SAYREVILLE – Two retiring special education teachers have been recognized for their three decades of service to the Sayreville School District.
On Feb. 4, the Board of Education honored the retirements of Kathleen Vernados-James and Joan Younger, both of whom serve as special education teachers at Sayreville Middle School. Their retirements will both become effective at the official start of the 2020-21 school year, July 1.
“We do have some bittersweet motions to which we have to accept the retirements of very special and beloved staff members who have worked in our district for a very long period of time,” Superintendent of Schools Richard Labbe said.
According to Labbe, Vernados-James has been a special education teacher at the middle school for approximately 30 years.
“We congratulate her on her retirement, serving the students of the Sayreville community,” the superintendent said. “She has worked in both the resource room and self-contained classroom settings, assisting students with special needs and those without special needs. Throughout her many years of teaching, she has continued to use instructional technique techniques, which has resulted in student-driven learning.
“Her warm, calming demeanor has supported the classroom environment in which her students have come to enjoy,” he continued. “She also worked tirelessly with the Sayreville Middle School’s Title I student population and was a lead teacher for the school-wide character education pennant program, which is still in use now. Kathleen has been a dedicated and hardworking employee with an enormous heart. She has demonstrated, time after time, her love for children on a daily basis. We would like to congratulate her on her retirement and wish her the very best. She will truly be missed.”
The superintendent stated that Younger has served the district for almost 30 years and has been at the middle school since 2001.
“She has worked in both the resource room as well as the self-contained classroom settings assisting students with special needs,” Labbe said. “She’s an expert teacher in language arts and has always displayed the importance of student-centered learning with her teaching. Ms. Young constantly displayed a warm but businesslike-atmosphere throughout her instruction. She is a wonderful person and has supported the Sayreville Middle School students for her entire career impeccably. We would like to congratulate her too on her retirement and wish her the very best of luck in all that she does.
“On behalf of the students, the staff, the administration and, of course, our Board of Education, we congratulate both Mrs. Vernados-James and Miss Younger on their retirements. We wish them the very best of luck in all future endeavors and we thank them for the impeccable manner in which they have served this district and, most importantly, our students.”
