Middlesex School Admins Request Murphy To Vaccinate Teachers

SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ — The Middlesex County Association of School Administrators joined their counterparts from neighboring school districts in urging Gov. Phil Murphy to prioritize vaccinating teachers and school staff.

The association said it was compelled to write to Murphy as they felt school staff and faculty were not being administered the with COVID-19 vaccine fast enough, to allow schools to provide students with a safe learning environment.

“It is apparent that many states have enacted aggressive educator vaccination strategies... Middlesex’ educational leaders are here to support your likely commitment to do the same.”

They said it was urgent to vaccinate educators “quickly” as they were “essential frontline workers and their efforts contribute not only to the health of New Jersey's economy, but to the future of every child in this state.”

To facilitate vaccination for staff and teachers, the association said they were willing to help.

“County public school leaders are prepared to contribute facilities, skilled staff and operational planning teams to the vaccination effort,” the association said. “The Road Back Plan protocols are in place in each of our schools.”

In their letter, the association outlined how they can help the state in its vaccination effort.

They said schools are an ideal vaccination site as they have adequate parking, large indoor spaces, staffing and communications capabilities.

“Schools deal with large-scale events and the logistics associated with them all the time,” the association said.

“School districts and our schools know how to plan for and set up large events, staff them, run them, and keep people safe.”

The group said it was ready to offer “mobile units to vaccinate staff and faculty onsite,” in case the state chose not use school facilities.

“Local access would alleviate the loss of further instructional time while teachers and staff who wish to be vaccinated will not have to travel to vaccination sites across the state,” said the letter.

As more vaccination supplies are set to come in, the association urged Murphy “to earmark supplies for distribution to educators and be administered onsite in local districts.”

“Please ensure that our teachers and staff receive the priority they deserve in the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines,” the association said.

Members of the association include:

1. Scott Taylor, Highland Park
2. Stephanie Brown, Milltown
3. Brian Betze, Jamesburg
4. Vincent Caputo, Metuchen
5. David Cittadino, Old Bridge
6. Jorge Diaz, South Amboy
7. Rosa Diaz, Carteret
8. Scott Feder, South Brunswick
9. Mark Finkelstein, Education Services Commission of New Jersey)
10. Susan Genco, Cranbury
11. Dori Alvich, Monroe
12. Aubrey Johnson, New Brunswick
13. Vanessa Jones, Greater Brunswick Charter School
14. Richard Labbe, Sayreville
15. Noreen Lishak, South Plainfield
16. Gene Mosley, Dunellen
17. Graham Peabody, Spotswood
18. Frank Ranelli, Piscataway
19. David Roman, Perth Amboy
20. Sylvia Zircher, South River
21. Victor Valeski, East Brunswick
22. Dianne Veilleux, Middlesex County Vocational-Technical
23. Robert Zega, Woodbridge
24. Frederick Williams, Middlesex
25. Namik Sercan, Central Jersey College Prep Charter School
26. Brian Zychowski, North Brunswick

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