlak is a preservice educator earning her degree and certification
at Seton Hall University. She is also an NJSEA student ambassador at the
school.
Preservice educators are the future of our profession and our
union. Encourage the members of your family who are in a New
Jersey institution of higher learning and preparing to become
teachers to join the New Jersey Student Education Association
(NJSEA).
A part of NJEA, NJSEA offers student teachers important professional
development opportunities. NJSEA members host their
own student-geared conference and attend the NJEA Convention
along with NJEA members.
Many NJSEA members go on to become local association leaders
after graduation and lead the profession on their respective
campuses. To sign up for membership, ask them to visit njea.org/
njsea.
46 NJEA REVIEW

RETIRED MEMBERS
NJREA past, present and future
Pumping up the PAC
With a constitutional amendment question on funding public
employee pensions expected to be on the November 2016 ballot,
union members are gearing up for possibly the most important
election of their lives.
That’s why NJREA has been hard at work encouraging its
members to contribute to NJEA’s Political Action Committee
(PAC). Dues dollars cannot be used to make direct contributions
to candidates’ campaigns. NJEA PAC is our vehicle for donating
funds to candidates who protect our profession and public education.
However, NJEA PAC will need even more funds to fuel a
robust political campaign to protect our pensions through passage
of the ballot question this fall.
By now, retirees should have received a joint letter from NJREA
President Pat Provnick and NJEA President Wendell Steinhauer
asking for PAC donations. If we want to ensure that we have the
funds necessary to get this ballot question passed, we must all
do our part and contribute whatever we can so that NJEA PAC
has the resources needed to support lawmakers who believe in
securing our pensions.
NJREA members understand what’s at stake. As of early May,
they have contributed over $107,000 this school year and that
number continues to grow.
Counties have also been organizing PAC drives as part of a
“Spring PAC” contest, sponsored by NJEA Government Relations.
The county that raises the most in PAC contributions and
the county that raises the most per member will each be awarded
a $750 gift card to be used for county association purposes. This
contest runs until June 30.
Now is the time to take a stand to ensure public employee
pensions, now and in the future, are properly funded. You can
make a difference, so please consider making a PAC donation
today. Send your donation to NJEA PAC, 180 West State Street,
Trenton, NJ 08608.
Around the counties
For questions, call your county REA. For trip
details, check the county newsletter.
MONMOUTH COUNTY REA's next meeting/
luncheon will be held on Tuesday, June 14 at the Spring
Lake Manor in Spring Lake Heights. The cost is $28.
MCREA is hosting a Social Security workshop for its
members on Wednesday, Sept. 14 at the MCEA office
in Neptune. Retirees who have not yet filed for Social
Security benefits are encouraged to attend. There is no
cost for MCREA members.
To attend either event, call Sue Shrott at 732-995-7754.
Join MORRIS COUNTY REA on Wednesday, Sept. 7,
for its fall meeting/luncheon at the Birchwood Manor in
Whippany. The Morris County sheriff’s department will
lead a discussion on scams against senior citizens. The
cost is $28. To attend, call Nancy Condit at 973-335-0990.
WARREN COUNTY REA will be having its fall
meeting/luncheon on Wednesday, Sept. 7 at the Hawk
Pointe Golf Club in Washington. To attend, or for more
information, call Vicki Rhinehart at 908-319-1995.
At the NJREA Spring Luncheon on April 21, Affiliations Chair Barbara Toczko (l) and
Membership Committee Chair Fran Davis sell NJREA shirts to support the organization’s
scholarship fund.
Grab your hat, we need a “Cat”
Retirees: NJEA’s Read Across America program needs
you! Each February and March, NJEA sends five “Cats” out
into our schools to pose as the Cat in the Hat in order to
promote the annual Read Across America childhood literacy
program—one of our most popular member services.
NJEA needs to fill a vacancy for one of these positions for
the 2016-17 school year.
Interested candidates must be NJREA members in good
standing, available from the end of January to the middle
of March, in good health, and have a valid driver’s license.
