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Garden State Parkway Service Areas To Be Renamed After These 9 New Jersey Icons

July 27, 2021 / 6:19 PM EDT / CBS Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The New Jersey Turnpike Authority will rename nine service areas on the Garden State Parkway to honor the state's icons.

One of them is the Atlantic Service Area. It will be renamed the Frank Sinatra Service Area.

judy blume travel plaza

Here are the other new names: James Gandolfini, Connie Chung, Whitney Houston, Celia Cruz, Larry Doby, Judy Blume, Toni Morrison, and Jon Bon Jovi.

Each service area will also have an exhibit celebrating New Jersey hall of famers.

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9 Garden State Parkway rest stops to be renamed after iconic New Jerseyans

Nine rest stops on the garden state parkway will soon sport new names honoring iconic state natives..

News 12 Staff

Jul 27, 2021, 11:17 PM

Updated 1,003 days ago

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judy blume travel plaza

Opinion: New Jersey Renames Its Rest Stops As A Nation Rethinks Monuments

SSimon

Scott Simon

judy blume travel plaza

People head into the service building at the Cheesequake Rest Area in South Amboy, N.J. Julio Cortez/AP hide caption

People head into the service building at the Cheesequake Rest Area in South Amboy, N.J.

How do you honor historical figures?

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy announced this week the state will rename nine Garden State Parkway service areas after noted New Jerseyites: Judy Blume, Celia Cruz, Connie Chung, Larry Doby, James Gandolfini, Whitney Houston, Jon Bon Jovi, Toni Morrison, and, ladies and gentlemen, the Chairman of the Board, Frank Sinatra.

They join a few other Jerseyites already enshrined along the New Jersey Turnpike, including Alexander Hamilton, who was a rest stop in Secaucus before he was a Broadway musical.

These service areas, where motorists can refuel their cars with gasoline and themselves with a Nathan's hot dog and a Frappuccino and return to the road, will also include exhibits about their distinguished namesakes, with scholarly support from the New Jersey Hall of Fame. The governor says, "This is about putting New Jersey greatness on full display."

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Revisiting sacred cows: which figures from history do we honor, and how.

Of course it's irresistible to ask, "But what about Buzz Aldrin from Montclair?" He was the second man to step on the moon, and really, doesn't going to the moon rate getting your name on a New Jersey rest stop? It's farther than Parsippany.

Also notably absent: Bruce Springsteen. He reportedly declined the honor. The Boss doesn't stop and rest — baby, he was born to run.

The naming of the service areas comes at a moment when we're reconsidering who to commemorate and how, as statues of some onetime heroes are removed and stowed away.

"History is not set in stone," Gary Younge, a professor at the University of Manchester, told us. "Our views are not the same as they were 50 years ago, and will be different again in another 50 years."

He says even the most revered historical figures have human flaws, and are shaped by their times.

As Elizabeth Samet, author of Soldier's Heart: Reading Literature Through Peace and War at West Point , reminded us, "The unforgivable sin of one generation will be eclipsed by a new one ..."

Maybe a rest stop exhibit will be easier to change around than a cast-bronze equestrian statue.

But Samet points out that most people don't rush into rest stops in Bloomfield or South Amboy to learn history, but just get to the restroom and maybe buy a tube of beef jerky.

"I'm not sure those are the moments when we are the most attentive students," she tactfully observes.

This distinguished scholar also asks, "Would you be over the moon about a 'Scott Simon Service Area'?"

Correction July 31, 2021

A previous introduction on this story incorrectly said New Jersey would be renaming rest stops on the New Jersey Turnpike after illustrious state residents. There is no more room for rest stop honors on the turnpike; the nine new names will be memorialized on the Garden State Parkway.

  • Garden State Parkway

NBC New York

9 Garden State Parkway Service Areas to Be Renamed After NJ Icons, Hall of Famers

Published july 27, 2021 • updated on july 28, 2021 at 7:19 am, what to know.

In a measure to showcase the talent of New Jerseyans and their contributions on an international scale, Gov. Phil Murphy announced Tuesday that nine service areas along the Garden State Parkway will be renamed after local icons inducted into the state's Hall of Fame.

The New Jersey Turnpike Authority Board of Commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to rename the nine service areas in honor of the notable New Jerseyans.

  • The famous New Jerseyans to receive this honor include well-known individuals in the arts, entertainment, and sports realms, as well as some in the journalism and literature fields.

“This is about putting New Jersey greatness on full display,” Murphy said in a statement. “This is the first part of an extended statewide exhibition of New Jersey heroes throughout our state. From military heroes on the Battleship New Jersey to historical figures on the New Jersey Turnpike to science and technology trailblazers at Newark Penn Station, New Jerseyans will find pride in our contributions to society and the world.”

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The famous New Jerseyans to receive this honor include well-known individuals in the arts, entertainment, and sports realms, as well as some in the journalism and literature fields.

