NJ Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages/
NJ Bilingual Educators
NJTESOL-NJBE Mission Statement
NJTESOL/NJBE, Inc. is a not-for-profit professional and educational organization whose purposes are:
- To actively support the development of bilingual education and the teaching of English as a Second Language
- To strengthen instruction at all levels
- To disseminate educational information as related to professional development
- To provide educational services such as workshops, conferences, and consulting assistance
- To promote scholarship and foster research in first and second language acquisition and bilingual/bicultural studies; and
- To cooperate in appropriate ways with other groups having similar interests and concerns.
2016-2017 NJTESOL/NJBE Executive Board

President
JoAnne Negrin, Vineland Public Schools (Cumberland Co.)
Vice President/President-Elect
Caia Schlessinger, Colts Neck High School/Freehold Regional High School District
Past-President
Sandee McBride, Part-time Lecturer, Rutgers University
Secretary
Gregory Romero, Carteret School District
Treasurer
Maria Jaume, Clifton Public Schools
Liaison
Tina Kern, Morris School District in Morristown, NJ
Business Administrator
Gwen Franks
Historian
Barbara Tedesco
Consultant: LLAMAME, LLC
North Jersey Field Coordinator/ Instructor NJ EXCEL Program
Sociopolitical Concerns Representative
Elizabeth Franks
Consultant: LLAMAME, LLC
Representative-at-Large/Membership Chair
Joan Pujol, Dumont Public Schools: Retired
Social Media Coordinator
Judie Haynes
Technology Coordinator
Marilyn Pongracz, Bergen Community College
Voices Editor
Roselyn Rauch, Retired
Voices Layout Designer
Dawn Marie Arthur
Adult Education
Debbie DeBlasio, Department Chair of Languages and ESL// Assistant Professor, ESL
Brookdale Community College, Lincroft, NJ
Bilingual/ESL Early Childhood/Pre-K – Kdg. Representative
Carole Maurer, ESL Teacher, Ocean City School District
Bilingual Elementary 1-8 Representative
Sandra S. Nahmias, Linden Public Schools
Bilingual Secondary Representative
Larry Bello, Bilingual/ESL Resource Specialist at Perth Amboy Public Schools
ESL Elementary 1 – 5 Representative
Maryellen Fitzpatrick, NJDOE Regional Achievement Center
ESL Middle School 6 – 8 Representative
Michelle Land, Bilingual/ESL Middle School SIG, Randolph Public Schools
ESL Secondary Representative
Marcella Garavaglia, Colts Neck High School/Freehold Regional High School District
Higher Education Representative
Howard Pomann, Director of the Institute for Intensive English, Union County College
Graduate Student Representative
Surinder Kaur
Parent/Community Representative
Angeline Sturgis, K-3 ESL, Lawrence Township, NJ.
Special Education
Sonya Bertini, Vineland Public School
Supervisors’ SIG Representative
Yasmin Hernandez-Manno, Newark Public Schools
Teacher Education Representative
Bryan Meadows, Fairleigh Dickinson University
NJTESOL-NJBE Chapters
Information: Joan Pujol, Representative-at-Large
ATLANTIC-CAPE MAY CONSORTIUM
Contact Jessica Newkirk
BERGEN/PASSAIC COUNTIES CHAPTER
Contact Hilary Almeida, Chair, Lucy Dolin, or Linda Mankofsky
BURLINGTON ESL CONSORTIUM
Contact Kathy Fernandez or Mary Mansfield
CAMDEN/NORTHERN GLOUCESTER COUNTY
Contact Surinder Kaur, Madji Fall, Angela Serafine-Timm, or Aphrodite Dellaporta
CUMBERLAND COUNTY
Contact Laurine Sibilia
ESSEX/MORRIS/UNION CHAPTER
Contact Julia Gaona
MERCER REGIONAL CHAPTER
Contact Laurie Knab
MIDDLESEX COUNTY CHAPTER
Contact Joan Pujol if you would like to organize meetings for this chapter.
OCEAN COUNTY CHAPTER
Contact Susan Cragg, Susan Malta, Patricia Britt, or Suzan Cole
SHORE CHAPTER (Monmouth County)
Contact Susan Cragg, Susan Malta, Patricia Britt, or Suzan Cole
SOMERSET/HUNTERDON CHAPTER
Contact Stefanie Myers
TRI-COUNTY CONSORTIUM (Camden/Gloucester/Salem)
Contact Judy Tucker
WARREN COUNTY CHAPTER
Contact Joan Pujol if you would like to organize meetings for this chapter.