Retirees should send a letter of interest to cat@njea.org or:
Christy Kanaby
NJEA Communications
PO Box 1211
Trenton, NJ 08607-1211
Candidates should send their letter of interest no later
than Aug. 1.
JUNE 2016 47

Helping You Plan and Save
for Your Retirement
ȥ
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Member Education – free financial
workshops
NEA Retirement Specialists – independent
advisors in your local community
LifeStage Solutions – Retirement programs
for all ages
To learn more, visit us on the web at
www.neamb.com/retire or call 800.NEA.VALU
(800.632.8258).
in partnership with
NEA and NEA Member Benefits are registered service marks of NEA’s Member Benefits Corporation.
This information is provided by Security Distributors, Inc. (SDI) in connection with the NEA Retirement Program for retirement plans sponsored by
school districts and other employers of NEA members and individual retirement accounts established by NEA members. SDI and certain of its affiliates
(collectively, “Security Benefit”) make products available under the NEA Retirement Program, directly or through authorized broker/dealers, pursuant
to an agreement with NEA’s wholly owned subsidiary, NEA Member Benefits Corporation (“MBC”). NEA and MBC are not affiliated with Security
Benefit. Neither NEA nor MBC is a registered broker/dealer. All securities brokerage services are performed exclusively by your sales representative’s
broker/dealer and not by NEA or MBC.
99-00478-29 2015/09/14
One Security Benefit Place | Topeka, Kansas 66636-0001 | SecurityBenefit.com
VB330616

GET YOUR MONEY’S WORTH!
MEMBER BENEFITS
Get the most for your money! NJEA Member Benefits seeks to enrich the lives of all members and their families by offering
programs designed to save you money and increase your buying power. Whether you are looking for insurance, big-ticket
items, or special deals on hundreds of everyday purchases, you find valuable consumer offers.
WHERE YOU S-T-R-E-T-C-H YOUR INCOME!
njea.org/memberbenefits
Fee-free, high-interest
banking with BankMobile
Download the BankMobile app and start saving!
Be sure to select NJEA as your group.
For more details, visit www.njea.org/bankmobile.
Summer savings on
school supplies
Special NJEA Member Benefit at Office Depot/OfficeMax
Up to 80 percent off on preferred products
Thousands of products discounted below retail
Exclusive print and copy discounts
Free next-day delivery on online orders over $50 (excludes furniture)
To shop online, or print your free Store Purchasing Card, visit
officediscounts.org/njea.html.
Summer Fun
Be sure to visit njea.org/MemberBenefits
under the Leisure Times Opportunities. You
will find many fun places that offer special
discounts to NJEA families.
NJEA WEB GIVEAWAYS
RECENT WINNER:
Randi L. Allshouse from the
Teaneck Township EA won a
Bose Sound Sport In-Ear
Headphone from Buyer’s
Edge, Inc.**
JUNE, JULY, AND AUGUST GIVEAWAYS
One member, each month will win both of these prizes:
$100 Target Gift Card from BankMobile
BankMobile is a 100 percent fee-free bank, making every ATM in
the U.S. available at no cost. Savings accounts are among the
highest in the country. You also receive 1 percent cash back on
all debit card purchases. Just go to your APP STORE and
download the APP. For assistance, email
abotta@customersbank.com or call 646-601-7280.
$100 worth of Office Depot/OfficeMax gift vouchers ($25 each).
See the information above about the special benefits at Office
Depot/OfficeMax for NJEA members.
BE SURE TO REGISTER ONLINE EACH MONTH FOR THE WEB GIVEAWAYS!
*Member Discount Program and Access: Products and services listed in the NJEA Member Discount Program
and Access are provided as a service to NJEA members and do not constitute an endorsement by NJEA or a
representation regarding the products’ quality or characteristics. NJEA makes no warranties expressed or implied,
including the warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose regarding any products or services
listed in the NJEA Member Discount Program and Access.
