I just finished reading the article about Joseph Ferraina. I must say it was well written. Mr. Ferraina is a truly caring man. He always has the best interest of the students in mind. I had one child graduate from Long Branch High School in 2001. He graduated in the top 10 percent of his class and was National Honor Society treasurer. My other child went preschool through fourth grade in Long Branch.
My daughter was in need of speech therapy from preschool through fourth grade due to a condition called verbal apraxia. Mr. Ferraina not only allowed my daughter speech three days a week, he also allowed a speech therapist to come to the secondary school for my child even though the therapist worked in the primary school. He did this because he knew the progress this therapist had with my daughter. Other districts would simply not care as long as they provided a therapist — it wouldn’t matter if it worked or not. Mr. Ferraina again showed his compassion for a child. I think his new job should be to train other superintendents, but I guess you can’t teach passion. You have to feel it.
Mr. Ferraina is the best there is, and it is a definite loss to the Long Branch schools that he is retiring. The man truly loves children, and it shows. This was not just a job for him. It is his passion.
Barbara Greely Ocean Township