Central Honors Educators, Celebrates School 'Family'

Through the good times and the bad, there’s one thing West Morris Central High School educators can count on: being part of a family.

That was the overriding theme at the annual West Morris Central High School Wall of Fame ceremony on June 17, just a day before the school community sent off another 321 graduates.

The Wall of Fame ceremony is not taken lightly, as inductees must meet a litany of career milestones while at Central before being considered by former colleagues.

This year’s inductees were two women who each gave more than 30 years of educational service to the high school: Joan Grant, and AnnMarie Steffan.

Before the inductees could be honored, current administrators and staff recognized the 2015 Distinguished Educator of the Year, along with outgoing retirees.

Teacher of History and Social Sciences, including Psychology, Erin Feltmann was named the Distinguished Educator of the Year, the third time the honor has been given to a faculty member.

Principal Steve Ryan said farewell to seven eight faculty members leaving for other positions or personal reasons, including Tiffany Johnson and the district’s technology supervisor Erica Hartman, both of whom will be working in the Morris School District, where former West Morris Regional superintendent Mackey Pendergrast began the same role earlier this month.

Ryan also recognized four retirees, including Karen Helbig, Carol Mieseles, Margaret Rydzewski, and Ken King, who combined for a total of 103 teaching years at Central.

The event’s emcee and Central alum turned teacher, Jeff DiLollo, took a moment to recognize the school’s history and how it lives on inside the classroom.

On May 26, Bonnie Young died at the age of 93. Young was the first teacher hired to work at Central when it opened in 1958 and stayed until 1984. She was honored as a Wall of Fame inductee in 2011.

She was replaced in the classroom by Janet Liggett, a current science teacher and member of the Wall of Fame committee. During Liggett’s time in the classroom, she taught Caitlin O’Leary, Young’s granddaughter. Now the two are colleagues.

“What I remember about Bonnie is how outspoken she was,” Liggett said. “She always made the kids feel important.”

Immortalized in Education

On behalf of Steffan who was unable to attend the event, former principal Gil Moscatello spoke about the longtime educator’s accomplishments and quirks during her time at Central.

Moscatello noted that Steffan is the only educator in school history to have begun her student teaching in the school, become a fulltime staffer, and retire from the district.

Steffan’s career ascended from special education teacher in the classroom to Dean of Students and finally assistant principal.

“Her input was always sought and respected,” Moscatello said. “She kept the focus on the students, and her spirit and love of education was always present. It was an honor to work alongside her.”

Introducing Joan Grant was Dr. Vincent Ruffino, also a Central retiree and Wall of Fame member.

Grant taught Spanish between 1975 and 2006, eventually becoming the World Languages lead teacher. Additionally, Grant was a major piece in launching the International Baccalaureate program in the school.

Family Gathering

The ceremony took place just days after the Board of Education and Teacher’s Association received a fact-finding report that aimed to resolve a two-year long contract stalemate.

While ongoing negotiations had lagged and become heated at times, the faculty sitting inside the library on June 18 recognized that without each other, the last two years may have been too much to overcome.

“These last two years have been the most difficult of my career,” Ryan said. “From additional exams to evaluations and two-percent caps … it’s been tough. But it’s also been great. There is no other place like West Morris Central.

“You,” Ryan said of the faculty, “are the spirit of this school.”

Assistant Principal Anne Meagher and Special Education teacher Michelle Mongey took a moment to focus on two teachers who seemingly led the charge on keeping the staff a close-knit group, heaping thanks on Liggett and Diane McManus.

“They remind us that we can keep on going,” Meagher said. “They’re the ones that make us feel like a family.”