**Sponsored Vendors: Products and services that are sponsored by NJEA Member Benefits are believed to have
broad-based appeal and provide superior quality and value. To the best of NJEA’s understanding, these products
and services are worthy of sponsorship. However, NJEA cannot be responsible for the quality or performance of
these products and services, which ultimately are the responsibility of the vendor.
JUNE 2016 49

BUDGET SUMMARY
NJEA BUDGET SUMMARY
FISCAL YEAR ENDING
AUGUST 31
PROPOSED INCOME AND EXPENDITURES (EXCLUSIVE OF PRIDE)
2015 2016 2017 Budget
Actual Budget Prop Budget Variance
INCOME
NJEA Membership Dues $107,311,357 $107,910,210 $113,005,585 4.72%
NEA Funds 5,948,527 7,222,450 6,738,600 -6.70%
General Funds 1,303,215 2,070,000 2,016,500 -2.58%
Publications 339,192 280,000 332,700 18.82%
TOTAL INCOME 114,902,291 117,482,660 122,093,385 3.92%
EXPENDITURES
PROGRAM SERVICES
Governance 5,798,331 7,552,300 7,396,800 -2.06%
Organizational Projects 430,000 5,000,000 10,000,000 100.00%
Legal Services 11,501,317 13,546,000 13,654,100 0.80%
Communications 5,391,912 5,967,500 6,028,400 1.02%
Exec Organizational Development 8,263,608 7,244,300 7,515,100 3.74%
UniServ Regional Offices 19,212,494 21,283,300 21,382,800 0.47%
UniServ Field Offices 6,346,081 6,610,000 6,607,400 -0.04%
Prof Development 4,103,011 4,848,000 5,141,400 6.05%
Research & Economic Serv 4,928,024 5,458,100 5,698,900 4.41%
Government Relations 3,500,048 3,873,400 3,934,500 1.58%
Conventions 3,016,316 3,159,500 3,193,500 1.08%
Organizational Mgmt 6,543,956 7,221,600 7,327,800 1.47%
ADMINISTRATIVE & GENERAL
Executive Offices 4,382,240 4,520,500 4,087,500 -9.58%
Business and Finance 11,764,188 12,833,400 12,338,800 -3.85%
TOTAL PROGRAM, ADMINISTRATIVE
& GENERAL EXPENDITURES 95,181,526 109,117,900 114,307,000 4.76%
NET INCOME (EXPENSE)
BEFORE USE OF FUNDS 19,720,765 8,364,760 7,786,385 -6.91%
USE OF FUNDS
Current Postretirement 605,614 1,418,000 500,000 -64.74%
Contribution - VEBA 5,407,792 3,932,000 5,000,000 27.16%
Pension - Cash Funding Adj 11,968,528 9,600,000 9,600,000
17,981,934 14,950,000 15,100,000 1.00%
NET INCOME (EXP) CASH BUDGET 1,738,831 (6,585,240) (7,313,615) 11.06%
ADJ BACK TO ACCR'L REPORTING
Accrued Postretirement 10,985,346 7,000,000 10,000,000 42.86%
Contribution - VEBA (5,407,792) (3,932,000) (5,000,000) 27.16%
Pension - Cash Funding Adj (11,968,528) (9,600,000) (9,600,000)
(6,390,974) (6,532,000) (4,600,000) -29.58%
NET INCOME (EXP) ACCR'L BASIS 8,129,805 (53,240) (2,713,615) 4996.95%
PRIDE DUES
2015 2016 2017 Budget
Actual Budget Prop Budget Variance
REVENUE
Dues $10,730,675 $10,781,500 $11,230,000 4.16%
TOTAL REVENUE 10,730,675 10,781,500 11,230,000 4.16%
EXPENDITURES
TV Advertising 3635 6,466,101 6,299,300 5,503,000 -12.64%
Radio Advertising 3636 302,743 309,000 343,000 11.00%
Web/Billboard Adv 3637 720,000 105,000 1,055,000 904.76%
TV Magazine Program 3639 698,656 721,300 720,000 -0.18%
Polls/Focus Groups 3641 146,733 149,500 153,000 2.34%
Special Projects 3644 796,954 842,400 817,000 -3.02%
