Longtime head of Wayne teachers union retires, takes post with NJEA
WAYNE — Eda Ferrante, the longtime leader of the local teachers association, retired from the K-12 district to accept a new job in the state union.
The veteran educator, who began her career in Brick Township in September 1997, served as the president of the Wayne union for more than seven years before stepping down.
Ferrante’s role as a union chief sometimes put her in conflict with the Board of Education.
Her teaching assignment was a topic of standing-room-only meetings in September 2019, when she was handed a full slate of social studies classes at Wayne Hills High School.
A stipulation in the union contract released her from teaching duties, but a court decision out of Jersey City cast doubt on the validity of that arrangement.
After weeks of debate, trustees relented and — against the opinion of their attorney — let Ferrante concentrate on union affairs. The court ruling that started the controversy was overturned in February 2021.
Ferrante, 51, of Cedar Grove, was paid $119,480 per year. Under the contract terms, the union covered three-quarters of her salary. She is now a field rep for the New Jersey Education Association, connecting college students with employment opportunities and helping outgoing teachers with retirement planning.
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Last week, the school board recognized Ferrante for her contributions to the district. Trustee Matthew Giordano read a list of her career highlights, saying she is a “definite asset” to the state union.
Among her accomplishments was securing a $30,000 grant from the state union at the height of the pandemic. The funds were spent on baby monitors for hospital maternity wards. The money also went toward the cost of iPads for the terminally ill, who used them to communicate with their loved ones in their final hours.
Robert Sarti, a math teacher at Schuyler-Colfax Middle School, took over as the union president.
Philip DeVencentis is a local reporter for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
Email: devencentis@northjersey.com
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Wayne teacher Eda Ferrante accepts job with NJEA