The nine service areas that will be renamed are:

  • Montvale: James Gandolfini Service Area
  • Brookdale North: Larry Doby Service Area
  • Brookdale South: Connie Chung Service Area
  • Vauxhall: Whitney Houston Service Area
  • Cheesequake: Jon Bon Jovi Service Area
  • Monmouth: Judy Blume Service Area
  • Forked River: Celia Cruz Service Area
  • Atlantic: Frank Sinatra Service Area
  • Ocean View: Toni Morrison Service Area

"Millions of New Jersey drivers travel on the Garden State Parkway every day,” said New Jersey Department of Transportation Commissioner Diane Scaccetti-Gutierrez. “The service areas they visit during those travels are a fitting place to call attention to the accomplishments of their fellow New Jerseyans in the arts, entertainment, and sports. And there is no organization better suited to identify the New Jerseyans worthy of this recognition than the New Jersey Hall of Fame."

judy blume travel plaza

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judy blume travel plaza

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In keeping with the New Jersey Hall of Fame’s mission, the Garden State Parkway service area exhibits will encourage people to purposely choose their own heroes and learn about their paths to success.

“We encourage patrons in each service area to identify with one of our inductees and take to heart the advice our inductees provide on how to reach the pinnacle of their respective professions,” Steve Edwards, President of the New Jersey Hall of Fame, said in a statement. “ The rest is up to you!”

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judy blume travel plaza

Stepping up its game: Your Garden State Parkway rest area just got more Jersey

judy blume travel plaza

Step aside, Molly Pitcher, Alexander Hamilton, Joyce Kilmer, Thomas Edison and all the other names for rest areas along the New Jersey Turnpike. The Garden State Parkway is stepping up its game.

Jon Bon Jovi, Whitney Houston, James Gandolfini and six other notable Jersey stars will grace rest stops along the parkway with their own showcases for those needing a stretch in between traffic jams, a snack while heading down the shore or just, um, a little relief.

The rest stops, which typically have convenience stores, fast food and gas stations, will also receive displays about each person. So along with your coffee, Auntie Anne's pretzel and full tank of gas, you can learn about Gandolfini's life, take a selfie with an image of Bon Jovi or learn about Houston's Newark roots .

This is all courtesy of the New Jersey Hall of Fame, which is in charge of the displays. The exhibits will include posters designed by New Jersey architect Michael Graves.

(Think Hard Rock Cafe style, not the Howard Stern Rest Stop of Jersey folklore .)

Here are the service areas that will receive the celebrity treatment, representing actors, singers, authors, a TV anchor and an athlete who hail from New Jersey:

  • Montvale: James Gandolfini Service Area
  • Brookdale North: Larry Doby Service Area
  • Brookdale South: Connie Chung Service Area
  • Vauxhall: Whitney Houston Service Area
  • Cheesequake: Jon Bon Jovi Service Area
  • Monmouth: Judy Blume Service Area
  • Forked River: Celia Cruz Service Area
  • Atlantic: Frank Sinatra Service Area
  • Ocean View: Toni Morrison Service Area

"Millions of New Jersey drivers travel on the Garden State Parkway every day,” said Transportation Commissioner Diane Scaccetti-Gutierrez, who oversees the Turnpike Authority, which approved the titles at Tuesday's board meeting. “The service areas they visit during those travels are a fitting place to call attention to the accomplishments of their fellow New Jerseyans in the arts, entertainment, and sports."

But how can such news — on National New Jersey Day, of all days — come with such a glaring omission?

What about Bruce Springsteen?

Where is the Bruce Springsteen Service Area that constituents will surely demand?

“Bruce Springsteen respectfully declined to have a service area named after him," said New Jersey Hall of Fame spokeswoman Natasha Alagarasan. "It should be noted, though, that Bruce has been very supportive of the New Jersey Hall of Fame over the years, and is very much a part of the fabric of the Hall.”

In the meantime, there's always "the dark side of Route 88."

Colleen Wilson covers the Port Authority and NJ Transit for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to her work covering the region’s transportation systems and how they affect your commute, please subscribe or activate your digital account today. 

Email:  [email protected]  

Twitter:  @colleenallreds  

N.J. Turnpike, Garden State Parkway to get 9 rehabilitated service areas in next 2 years

  • Updated: Aug. 18, 2022, 3:50 p.m. |
  • Published: Aug. 17, 2022, 6:57 a.m.

Parkway, Turnpike have nine service areas left to rebuild or rehab in $250 million program/

A Shake Shack was the newest addition in the newly constructed Monmouth service area on the Garden State Parkway in 2019. Besides Shake Shake, Panda Express, Chick-fil-A and Applegreen have also opened at some Parkway and Turnpike service areas.

  • Larry Higgs | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

The massive $250 million project announced by then Gov. Chris Christie in 2017 to reconstruct or renovate all New Jersey Turnpike and Garden State Parkway service areas is roughly two years from its scheduled 2024 completion date.

The sprint to the finish line includes renovating or reconstruction nine remaining service areas over the next two years. Three service areas will close this fall and another six will be shut down in 2023 for complete reconstruction or renovation.