Organizing 3907 3,203,967 2,400,000 2,639,000 9.96%
TOTAL EXPENDITURES 12,335,154 10,826,500 11,230,000 3.73%
COMPARATIVE INCOME
2015 2016 2017 Budget
Actual Budget Prop Budget Variance
DUES INCOME
Active Professional $91,879,757 $92,171,000 $96,713,600 4.93%
Active Supportive 14,694,222 15,077,000 15,551,000 3.14%
Retired Members 718,806 645,785 724,560 12.20%
General Members 2,500 2,500 2,500 0.00%
Subscribing Members 1,500 750 750 0.00%
Student Members 14,572 13,175 13,175 0.00%
TOTAL MEMBERSHIP DUES 107,311,357 107,910,210 113,005,585 4.72%
NEA FUNDS
UniServ Grant 2,497,430 2,519,270 2,674,300 6.15%
UniServ Option Program 357,325 387,580 389,300 0.44%
Legal Defense (DuShane) 2,782,495 4,000,000 3,500,000 -12.50%
Legal Fee Reimbursements 100,280 160,000 100,000 -37.50%
Member Benefits Grant 79,151 90,000 75,000 -16.67%
Cooperative Projects 127,741 65,600 0 -100.00%
Travel Expense Reimb 1,948 0 0 0.00%
Student Reimbursement 2,157 0 0 0.00%
TOTAL NEA FUNDS 5,948,527 7,222,450 6,738,600 -6.70%
GENERAL INCOME
Convention Exhibits & Fees 640,644 593,000 582,000 -1.85%
Interest & Investments (300,782) 500,000 500,000 0.00%
Conference & Workshop Fees 831,067 857,000 849,500 -0.88%
Member Benefits Income 100,229 120,000 85,000 -29.17%
Miscellaneous 32,057 0 0 0.00%
TOTAL GENERAL INCOME 1,303,215 2,070,000 2,016,500 -2.58%
PUBLICATIONS INCOME 339,192 280,000 332,700 18.82%
TOTAL INCOME PROJECTION 114,902,291 117,482,660 122,093,385 3.92%
DISASTER RELIEF FUND
2015 2016 2017 Budget
Actual Budget Prop Budget Variance
REVENUE
Contributions $1,000 $400,000 $390,000 -2.50%
Contrib from Member Benef 6,000 0 0 0.00%
TOTAL REVENUE 7,000 400,000 390,000 -2.50%
EXPENDITURES
Relief Fund Expenditures 2,756 400,000 390,000 -2.50%
Direct Financial Assistance 12,000 0 0 0.00%
TOTAL EXPENDITURES 14,756 400,000 390,000 -2.50%
INCREASE IN NET ASSETS (7,756) 0 0 0.00%
CAPITAL ASSETS
2015 2016 2017 Budget
REVENUE
Investment Income
Actual
($1,928,642)
Budget
$2,700,000
Prop Budget
$2,200,000
Variance
-18.52%
TOTAL REVENUE (1,928,642) 2,700,000 2,200,000 -18.52%
EXPENDITURES
Capital Assets 1,861,911 2,525,000 3,246,600 28.58%
TOTAL EXPENDITURES 1,861,911 2,525,000 3,246,600 28.58%
INCR/(DECR) IN NET ASSETS 3,790,553 175,000 (1,046,600) -698.06%
INCR/(DECR) IN NET ASSETS (1,604,479) (45,000) 0 -100.00%
50 NJEA REVIEW

BUDGET SUMMARY
PROPOSED EXPENDITURES
2015 2016 2017 Budget
Actual Budget Prop Budget Variance
GOVERNANCE
Executive Committee 0400 $3,191,211 $3,541,000 $3,533,600 -0.21%
Delegate Assembly 0410 188,185 231,000 238,500 3.25%
Committees 1400 401,285 428,400 413,000 -3.59%
Officers 0440 1,277,880 1,367,400 1,419,700 3.82%
Elections 0430 323,909 354,500 252,000 -28.91%
Organizational Activities 0470 415,861 1,630,000 1,540,000 -5.52%
TOTAL 5,798,331 7,552,300 7,396,800 -2.06%
ORGANIZATIONAL PROJ 0471 430,000 5,000,000 10,000,000 100.00%
LEGAL SERVICES PROG 0465 11,501,317 13,546,000 13,654,100 0.80%
COMMUNICATIONS
Communcations Office 0600 3,272,089 3,722,800 3,714,000 -0.24%
Other Services 0605 5,673 13,500 13,400 -0.74%
