Vernon teachers honored for many years in the classroom

Vernon — Several long-standing teachers were recognized for their dedication by the board of education. “There is something about a teacher,” said Superintendent Dr. John Alfieri. “You can’t quantify it, you can’t put a dollar value on it. It’s not just a person with a plan book, it’s the person who cleans the halls and the person who answers the phone. You all have something to teach.” Twenty staff members were rewarded for 25 years of service: Primary school teachers Christine Kelshaw, Nancy Krauss, Debra Piccirillo, John Gunter, Maureen McCall, Rosemarie McLeod, Gail Smith, Fran Perrotta and Toni Snyder; middle school teachers Maureen O’Rourke, Carol Bergeron, Karen Ganssle, Rosemary Gebhart and Arlene Lawler and high school teachers Sandra Coleman, Dan Osenni, Rosalyn Edelson, Patricia Rapp, Pamela Schaeffer and Maria Ulloa. Ten employees were awarded for 30 years of service: Maryanne Sampar of Walnut Ridge Primary, Jane Silipino of Cedar Mountain Primary School, Sue Struble and David Willer of Glen Meadow Middle School and James Barta, Terry Cassidy, Robert Chorney, Stefanie Gastaldello and Vincent Stracquatanio of Vernon Township High School. And, three employees were recognized for their 35 years with the district, including one special honor for board member David Zweier. He got to accept the award for his father, Richard Zweier, who is a teacher at the high school. Richard Zweier also sent a letter to the board, thanking them for the award and saying how proud he was of his son in his first year on the school board. He also shared his rules for teaching. “We teach people first and [teach] content second,” he wrote. “To paraphrase Winston Churchill ‘Never, never, never quit.’” Ronald Napello and Kevin Wilkerson of Loundsberry Hollow Middle School were also honored. Ellen Phalon, was also honored for being chosen by the Sussex County Association for Retarded Citizens as the Sussex County 2010 Special Education Teacher of the Year. Phalon, a support services teacher at Vernon Township High School, has been working in the district for 10 years.