NO CHAPTER HERE FOR YOU?
If you do not have a chapter near you and wish to help organize one, please contact Joan Pujol.
2017 Calendar
SAVE THESE DATES!
These are upcoming national, state, and local events. If you have something to add, send an e-mail to voices@njtesol-njbe.org. Put Voices Calendar in the subject line.
February 23-25 NABE (National Association for Bilingual Education) National Conference, Leadership for Equity and Excellence through Bilingualism and Biliteracy, Dallas, TX. https://nabe.org/
March 21-24
TESOL International: TESOL 2.0: Engage, Enrich, Empower; Seattle, Washington. https://www.tesol.org/
May 16 (Tuesday)
Bergen-Passaic Chapter End-of-Year Dinner: La Havana 59 Restaurant; 110 Moonachie Avenue, Moonachie, NJ. 6:00 PM. You can find menu and pricing information at La Havana 59. Please bring cash.
May 31, June 1, and 2 (Wednesday, Thursday, Friday)
NJTESOL/NJBE: 2017 Spring Conference- Engage and Empower ELLs for Excellence. General interest, bilingual, ESL, and advocacy will be presented all 3 days. Wednesday and Thursday has workshops for Pre-K through 8. Friday is for HS, Higher Ed, Teacher Ed, Adult Ed, and K-12 Administrators. Hyatt Regency Hotel, New Brunswick.
September 23 (Saturday)
The NJDOE in partnership with Rutgers University, NJTESOL/NJBE, and local school districts: Bilingual & Proud! 2017 Parent Expo for Student Success. For the parents/guardians of ELLs in NJ’s K-12 public schools: attend workshops, participate in college campus tours, meet with local community agencies, and receive resources and information. 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Rutgers University, Douglas Campus Student Center. Contact ELLParentExpo@doe.state.nj.us.
October (Beginning)
NJTESOL/NJBE: 2018 Spring Conference- On-line registration begins. Hyatt Regency Hotel, New Brunswick.
November 9-10
New Jersey Education Association (NJEA): Standing Together: Education Justice=Social Justice=Student Success-How to Achieve Social Equity Through Public Education, Annual Convention, Atlantic City Convention Center, Atlantic City, NJ.
November 17 (Friday)
NJTESOL/NJBE 2018 Spring Conference: Call for Proposals: Workshops, Demonstrations, Papers, Seminars, Research, and Poster Sessions may be submitted. Submit online at https://njtesol-njbe.org; deadline November 17 is firm. Contact Caia Schlessinger
Be sure to check our web site https://njtesol-njbe.org for any changes in schedules and for additional programs. Click also on Chapter News.
Voices Submission Guidelines
(Updated January, 2017)
Articles must be submitted electronically as an attachment in a Microsoft Word Document. All articles must have a byline which contains your specific job information (Name, Telephone #, E-mail Address, School District).
Now that we are an on-line publication, there is virtually no restriction on article length. However, a recommended length is between 500-1000 words; some may be shorter, others longer and may span issues.
Photos must be labeled and be in either black and white or sharp color; digital photos are preferable if the resolution is 300dpi. Internet links in articles must be live and checked for accuracy.
Articles missing any of the above information will not be considered.
It is the sender’s responsibility to provide all necessary correct information.
Please follow the following Writing Guidelines:
- The email subject line should have your name and Special Interest Group (SIG,) if applicable; IT SHOULD NOT SAY Voices 2018 article. (Would you like all in your class of 30 students to submit their essays with the same heading: Teacher’s Monday Assignment?)
Article features:
- Title By First Name Last Name.
- Times New Roman 12 single spaced, left justified.
- First line of paragraphs indented.
- First time use of an acronym must be spelled out; use acronym subsequently.
- We say a student is an ELL (English language learner) or students are ELLs (English language learners); we do not write ELL(s) student(s) Think about the grammar when you read out the acronym as words. We might use ESL students.
- When we write out what ELL stands for only English gets capitalized.
- Please do not use exclamation points unless the page is on fire.
- Please do not use ampersands: write out the word “and.”
- Your name, SIG, current employment/ position, and contact information – your NJTESOL/NJBE email and any other you may wish to use- is to be placed at the end of the article and used consistently.
Articles missing any of the above information will not be considered and will not be returned.
It is the sender’s responsibility to provide all necessary correct information.
