By Andrew Corselli, Staff Writer
Nine Hillsborough residents got the experience of a lifetime on March 30 when they took part in the first “Teacher for a Day” program in the district.
The event, sponsored by the Hillsborough Education Association, connected each participant with a teacher from a school in the district. Each pair met one evening a week prior to the class to plan the lesson, and the community teacher took the helm of the class last Wednesday.
The participants were:
Susan Sturgis Spagnola, the president of the Hillsborough Education Foundation, who worked with Sheila Marce at Amsterdam School teaching first grade;
Joanne Liscovitz, realtor and dance teacher, with Melissa Blevins at the high school teaching freshman English;
Mike Reilly, owner and director of the Hillsborough Funeral Home, with Lynn Winters-Mineo at Auten Road Intermediate School teaching sixth grade science and math;
Bob Hawkes, Somerset County assistant prosecutor, with Joan Sheridan at the high school teaching social studies;
Pastor Bill Zimmerman, who practices at Faith Lutheran Church with Christine Haas teaching English at the high school, and
Frank Blandino, attorney with the township prosecutor, with Alyssia Puma teaching English at the high school.
Three Board of Education members participated. Marc Rosenberg worked with David Dragani in social studies and special education at the high school. Judy Haas worked with Connie Swanzer in the high school media center, and Thuy Anh Le paired in special education at the middle school with Maria DeLucia.
Of 50 invitations sent out, 11 residents responded, with two saying they couldn’t make it. HEA President Barbara Parker said there will “definitely” be another Teacher for a Day event next year.
”We were thrilled,” Ms. Parker said. “We thought that the participants really got a great experience. They got to see what a day was like in the life of a teacher, and to see our students and our programs.”
Chairpersons for the event were Auten Road Intermediate School teachers Kelly Villano and Amy Salinger, in addition to Ms. Parker.

