'Save Mr. Levy': Aberdeen kids' campaign to keep favorite teacher puts face on school cuts

During the difficult school year of 2020-21, when the COVID pandemic forced classes at Strathmore Elementary School in Aberdeen to meet online, teacher Josh Levy did everything he could to keep students engaged. That included personal check-ins.

“He stopped by every student’s home to see if they were OK,” said Laura Gammoh, whose son Brody was in Levy’s class that year.

A relatively new teacher at the time, Levy continued to form bonds when schools reopened. He played his guitar in his second- and third-grade classes, leading kids in serenading their classmates on birthdays. He showed up at after-school concerts and club fundraisers to support his students.

"He makes learning fun," Gammoh said. "When you think of Strathmore, you think of Mr. Levy.”

Last week, after news broke that Levy is among the 16 teachers and staff members being laid off by the Matawan-Aberdeen School District due to a loss in state funding, his current and former students — and their parents — showed up at the May 6 board of education meeting to support him.

In droves.

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Well over 100 visitors packed the meeting to protest the loss of Levy. Many held signs, and dozens spoke at the podium as the proceedings stretched past 11 p.m.

School-budget cuts often get cast in numerical terms — dollar figures, and numbers of positions reduced — but this was a flesh-and-blood example of the pain they’re causing.

“I hate to see anybody lose their job, but especially someone who has invested so much of their time and energy into our students,” said Abigail Zusi, whose daughter Veronica was in Levy’s class three years ago. “It’s such a huge loss.”

A petition and a Facebook page

Veronica Zuzi, who is finishing up fifth grade now, was among the dozen or so students who spoke at the board meeting.

“Veronica is a shy kid, she doesn’t say two words in class, but she felt she had to do it for Mr. Levy,” Abigail Zusi said. “She came home from the meeting hysterically crying. She just felt so bad for him, and for her younger siblings who won’t be able to have him as a teacher.”

The community’s feeling about this is so strong that a petition to retain Levy already has nearly 900 signatures on Change.org. And a Facebook page titled “Save Mr. Levy” was launched, quickly gathering 340 followers.

“He will be hard to replace, and eventually they will need to hire another third-grade teacher because we have way too much building going on here and more kids will enter the schools,” said Strathmore parent Jamie Crismali, who started the petition. “So I wish we could find a way to hold him here.”

Levy, who grew up in Aberdeen and attended Strathmore as a student, is finishing up his fifth year in the district and was up for tenure in the fall. He did not respond to an interview request by the Asbury Park Press but did send a note to parents that was reposted on the "Save Mr. Levy" Facebook page.

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“You have shown me kindness and support like I never would have imagined,” wrote Levy, who attended the May 6 school board meeting. “I just hope that I have positively impacted you, your family and most importantly, your children in a positive way through my teaching. I will never forget what you have all done for me over the past five years. And for that, I say thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

Matawan-Aberdeen superintendent Nelyda Perez announced the staff reductions in an April 26 letter.

“During the last four years, the federal American Rescue Plan Elementary & Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER) has protected districts from declining aid, rising costs associated with increased student enrollment, employee salaries and benefits, and widespread inflation. The loss of this funding has negatively impacted our 2024-2025 budget,” Perez wrote. “To meet our obligation to develop a balanced budget, we were forced to make many adjustments and reductions for the next school year. This unfortunately includes a reduction in staff, which in turn will also impact staff assignments, locations, programs, and service delivery.”

Perez declined to respond to questions about the layoffs from the Asbury Park Press, including whether the state legislature's schools rescue package that passed Monday could alter her district's layoff plans. Multiple parents who attended the May 6 meeting said some officials present were blatantly inattentive as students addressed them.

"Some of the board members seemed not to care at all," Crismali said. "These kids waited two hours to speak. At least give them your attention."

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'The lights have turned off'

Levy’s deep connection to the community is fueling the angst over his departure. He served as a local summer camp counselor and coaches travel softball in town.

At Strathmore Elementary School there is a memorial garden in honor of his sister Jamie, who died of a brain tumor at age 6 in 2003. The Jamie Levy Memorial Scholarship for Volunteerism and Community Service is awarded to graduating seniors at Matawan High School each spring. Funds for the scholarship are raised through a December bake sale, and a portion of those proceeds also go to various children’s charities in the area.

“Whoever made this decision, I don’t think they realized how much of an impact he has in the community,” Gammoh said.

“They made a bad call on this,” said Strathmore parent Abbie Aronofsky, who moderates the “Save Mr. Levy” Facebook page.

“I wish I had a teacher like that when I was growing up,” said Shawn Allen, whose daughter Abigail plays on Levy’s softball team. “We know what he’s instilling in our kids, but what is the school district teaching our children by removing such a wonderful teacher from their lives?”

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A beneficiary of this year’s Jamie Levy Scholarship bake sale is the Frances Foundation, a Holmdel-based nonprofit that helps area children who are battling cancer. Vanessa Heugle-Wand, whose son James is in Levy’s class, is a Frances Foundation trustee. That’s the kind of full-circle, all-in community engagement that makes Levy so beloved by families.

“He’s the brightest light and he just shines wherever he goes, and the kids feel that and they shine, too,” Heugle-Wand said.

Since the news of his layoff, she said, “It’s like the lights have turned off.”

Jerry Carino is community columnist for the Asbury Park Press, focusing on the Jersey Shore’s interesting people, inspiring stories and pressing issues. Contact him at jcarino@gannettnj.com.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: 'Save Mr. Levy' campaign in Aberdeen shows price of school budget cuts