PLEASE NOTE: VOICES deadlines* are:
- Spring Issue — March 15
- Summer Issue — June 15
- Fall Issue — September 15
- Winter Issue — December 15
*Early submissions are accepted.
VOICES takes 6-8 weeks to publish from the date of deadline. PLEASE BE CAREFUL with DATED MATERIALS or UPCOMING EVENTS. They may have become outdated or have passed by the time of publication.
Your comments and suggestions are always welcomed. Any questions? Contact the editor using NJTESOL/NJBE VOICES in the subject line.
Advertising in Voices
Contact the editor using NJTESOL-NJBE Voices ADVERTISING in the subject line.
Annual Rates for 4 On-line Color Issues:
- Business Card: 55.00
- 1/8 Page: 112.50
- 1/4 Page: 225.00
- 1/2 Page: 375.00
- Full Page: 500.00
All advertisements are noted on, and receive a direct link from, the Cover Page.
Note: Advertising is printed as a service to our membership but does not imply endorsement.
Masthead
NJTESOL/NJBE Voices Editorial Board
NJ Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages/NJ Bilingual Educators
Voices WINTER 2017 – Volume 46 No. 1
Editor
Roselyn Rauch, Ed.D.
Paterson Public Schools: Retired, Consultant: ESL Unlimited
Layout
Dawn Marie Arthur
Technology
Marilyn Pongracz
Bergen Community College
Membership/Mailings
Gwen Franks
NJTESOL/NJBE Business Administrator
Advertising
Roselyn O. Rauch, Ed.D.
Note: Advertising is printed as a service to our membership but does not imply endorsement.
Voices is the quarterly publication of NJTESOL/NJBE printed Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall. It is a benefit to members of NJTESOL/NJBE.
For change of address or membership/subscription questions, contact membership@njtesol-njbe.org
Membership
IS YOUR MEMBERSHIP UP-TO-DATE?
Your membership expiration date is included in the e-mail of the Voices newsletter, which is sent to you four times each year. Your renewal date is after your last name.
If you need to renew, go to: https://njtesol-njbe.org and click on “Membership Application.” You can use the online form and pay with a credit card or PayPal account. If you would prefer to pay by check or school purchase requisition, please print and mail one of the paper forms. By renewing, you will be kept current and continue to receive Voices and any up-to-the-minute news.
E-MAIL ADDRESS:
Please be sure to send us your e-mail address; DO NOT USE a school e-mail, our communications will be sent into their SPAM folder. Use your home e-mail. Send your current home e-mail address to membership@njtesol-njbe.org
MOVING?
Remember to let us know your new address! Contact membership@njtesol-njbe.org or
NJTESOL/NJBE, Inc. /Membership
230 Ashland Avenue
Cherry Hill, NJ 08003
The Hotlist
If you are among the more than 1100 NJTESOL/NJBE members participating in the Hotlist, you know that the Hotlist is communication, networking, problem-solving, and advice at your fingertips. With just a few clicks to open your e-mail, you can find information about state laws and standards, advice, best practices, material searches, testing questions, and advocacy. A sampling of recent topics demonstrates the scope of the subjects under discussion.

- Resources for ELLs
- Modified Lessons for Newcomers
- Standards
- English classes for parents of ELL students
- Exiting Students
- Higher Ed Materials
- Assessment
- Testing
As an organization, we would like to thank those who regularly provide carefully thought-out, researched replies to the many questions that members pose. We especially appreciate the answers to questions of state regulations and testing given by Lori Ramella, Ken Bond, and Jacquelyn León at the New Jersey Department Of Education (NJDOE).
Hosted at Webelists, we have been able to enjoy almost uninterrupted communication for the four and a half years in spite of increased security by members’ e-mail providers. However, the main cause of blocked messages is due to members reporting them as spam. For this reason, if you decide that you do not want to participate, do not report messages as spam! E-mail me at tech1@njtesol-njbe.org to be removed from the list.
Please also be careful not to accidently send a message to your spam folder. If you do, your e-mail will be removed immediately. I avoid this by using the delete key on my computer rather than the mouse. If you think that this has happened, you can contact me to have your address put back on.
Thank you.
Marilyn
Marilyn Pongracz is our web-mistress and may be reached at tech1@njtesol-njbe.org
[The hotlist is currently hosted at njtesolbe-hot@lyris.dundee.net]
Winter 2017 Features / SIGs
Voices Home Page / NJTESOL/NJBE Home Page
