Ventnor school district retiring teacher and staff.
VENTNOR – The Board of Education Wednesday, June 26 honored its Teachers of the Year and nine retiring district staffers and hired several more to fill vacancies. The board also honored outgoing board President James Pacanowski, who served on the board for nine years.
“Everyone who is leaving are awesome,” board President Doug Biagi said. “They should all get the Congressional Medal of Honor for their service.”
Although Teacher of the Year Matt Garbutt, who Middle School Principal Rob Baker said, “makes learning fun,” was not able to attend the meeting, Library Instructor Debbi Brahmi was on hand to accept the award. Baker called her the “book wizard with magical powers who transforms the school. She makes the library the heart of the building,” he said.
Superintendent Eileen Johnson, Middle School Principal Rob Baker and Library Instructor Debbie Brahmi.
One by one, administrators touted the retirees’ success, honoring Bob Braverman, Joe Jacobs, Sharon Salomon-Lowden, Charlene Twiggs, Anne Walsh, Rubye Eberson, Theresa Cohen and Gina Scharff.
Walsh, a kindergarten teacher, is retiring after 31 years with the district. Braverman, who instituted a TV station in the school last year, “gives the students a sense of wonder and his classroom was always an adventure,” Baker said.
Jacobs, an instrumental music teacher, “brings joy to life, sharing his amazing talents with students,” he said.
Twiggs, a writing teacher, made sure the students got the most out of their education, and Anne Marie Fussner, who has been with the district 38 years, knew exactly how to reach children, and was like a grandparent to her students, he said.
Scharff said Salomon-Lowden, who was with the district for 34 years, was a “highly committed advocate for the children,” and Eberson, who served several roles, including as Child Study Team secretary, “was always willing to go the extra mile,” she said.
Allison Ricciotti, who is taking over administration of the Child Study Team, said she has “big shoes to fill” in replacing Scharff.
And retiring Cafeteria Supervisor Theresa Cohen, who’s been with the district for 23 years, “started back when lunches were $1.65,” Business Administrator Terri Nowotny said. Over the years, she supervised 45 employees, served 21,536 students and more than 2 million lunches, Nowotny said.
On the recommendation of the superintendent, the board approved hiring Michelle Gucker as a special education teacher, Ian Campbell as an elementary school teacher to replace Ann Walsh, Hope Bromhead as teacher for a new pre-kindergarten classroom. New full-time instructional aides include Kenia Perez and Amber Henry, and Rebacca Gratz was hired as a part-time instructional aide. Greta Colman was hired as a full-time music teacher, replacing Evan Shea, who will become the district instrumental music teacher.
Superintendent Eileen Johnson announced that the Ventnor Education Foundation, which was formed two years ago, has been dissolved and funds it raised distributed to other student activity accounts.
The foundation could not compete with the Ventnor Home and School Association, Johnson said, in recruiting volunteers and raising funds. She hopes to see it reinstituted in the future, she said. The Home and School Association will take over the annual Color Run.
In other business, Biagi tabled a discussion on hiring a consultant to review educational programming and financing. Board member Kim Bassford suggested the district hire a consultant to ensure the district is doing all it can for the students and taxpayers.
The board will “continue to look into it,” he said, with input from the superintendent, solicitor and leadership of the Ventnor Education Association.
