Ex-Verona Teacher Made $266K Gift To N.J. School, Honored Posthumously

VERONA, NJ — Verona school administrators plan to rename the Verona High School library the “Arthur Acquaviva Learning Commons” in honor of a generous gift and lifetime of service from a former teacher.

Verona High will rename its library after Acquaviva – long known as “Mr. A” to staff and students alike – who made a $266,042 donation to his old alma mater that district officials learned about earlier this year.

Acquaviva passed away on May 18, 2014.

“Earlier this year, we received news that Acquaviva made a significant donation to Verona High School in the amount of $266,042,” district administrators stated in a recent news release. “In accepting this generous contribution, we will be renaming our library the Arthur Acquaviva Learning Commons. The donation provides funds to continue Art’s desire to enhance VHS with a 21st Century space.”

School administrators continued:

“The Verona Public Schools partnered with Dancker, Sellew & Douglas (DS&D) in order to infuse the learning space with new and flexible furnishings to meet our student and faculty needs. Additional funds provided by Acquaviva will be allocated for a scholarship fund for Verona High School graduates.”

A formal dedication of the Arthur Acquaviva Learning Commons is being planned for a future date, administrators said.

Verona Superintendent Rui Rionisio wrote that Acquaviva was an “incredibly caring man whose memory will live on.”

According to school officials:

“A graduate of VHS, [Acquaviva] later served as a substitute teacher, teacher of science and mathematics prior to being named as Director of Library and Media Services. Art was named Library Media Specialist in 2000. During his tenure, he was responsible for leading the eff­ort to transform our library into a 21st Century learning facility. He belonged to several professional library organizations, as well as the advisor of our Mu Alpha Theta Math Honor Society… Acquaviva led a number of initiatives to modernize the Verona High School library. Some of the enhancements included increasing our educational databases, creating a system for accessing online reference materials and various novels, and creating and leading the 9th Grade Orientation to our Library and Media Center.”

School officials added:

“While Art certainly had a positive impact on the overall structure of our library, his greatest impact was felt when one observed him assisting our students in the library on a daily basis. His calm, pleasant, and positive demeanor made our library a welcoming place for all students, staff­, and community members. His love and adoration for VHS was clearly evident, both in word and deed. He was greatly respected by his students, our staff­, and the community of Verona.”

“I had the opportunity to work with Mr. A during my years as a paraprofessional at VHS,” Lisa Freschi commented on a LinkedIn post about Acquaviva. “What a wonderful legacy he has left us; such a testament to his dedication to his life's work.”

Photo: Verona Public Schools

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