A/V Programs 0610 69,745 83,000 83,000 0.00%
Consultants 0615 102,881 104,500 116,500 11.48%
Media Relations 0620 439,190 413,000 436,400 5.67%
Public Relations 0630 87,942 146,100 137,500 -5.89%
Website Promotion 0645 11,781 21,000 25,000 19.05%
Local Leader Comm 0650 13,596 16,400 14,500 -11.59%
Review 0660 1,278,863 1,324,500 1,359,300 2.63%
Convention Program 0670 110,154 122,700 128,800 4.97%
TOTAL 5,391,914 5,967,500 6,028,400 1.02%
EXEC ORGANIZATIONAL DEVEL
Exec Org Dev Office 0900 2,421,050 3,298,100 3,699,700 12.18%
Exec Org Program 0905 300,104 490,100 428,300 -12.61%
Active Supportive 0910 306,811 352,000 396,000 12.50%
FAST Program 0915 76,553 110,000 100,000 -9.09%
Conference Expenses 0920 444,308 446,700 492,800 10.32%
Min Ldrshp & Recruit 0925 1,670 13,500 13,500 0.00%
ESP & Inclusive Org 0930 57,240 13,000 14,500 11.54%
Strategic Org 0935 2,787,843 390,000 415,000 6.41%
Consultants 0940 8,163 32,100 0 -100.00%
Student NJEA 0945 107,759 104,700 104,900 0.19%
Summer Leadership Conf 0955 1,023,119 1,108,000 1,092,500 -1.40%
Leadership Operations 0965 53,308 47,500 47,500 0.00%
Fall Focus Mtgs 0970 221,729 227,100 227,100 0.00%
New Member Orient 0975 218,057 258,000 143,700 -44.30%
Cty New Member Wkshp 0977 25,418 30,000 50,000 66.67%
Membership Promo 0980 210,476 323,500 289,600 -10.48%
TOTAL 8,263,608 7,244,300 7,515,100 3.74%
UNISERV PROGRAM REGIONAL OFFICES
Regional Offices 0899 16,960,568 18,781,800 19,010,000 1.22%
1 Vineland 0800 107,674 118,700 117,900 -0.67%
2 Woodbury 0805 109,594 120,700 116,300 -3.65%
3 Voorhees 0810 118,248 130,000 148,100 13.92%
4 Camden City 0812 89,364 154,300 0 -100.00%
5 Moorestown 0815 60,618 70,500 66,700 -5.39%
6 Galloway Twp 0817 105,473 113,900 112,500 -1.23%
7 Toms River 0820 115,431 125,100 123,700 -1.12%
8 Lawrenceville 0823 120,232 124,800 121,700 -2.48%
9 W. Long Branch 0825 163,286 171,100 169,000 -1.23%
11 Edison 0830 61,004 73,100 220,200 201.23%
12 Cranbury 0833 116,578 120,500 0 -100.00%
13 Flemington 0835 115,556 120,800 118,700 -1.74%
15 Cranford 0840 76,152 77,500 77,900 0.52%
17 Parsippany 0845 63,878 72,900 70,300 -3.57%
19 W. New York 0850 83,777 93,800 91,100 -2.88%
20 Jersey City 0852 121,072 138,900 140,100 0.86%
21 South Orange 0855 124,992 137,700 134,400 -2.40%
23 Emerson 0860 63,627 78,200 78,000 -0.26%
25 Hasbrouck Hgts 0865 113,334 117,200 117,600 0.34%
27 Wayne 0870 108,125 118,000 115,700 -1.95%
28 Stanhope 0873 121,358 120,600 130,100 7.88%
29 Higher Educ 0875 92,553 103,200 102,800 -0.39%
TOTAL 19,212,494 21,283,300 21,382,800 0.47%
2015 2016 2017 Budget
Actual Budget Prop Budget Variance
UNISERV FIELD
UniServ Field/(HQ) Dir 1200 $654,679 $693,800 $2,040,700 194.13%
UniServ - South 1201 1,370 3,700 2,900 -21.62%
UniServ - Central 1202 2,133 2,800 3,100 10.71%
UniServ - NW/(North) 1203 4,141 5,200 5,100 -1.92%
UniServ - NE/(AD offices) 1204 1,346,595 1,522,000 3,700 -99.76%
UniServ Field Program 1205 408,749 488,000 406,000 -16.80%
Field Conferences 1220 184,034 256,000 238,000 -7.03%
Field Consultants 1240 1,955,530 1,898,000 2,021,000 6.48%
