NJEA and BEN-FM have partnered to educate the public about the important role Educational Support Professionals play in our schools and in our communities. Each month, BEN-FM features an NJEA ESP member in a 60-second radio ad talking about the contributions they make in their students’ education.
A song in her heart
Rose Casey is the president of the Educational Assistants of Cherry Hill. She has been working with middle school students with special needs for the 10 years. She loves helping her students learn and grow. Rose starts her school day playing the saxophone with band students in their home room. She's played for 50 years and serves as a member of the middle school band. They often play together after school and at community events. She lives just a mile from school and enjoys seeing her students both in and out of school. Rose is featured in the latest NJEA ad running on BEN-FM for the month of May.
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A trusted adult and confidant
Lynn Cianci has been a food service worker in the Washington Township School District for 19 years. She enjoys the challenge of preparing nutritious and appealing meals for high school students, but the thing she enjoys most about her job is interacting with her students. Lynn is featured in the latest NJEA ad running on BEN-FM for the month of April.
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Keeping schools running
For the past 22 years, Brian Currie has been a maintenance mechanic in the Buena Regional School District. His workday is busy and may include an array of tasks ranging from performing maintenance on the heating system, to helping a students find a lost retainer. But his favorite part of the job is spending time with his students and encouraging them to do their best and make good choices. That’s why Brian is the latest NJEA member featured in a 60-second radio ad on BEN-FM this March. Brian is also featured in one of NJEA’s latest television commercials. Listen
Working with parents as a team
Darlene McKnight, Trenton Paraprofessional Association member, is the latest educational support professional to be featured in a series of ads running on Philadelphia’s BEN-FM.
In February, she shares her role as a parent liaison in Trenton’s public schools. She talks about how she works to expand students’ worldview to see greater possibilities for themselves. Through her work she knows firsthand that all parents want their children to attend a great public school. In the ad, McKnight talks about how she helps students see their role in taking advantage of the opportunities a great public education can provide.
McKnight has been active in the Trenton school system for over 30 years, first as a volunteer and now as a staff member.
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Keeping schools safe
School security guards and custodial and maintenance workers keep our public schools safe, healthy places to learn. That's why NJEA and BEN-FM are highlighting the important work they do in two 60-second radio ads.
This ad features Mark Eckert (left), a custodian at Tinc Road Elementary School in Mount Olive. This former Marine explains how thanks to their expertise in the building trades, custodial and maintenance workers save districts thousands of dollars a year. Mark is the vice-president of the Mount Olive Education Association. His ad runs through the month of January.
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Another ad features Joe Galego (right), the head security guard at Thomas Edison Career Academy High School in Elizabeth. Joe shares how security guards not only help their students feel secure, they help them mature into responsible young adults. Joe serves as vice-president of the Union County Education Association. His ad ran through the month of December.
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Helping students succeed
Anyone who has ever worked in a public school knows, the person who keeps things running smoothly is the school secretary. School secretaries work with all members of the school team, including parents, to ensure that everyone has what they need to help students succeed. That’s why NJEA and BEN-FM are highlighting Donna O’Malley, a school secretary in Tabernacle and vice-president of the Burlington County Education Association in a 60-second radio ad. The ad ran five times a week through the month of November.
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Starting the day off right
School bus drivers are the first people our students see each school day and the last ones to get them home safely at night. To spotlight the important work of these NJEA members during National School Bus Safety Month, driver Traci Davis (right) of the Glassboro Education Association recorded a 60-second radio ad on radio station BEN-FM. The ad ran five times a week through the month of October. Listen
Caring for kids
For the month of September, NJEA’s ESP of the Year Marge Vallieu shared how she helps the children at her school feel safe and well cared for in her career as a cafeteria manager in the Gloucester Township School District.
Marge and her colleagues feed hundreds of students a day, so the folks at BEN-FM planned to bring the staff a catered lunch to thank them for their commitment to our public schools and the children of Gloucester Township.
The ads ran five times a week through the month of September.
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