“Teaching is the profession that creates all others” is well-known quote that captures the value of educators and the lifelong impact they make on their students. The Massapequa School District recently promoted all careers in education at its inaugural InspireEDU fair on March 19 at the high school.
About 120 students participated in the event which included a panel of administrators, teachers and support staff professionals from across the district:
Dr. Gina Aspetti, East Lake Elementary School music teacher
Nick Breslin, Berner Middle School guidance counselor
Matthew Ditzel, middle school technology teacher
Jared Esposito, middle school technology teacher
Angela Gallucci, high school special education teacher
Meggin Hall, East Lake Elementary School teacher
Evangeline King, school district library media specialist
Barbara Lowell, Massapequa High School principal
Gabriella Laviano, high school physics teacher
Bryan Piotrowski, assistant superintendent for technology
InspireEDU is a new district initiative designed to cultivate student interest in careers across the full spectrum of education. The program was created in response to growing workforce needs, particularly in hard-to-fill positions not only in teaching, but also across the operational side of school systems.
Superintendent Dr. William Brennan explained the wide variety of jobs available in the Massapequa School District beyond teaching. For students pursuing the construction trades, the building and grounds department hires carpenters, electricians and plumbers. The business office is a great place for anyone with an interest in accounting and finance. Conversations also highlighted roles in administrative support, food services, nursing and transportation, emphasizing viable entry points directly after high school as well as long-term career growth opportunities.
“The goal of InspireEDU is to build early awareness and excitement among students – those already considering careers in education, those curious about the field, and those simply looking to explore future opportunities,” Dr. Brennan said, who added that students asked many thoughtful questions during the engaging panel discussion.
The panel also addressed critical shortage areas impacting schools today, including career and technical education, physics and chemistry, library media, world languages and dual-certification areas such as special education and ENL. Additional discussions highlighted the roles of guidance counselors, social workers and school psychologists as critical support positions within a school district.
A live “thought exchange” facilitated by Dr. Brennan generated more than 40 questions for panelists. Students were interested to learn of their personal career journeys, as well as topics such as choosing a college, changing career paths and what inspires individuals to enter the field of education.
The event emphasized the broader benefits of working in education, including the sense of purpose and fulfillment, work-life balance, healthcare and pension benefits, and opportunities to engage with students through coaching, advising clubs and extracurricular activities.
Student participants in InspireEDU will have future opportunities to learn more about education-related professions through internships and job shadowing opportunities.
“I really appreciated how the panel was diverse,” said student Emma Sforza, who wants to attend college to become either a speech pathologist or a special education teacher. “I feel that I got information out of it and so many good tips. I am really grateful that they provided this type of opportunity to the students at Massapequa High School.”
Dr. Brennan noted that the district hires dozens of new teachers every year, typically to fill retirements. A chart showed that 176 teachers in the district have at least 26 years of service.
“Our goal is to develop a strong, sustainable pipeline of future educators and school professionals from within the Massapequa community,” Dr. Brennan said.