Strengthening Locals 1250 631,640 590,000 700,000 18.64%
Higher Ed 1260 47,740 65,500 111,900 70.84%
Leadership Operations 1265 1,109,471 1,085,000 1,075,000 -0.92%
TOTAL 6,346,082 6,610,000 6,607,400 -0.04%
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Prof Development Off 1000 2,346,411 2,566,000 3,024,900 17.88%
PD Learning 1005 429,492 512,000 439,000 -14.26%
PD Capacity Bldg 1010 114,491 260,000 310,000 19.23%
Training Consultants 1075 922,367 1,000,000 1,000,000 0.00%
Priority Schools 1080 202,966 335,000 280,500 -16.27%
Best Practices Conf 1097 87,284 175,000 87,000 -50.29%
TOTAL 4,103,011 4,848,000 5,141,400 6.05%
RESEARCH & ECONOMIC SERVICES
Research Office 1100 3,978,509 4,486,600 4,737,400 5.59%
Research Services 1105 356,507 323,000 315,000 -2.48%
Member Benefits 1110 580,888 629,000 628,000 -0.16%
Research Library 1120 12,120 19,500 18,500 -5.13%
TOTAL 4,928,024 5,458,100 5,698,900 4.41%
GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
G/R Office 0700 2,574,001 2,900,400 2,994,500 3.24%
Legislative Conference 0710 56,636 62,000 60,000 -3.23%
Legislative Fld Proj 0720 826,852 868,000 835,000 -3.80%
Legislative Publications 0730 42,559 43,000 45,000 4.65%
TOTAL 3,500,048 3,873,400 3,934,500 1.58%
CONVENTIONS
NJEA 1095 1,842,993 2,050,000 1,990,000 -2.93%
NEA 0475 1,173,323 1,109,500 1,203,500 8.47%
TOTAL 3,016,316 3,159,500 3,193,500 1.08%
ORGANIZATIONAL MGMT 0565 6,543,956 7,221,600 7,327,800 1.47%
ADMINISTRATIVE & GENERAL
Executive Office 0435 2,048,252 2,339,000 2,387,500 2.07%
Administration 0460 1,815,022 1,652,500 1,306,500 -20.94%
Personnel 0480 307,663 319,000 183,500 -42.48%
Conference Expenses 0455 211,303 210,000 210,000 0.00%
TOTAL 4,382,240 4,520,500 4,087,500 -9.58%
BUSINESS & FINANCE
Business Office 0500 $5,961,825 $6,808,100 $6,732,300 -1.11%
Accounting 0510 3,697 8,000 8,000 0.00%
Contract Obligations 0515 1,054,306 800,000 800,000 0.00%
Computer Center 0520 1,630,189 1,847,800 1,823,500 -1.32%
Membership Processing 0530 391,964 403,500 407,500 0.99%
Headquarters Operation 0540 1,807,562 1,899,000 1,777,500 -6.40%
Mail Room & Production 0550 429,682 562,000 290,000 -48.40%
Conference Facility 0575 52,503 55,000 60,000 9.09%
Financial Admin Fees 0580 172,964 195,000 185,000 -5.13%
Insurances 0585 259,496 255,000 255,000 0.00%
TOTAL 11,764,188 12,833,400 12,338,800 -3.85%
POSTRETIREMENT COSTS
Current Postretirement 605,614 1,418,000 500,000 -64.74%
Accrued Postretirement 10,985,346 7,000,000 10,000,000 42.86%
TOTAL 11,590,960 8,418,000 10,500,000 24.73%
CONTRIBUTION - VEBA 5,407,792 3,932,000 5,000,000 27.16%
JUNE 2016 51

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COMING UP
JUNE & BEYOND for more information go to njea.org
6/3 6/4 7/2-7 7/12
Friday
Saturday
Sat-Mon
Tuesday
EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEE MEETING
NEA RA STATEWIDE
CAUCUS MEETING
NEA
REPRESENTATIVE
ASSEMBLY
NJEA SUMMER
PROFESSIONAL
LEARNING INSTITUTE
Employment
Opportunities
Visit njea.org/jobs
regularly for the
latest postings.
