100 signatures reached
To: West New York Board of Education
Petition to rename Public School #3 in honor of Darcie Eckert Valencei
Dear West New York Board of Education Leaders:
As former students, colleagues, friends and loved ones of Darcie Eckert Valencei (Mrs. Valencei), we kindly ask that you rename Public School #3 in honor of Mrs. Valencei to help preserve her legacy as one of West New York's most caring and committed educators.
Mrs. Valencei served the West New York Public School system for 25+ years as a teacher at Public School Number Three. Her life was cut short after the morning of December 17, 1999 due to a tragic car accident while on her way to teach her students.
Mrs. Valencei's connection to Public School #3 started when she herself was a student at the school where she would later go on to teach for more than 25 years. She was a lifelong resident of West New York until 3 years before her death. She was named Public School #3's "Teacher of the Year" as well as "District Teacher of the Year." She was also a coach of the Memorial High School girls volleyball team, where she brought them four consecutive championships with a record of 88-0.
She left a great impact on many of her students and former colleagues. As one of her former students, I was lucky to have her as my teacher for both 6th and 8th grades. I was one of the students that she was on her way to teach that morning in December and her death greatly impacted me in my 8th grade year. Most significantly, it was her love and commitment to teaching that left the greatest legacy on my heart and the heart of many of her students.
Ms. Valencei always showed up for us as a teacher and caretaker. A lot of her students, including me, lived in low-income, working class households. Her classroom was a warm respite for many of us who had struggles at home. She would hug us when we were having a hard time navigating our early adolescence. She would tell us to always let her know if we did not have food to eat at home. Even as teenagers, she would read paperback books to us like she was reading us a bedtime story--Willy Wonka was one of my favorites she read to us. She had a jar of candy on her desk that she let us pick from for doing good deeds. Aside from the warm hugs, candy and storytime, what I remember most about her is her commitment to bring social justice issues to the forefront of her curriculum. She invited public speakers to come in to talk to us about human rights and moral courage, took us to the Holocaust Museum in Washington DC, and was bold enough to include coverage of current events at the time like the genocides in Bosnia and Rwanda. She opened our eyes to the greater issues facing the world far beyond our tiny school in West New York and inspired us to go out and be changemakers.
We ask that our beloved school be named in honor of her to preserve the legacy so that future generations of West New York students can continue to be inspired by her.
As former students, colleagues, friends and loved ones of Darcie Eckert Valencei (Mrs. Valencei), we kindly ask that you rename Public School #3 in honor of Mrs. Valencei to help preserve her legacy as one of West New York's most caring and committed educators.
Mrs. Valencei served the West New York Public School system for 25+ years as a teacher at Public School Number Three. Her life was cut short after the morning of December 17, 1999 due to a tragic car accident while on her way to teach her students.
Mrs. Valencei's connection to Public School #3 started when she herself was a student at the school where she would later go on to teach for more than 25 years. She was a lifelong resident of West New York until 3 years before her death. She was named Public School #3's "Teacher of the Year" as well as "District Teacher of the Year." She was also a coach of the Memorial High School girls volleyball team, where she brought them four consecutive championships with a record of 88-0.
She left a great impact on many of her students and former colleagues. As one of her former students, I was lucky to have her as my teacher for both 6th and 8th grades. I was one of the students that she was on her way to teach that morning in December and her death greatly impacted me in my 8th grade year. Most significantly, it was her love and commitment to teaching that left the greatest legacy on my heart and the heart of many of her students.
Ms. Valencei always showed up for us as a teacher and caretaker. A lot of her students, including me, lived in low-income, working class households. Her classroom was a warm respite for many of us who had struggles at home. She would hug us when we were having a hard time navigating our early adolescence. She would tell us to always let her know if we did not have food to eat at home. Even as teenagers, she would read paperback books to us like she was reading us a bedtime story--Willy Wonka was one of my favorites she read to us. She had a jar of candy on her desk that she let us pick from for doing good deeds. Aside from the warm hugs, candy and storytime, what I remember most about her is her commitment to bring social justice issues to the forefront of her curriculum. She invited public speakers to come in to talk to us about human rights and moral courage, took us to the Holocaust Museum in Washington DC, and was bold enough to include coverage of current events at the time like the genocides in Bosnia and Rwanda. She opened our eyes to the greater issues facing the world far beyond our tiny school in West New York and inspired us to go out and be changemakers.
We ask that our beloved school be named in honor of her to preserve the legacy so that future generations of West New York students can continue to be inspired by her.
Why is this important?
Former students, colleagues, friends, family and current residents of West New York, New Jersey, please join us in petitioning the West New York Board of Education to rename Public School #3 in honor of one of West New York's greatest teachers, Darcie Eckert Valencei.
How it will be delivered
Email, written