Galloway School District Signs Patriotic Statement of Support

Roland Rogers Elementary School third-grade teacher Terry Dougherty’s accomplishments just scratch the surface of the Galloway Township School District’s commitment to those who serve in the military.

With a representative from Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) on hand at Monday night’s Board of Education meeting at the middle school, district representatives signed a Patriotic Statement of Support to those who serve in the military.

“We appreciate everything you’re doing,” Donna Clementoni, director of employment outreach for the New Jersey Committee of ESGR, told the Board of Education Monday night, Feb. 13.

A Patriotic Statement of Support was given to the school district and to each individual school in the district. According to the ESGR's website, the statement of support says an employer will "fully recognize, honor and enforce the Uniformed Services Employment and Re-Employment Rights Act (USERRA)"; that its "managers and supervisors will have the tools they need to effectively manage those employees who serve in the Guard and Reserve;" and that employer "will continually recognize and support our country’s service members and their families in peace, in crises and in war."

“It says the school will do whatever it can to welcome home those who serve in the military,” Clementoni said. “The school will abide by the law.”

It means they are Employer Patriots, Clementoni said, which includes helping those in the service maintain their health insurance and hold on to their job while they are serving in the military.

Atlantic County Sheriff Frank X. Balles was recently bestowed a similar honor, when he was awarded with the Above and Beyond Award and the Patriot Award after he was nominated by an employee he helped get readjusted to civilian life. ESGR also recently recognized Dougherty with the Seven Seals Award, around the same time Dougherty won the Great American Teach-Off.

Clementoni pointed out that 48 percent of the nation's total defense comes from the National Guard and the Reserve. Her organization was established by the Department of Defense following the end of the Military Draft.

“We want to make the community aware of what they’re doing,” Clementoni said. “ … A lot of these servicemen are coming back to unemployment. We all need to bear in mind the sacrifice they made for us.”

According to Clementoni, less than 1 percent of the total population of the country is involved in the military.

Galloway Board of Education President Ernest Huggard at one time was counted among those servicemen.

“I served for 28 years,” Huggard said. “I support the Guard and Reserve all the time. I do appreciate (the statement of support) and I will treasure this.”

Dougherty brought attention to the servicemen in the school system when she won the Great American Teach-Off last year. She won the award for her work with children who have parents in the military who are constantly relocating.

The process can be particularly difficult for parents, and students are often afforded an excused absence to spend time with their parents when they are home on leave.

“There is a high concentration of parents in the military, so what Terry’s doing is important,” Clementoni said, adding that the majority of the community might not realize how close they live to someone in the military. “ … A lot of times, people don’t even know their neighbors are guardsmen. They just see them leaving their houses in civilian clothes and they might not realize those people spend time training with their guard and reserve units.”

Any employer interested in having a signing can contact Clementoni at poet4pop@aol.com.

Any company interested in learning more about how to be compliant with the law as far as welcoming back veterans can contact the organization through its website at esgr.org.

For more information on the New Jersey committee, visit njesgr.org.