7/13
Wednesday
8/6
Saturday
8/6-8
Sat-Mon
8/6-12
Sat-Fri
NJEA TECHSTOCK
NJEA PAC OPERATING
COMMITTEE MEETING
EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEE MEETING
SUMMER LEADERSHIP
CONFERENCE
Questions? Call the NJEA
Human Resources office at
609-599-4561.
NJEA is an equal
opportunity employer.
deadlines
TECHSTOCK CONFERENCE
Event date: July 13
6/17 10/14
JIM GEORGE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING SUMMIT
Event Dates: Oct. 28-29
6/27
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SUMMER INSTITUTE
Event Date: July 12
Save the date
NJEA Jim George
Collective
Bargaining
Summit
Save the date!
NJEA Urban
Education Symposium
October 14-15, 2016
East Brunswick Hilton
October 28-29
DoubleTree in Somerset
JUNE 2016 53

FINAL EXAM
For years, politicians of both parties have failed
to fund New Jersey’s pension systems. After nearly
two decades of neglect, the systems are in a dire
position: they need regular, responsible payments
from the state in order to remain stable and to
provide public employees with the secure pensions
they have earned.
This summer and through Election Day on Nov.
8, NJEA members will be hard at work to rescue
our pension system from the politicians. After years of their failures,
our job this year is to pass a constitutional amendment to finally
mandate responsible quarterly pension funding. That’s the only way
to hold the politicians accountable and force pension funding.
In the coming months, we are taking matters into our own hands
and getting ready to vote for a stable, secure pension system. We
will be hitting the ground running this September to educate, invigorate
and motivate voters to support a constitutional amendment on
pension funding.
That’s why our message and our campaign are transitioning from
#FundNJPension to #VoteNJPension. Be sure to check out NJEA’s
updated website, VoteNJPension.org. As the campaign moves forward,
this site will keep members up to date on the latest news and
opportunities for action.
The first action is easy, but critically important. If you haven’t
already done so, visit the new website and pledge to support the
constitutional amendment and vote YES on Nov. 8.
This spring, NJEA conducted extensive public polling and focus
groups. We’ve carefully analyzed those results, and we’ve learned
the best messages to educate and engage the voters who will help
us win this fight in November. It won’t be easy, but we know we can
do it.
First, though, the Legislature needs to do its part. To be on the
November ballot, both houses of the New Jersey Legislature must
Why the
constitutional
amendment on
pension funding
matters to
educational support
professionals
54 NJEA REVIEW
Educational support professionals’
(ESP) pensions are part of the local
Public Employees’ Retirement System
(PERS). This system is funded by local
employers who currently make the full
required payment every year, including
an additional payment to make up for
what they missed in the past. While the
system is not quite fully funded, it is in
a much better position than the Teachers’ Pension and Annuity
Fund (TPAF)—for now.
