Newark Teachers Union Holds Humongous Pizza Party For Staff

NEWARK, NJ — A “quintessential New Jersey gesture of appreciation” – a massive pizza party – recently took place for the members of the Newark Teachers Union (Local 481).

Over a three-day period last month, the union expected to order nearly 2,000 pizzas from local restaurants, serving them up for lunch at schools across the district. It was an appreciated token of respect, one member said.

“Over the past two years, teachers have put their heart and soul into ensuring that their students received the best education possible considering the circumstances,” said Silvia Pereira, a teacher of English as a second language at Newark’s South Street School.

“Throughout this time, our union supported us every step of the way,” Pereira said. “It’s nice to be appreciated — and who doesn’t like pizza?”

The pizza-fueled blowout came as the district marked the second anniversary of the coronavirus pandemic. It also comes as the district readies to lift some “secondary layers of protection” that have been in place, such as desk shields and footwear sanitizing stations.

Newark teachers and staff deserve to be commended, NTU President John Abeigon said.

“We appreciate everything you have done and continue to do in this crazy time,” Abeigon told educators. “Frustrated and exhausted, you have earned the right to celebrate the hard work and dedication of the NTU membership. We are proud to be your union.”

American Federation of Teachers New Jersey President Donna Chiera called the pizza party a “quintessential New Jersey gesture of appreciation.”

“As we slowly return to normal in our state and in our public schools, we need to take a moment to acknowledge and thank all educators and staff who had direct contact with students during the pandemic,” Chiera said.

• See related article: 'War On Learning Loss': Newark Teachers Union Calls For Citywide Effort To Catch Students Up

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com

Sign up for Patch email newsletters. Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site. Don’t forget to visit the Patch Newark Facebook page.