On a mission

A lot of things have changed since she started working in a school cafeteria. At Glen Landing Middle School in Gloucester Township, Cafeteria Manager Marge Vallieu views these changes as challenges. No matter what happens in Trenton or at a local board of education meeting, she is determined to make a difference in her school and community. No doubt it is that sense of dedication that earned Vallieu the title of NJEA 2012 Educational Support Professional (ESP) of the Year. Read More

News Highlights

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  • News & Publications

    • NJEA Sponsors GI Go Fund’s Jeans for Troops Program

      The New Jersey Education Association is proud to sponsor the GI Go Fund’s Jeans for Troops program which is raising funds to support the GI Go Transition Center for veterans. The Jeans for Troops program encourages organizations to permit employees to donate $5 to the GI Go Fund in exchange for wearing jeans on Thursday, May 24. Read More

    • NJEA PAC endorses Marie Corfield for Assembly

      The New Jersey Education Association’s 125-member political action committee (NJEA PAC) has endorsed NJEA member and Flemington art teacher Marie Corfield (D) for Assembly in the 16th Legislative District. In 2011, Corfield ran for the Assembly in Legislative District 16 against Republican incumbent Pete Biondi. Biondi passed away in November 2011, necessitating a special election this year. Read More

    • NJEA statement on SCI report

      NJEA President Barbara Keshishian issued the following statement today upon the release of the report of the State Commission of Investigation on paid union leave agreements: “The report released today by the State Commission of Investigation makes one thing abundantly clear: the work release arrangements negotiated by certain local education associations with their boards of education are legal and commonplace." Read More

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  • Teaching & Learning

    • Help your students learn through gardening

      Learning Through Gardening, a program of the New Jersey Agricultural Society, will present two workshops in July. Both will be held at the Rutgers Eco-complex in Bordentown, NJ, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. “Cultivate the Curriculum” is scheduled for Thursday, July 12, while “Eat, Plant, Read” will be held on Wednesday, July 18. Read More

    • Experience collaborative professional learning at NJEA's Summer Institute

      NJEA’s 2012 Summer Professional Learning Institute features four separate workshops. Hear from teacher leaders, collaborate with others around your own experiences, reflect on new practices, and develop plans for the new year. Attend as many days as you’d like, alone or as a member of a team. Come ready to learn and to share. Read More

    • Professional Development Opportunity for History/Social Studies

      New Jersey history and social studies teachers can learn by doing and earn three professional development hours by participating in the Spirit of the Jerseys History Fair at Washington Crossing State Park in Titusville on Saturday, May 12 from 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. The event is open to everyone and is a wonderful opportunity for teachers to come and learn along with their family and friends. Read More

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  • Issues & Political Action

    • NJEA PAC endorses Marie Corfield for Assembly

      The New Jersey Education Association’s 125-member political action committee (NJEA PAC) has endorsed NJEA member and Flemington art teacher Marie Corfield (D) for Assembly in the 16th Legislative District. In 2011, Corfield ran for the Assembly in Legislative District 16 against Republican incumbent Pete Biondi. Biondi passed away in November 2011, necessitating a special election this year. Read More

    • NJDOE announces changes to use of student achievement measures

      Districts participating in the first year of the pilot teacher evaluation program were recently notified by the N.J. Department of Education (NJDOE) about changes to some components of student achievement measures used to evaluate teachers. For teachers in tested grades (4-8) and subjects (math and language arts), student growth percentiles (SGP) on state assessments (where two consecutive years of data are available) will be calculated. These SGPs will account for 35-45 percent of the teacher’s summative rating. Read More

    • Second teacher evaluation program has important differences from this year’s trial

      In late March, the N.J. Department of Education (NJDOE) released a Notice of Grant Opportunity (NGO) for up to 20 additional districts to participate in the second year of the pilot teacher evaluation program. The 10 districts participating in the first pilot program can continue with the pilot program in year two, with reduced funding. Read More

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  • Parents & Community

    • NJEA, NJCCC honor community college scholars

      NJEA joined the New Jersey Council of County Colleges to honor New Jersey’s 35 best and brightest community college students and their families at the 18th annual Phi Theta Kappa Day celebration on May 3. “Each year, the New Jersey Council of County Colleges hosts this program to recognize the members of the New Jersey All-State Academic Team, sponsored by Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society for community colleges, the Coca-Cola Foundation and the New Jersey Education Association,” said NJCCC President Dr. Lawrence Nespoli. Read More

    • Help fight pediatric cancer with Go4theGoal

      Cancer has no boundaries. It affects people of all walks of life and all ages, even children. That’s why the Go4theGoal Foundation has declared September as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and Sept. 27 as National Dress 4 Pediatric Cancer Day. Several schools in New Jersey have already signed up for next school year. The Foundation is also promoting a program called Lace-Up 4 Pediatric Cancer which offers students the opportunity to sell and purchase neon shoe laces to show their support for children battling cancer. Read More

    • BlueClaws host College Fair Night

      On May 24, the Lakewood BlueClaws will take on the Hagerstown Suns at 6:35 p.m. Come to the ballpark early for an opportunity to meet college recruiters during College Fair Night. Students enjoy the game for free and family members can purchase tickets for $7. Read More

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Spotlight

HEA blocks firing of custodians
The Hainesport Education Association in Burlington County knows firsthand that community support is the key to saving the jobs of educational support professionals. A six-month campaign to keep the Hainesport Board of Education from firing their six custodians and replacing them with a for-profit cleaning service ended in victory last February when the board voted 6-3 to keep their own staff. HEA’s outreach to parents and the community was key to the board’s decision.

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Innovation in Education

Zombie Apocalypse
Technology teacher Cristen Serdy from Sovereign Avene School in Atlantic City coordinates a multidisciplinary lesson about emergency preparedness through a project called the Zombie Apocalypse. In science they work on cells, disease transmission and vaccines. There are also related lessons in math and language arts as well as a culminating activity incorporating music and dance.

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CLASSROOM CLOSE-UP, NJ

Classroom Close Up

Classroom Close-up, NJ is a magazine program focusing on innovative projects happening in New Jersey public schools. This 30-minute weekly series features the students, teachers, school staff and communities who create and participate in successful school projects and events. Classroom Close-up, NJ has won 11 Emmys and is currently airing on NJTV on Sundays at 6:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 5:30 a.m.

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The School Buzz

According to The State of Preschool 2011: State Preschool Yearbook, a landmark national report by The National Institute for Early Education Research, a unit of the Graduate School of Education, Rutgers University, New Jersey remained the top-ranked state for resources provided to educate its young learners, a distinction held for the past decade.

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