However, even though ESP’s pensions are in a different system,
they would ultimately be harmed if the state defaults on any of its
pension obligations.
A default by the state on the TPAF and state Public Employees’
Retirement System (PERS) would have a chilling effect on our ability
to insist that local government employers continue to be fiscally
responsible when it comes to funding public employees’ pensions.
As New Jersey taxpayers, ESP members will benefit from the
constitutional amendment’s requirement that the state make
quarterly payments. This move alone will dramatically increase
the health of the funds, shrink the liability, and save taxpayers
$12.9 billion.
Whether you are a member of these funds or not, this amendment
just makes sense for New Jersey.
Why the
constitutional
amendment on
pension funding
matters to higher
ed members
While higher education members’
pension funds are separate and distinct
from the pension funds that are
directly affected by the state’s historic
underfunding, if the state defaults on its
responsibility to fund other public employees’
pensions, it will send a clear
signal that no public employee's pension is safe.
A default by the state on the Teachers’ Pension and Annuity
Fund (TPAF) and state Public Employees’ Retirement System
(PERS) would have a chilling effect on any union’s ability to
argue for common-sense, fiscal responsibility when it comes
to funding public employees’ pensions.
For those higher education members who are enrolled in
the Alternate Benefit Program (ABP) for retirement security,
the connection could be much more direct: if employers are
allowed to skip required pension payments, no system is safe.
And, as taxpayers in the state of New Jersey, higher education
members will benefit from the constitutional amendment’s
requirement that the state make quarterly payments.
This move alone will dramatically increase the health of the
funds, shrink the liability, and save taxpayers $12.9 billion.
Whether you are a member of these funds or not, this
amendment just makes sense for New Jersey.
pass a concurrent resolution—known as ACR-109/SCR-2—authorizing
a vote to amend the constitution. That vote will take place
this month, and we need to send a message to legislators that we
hold them accountable for this vote.
Here’s how you can help: Contact your legislators and urge them
to support the resolution. Visit VoteNJPension.org and go to the
Take Action area. There, you can join your fellow colleagues who
have told their legislators that New Jersey can no longer ignore its
obligation to fund public employee pensions.
This campaign is moving, but this is just the beginning. We will
have a lot of work to do together in the months to come, and there is
much you can do over the summer to help us win in November. Talk
to your friends and family about what the constitutional amendment
means to your future. Pledge to support the effort and make
sure you are registered to vote. Host a 10-minute meeting and urge
your colleagues to become pension activists as well. And, if you are
really interested in rolling up your sleeves and being an integral part
of the campaign this summer, consider applying for NJEA’s Summer
Organizing Fellows Program, a new, innovative way in which
our members can work to engage other members in this fight. Visit
www.votenjpension.org/fellowship to learn more.
So, while the school year is winding to a close, NJEA and its
members aren’t going to take a vacation. Instead, our constitutional
amendment campaign to save our pensions is kicking into
high gear. Together, we will win.

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Teaching and Learning
Symposium 2016
Saturday, Oct. 22
at the Hilton in East Brunswick
Five hours professional learning
Enhance and expand your professional learning. Take advantage of this opportunity to focus on and
explore a topic in depth. Each participant will choose one topic from the following options and engage in a
day-long professional learning experience.
>> Balanced and Strategic Literacy Instruction (K-5)
>> Implementing Literacy in the Content Areas (6-12)
>> Best Practices in Mathematics Instruction for K-4
>> Best Practices in Mathematics Instruction for 5-8
>> World of High School Mathematics (9-12)
>> Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS): Engineering Design (K-12)
>> Engaging Instructional Strategies (PK-12)
>> Effective Classroom Management (K-12)
>> Differentiated Instruction for Academically Diverse Students (K-12)
>> Supporting English Language Learner (ELL) Students (K-12)
>> Co-Teaching to Maximize Student Learning (K-12)
Online registration will be
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Early bird registration
NJEA members: $30
Preservice NJEA members: $15
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Registration after Sept. 15
NJEA members: $60
Preservice NJEA members: $30