“Seven of 12 service areas on the Turnpike and five of nine on the Parkway are either new or have been significantly remodeled since 2014,” said Tom Feeney, a New Jersey Turnpike Authority spokesperson. “Five other service areas will close this fall and reopen by mid-2023.”

Two Turnpike service areas, the Molly Pitcher in Cranbury and Woodrow Wilson in Hamilton, reopened in July and currently no service areas are closed, he said. That will change this fall.

What’s coming to the Parkway

Two service areas at Brookdale South in Bloomfield , featuring a former McDonald’s that still had its retro 1980s decor, and Vauxhall in Union Township are scheduled to close this fall for demolition. Both are scheduled to reopen in May 2023, Feeney said. Plans to include a Chik-fil-A at Brookdale South were objected to by Bloomfield officials in January.

Being renovated in 2023 are the Jon Bon Jovi (ex-Cheesequake) service area in Sayreville and the James Gandolfini (Montvale) service area, since they are located in newer buildings. Both are scheduled for a 2024 completion.

The two Colonia North and South service areas on the Parkway in Woodbridge are the only areas not covered in the program because they are privately owned and run, however new Dunkin’, connivence stores and gas stations have been constructed there by private owners.

Service area  replacement project in final two years.

The old Woodrow Wilson service area on the New Jersey Turnpike was remodeled and opened in 2022 as part of a $250 million project to reconstruct or renovate toll road service areas.

What’s coming to the Turnpike

Big changes are coming at five Turnpike service areas next year with four scheduled for demolition and one for renovation.

The James Fenimore Cooper service area in Burlington County will close for remodeling this fall and is schedule to reopen in April 2023.

Two other service centers, the Walt Whitman in Cherry Hill and Joyce Kilmer in East Brunswick, will be demolished this fall and newly constructed buildings are scheduled to open in June 2023, Feeney said.

The wrecking ball will swing in the fall of 2023 at the remaining two service centers, the John Fenwick and the Clara Barton, both located in in Oldhams Township in Salem County. New buildings are scheduled to reopen in mid-2024, Feeney said.

The program started with a 2017 announcement by Christie that a $250 million agreement was reached with HMSHost, the company that operated the service areas. That deal to build eight new service area buildings and refurbish six structures at the company’s expense spared toll payers the expense to make needed improvements. Sunoco funded gas station improvements.

In exchange, HMSHost received a 25-year contract to operate the franchised service areas, which authority commissioners approved in 2017. The Turnpike Authority earns revenue from service center rents and on gasoline sales.

The new Grover Cleveland service area on the Turnpike , opened in November 2015, became the basic model for new service areas on that highway. Parkway buildings were modeled after the appearance of the new “Atlantic” service area outside Atlantic City, since the Parkway has to follow certain historic guidelines, officials said.

The Thomas Edison area in Woodbridge on the Turnpike and the Monmouth service area on the Parkway in Wall were among the first service areas replaced with new buildings with open space, natural light, better pedestrian flow and a “food court” setting, officials said.

Judy Blume Service Area

The Monmouth service area on the Garden State Parkway has been renamed the Judy Blume Service Area. A new, more open building was constructed and opened in 2019.

Both introduced two new franchises to the toll roads, Chick-fil-A at Thomas Edison and Shake Shack at Monmouth, which was renamed for author Judy Blume in March 2020 . Other new arrivals include a Panda Express, Shake Shack and Applegreen convenience store at Molly Pitcher and the Woodrow Wilson service areas on the Turnpike.

A new Chick-fil-A is now scheduled to open at Molly Pitcher in the fall, which was delayed due to supply chain issues, Feeney said.

In May 2021, HMSHost was sold by parent company, AutoGrill, to Iris Buyer, a consortium of Blackstone Infrastructure Partners, an investment firm, Dublin-based Applegreen LTD , which operates highway service areas in Europe and the United States, and B&J Holdings LTD.

The service area program also ran into some controversy when a union group revealed HMSHost asked for, and got, $40 million in help from the Turnpike Authority after the company said it lost revenue due to the coronavirus.

The union group “Unite Here” found that the Autogrill Group, parent company of HMSHost, spent $35.8 billion on a stock buyback plan and by June had increased its cash flow by 67% from January. That buyback plan helped “facilitate incentive plans for management, directors and other employees,” the union said.

Turnpike officials said the agreement was done to keep the construction projects moving, based on HMSHost financial back-up information. HMSHost officials told the Turnpike Authority that the severe loss of business had caused a cash-flow problem and it would not be able to continue paying contractors in the final stages of (service area) construction.

That would have halted construction which was why the authority agreed, officials said. HMSHost agreed to repay the amount the Authority paid to contractors for Host’s share of the costs, plus an additional sum between $300,000 and $450,000, depending on how quickly they make repayment

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Larry Higgs may be reached at [email protected] .

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Garden State Parkway rest stops named for New Jersey icons

judy blume travel plaza

Clockwise from top left: Connie Chung, Whitney Houston, James Gandolfini, Frank Sinatra, Toni Morrison, Larry Doby, Judy Blume, Jon Bon Jovi and Celia Cruz. (Via Getty Images; NJTA)

The next time you take a break on your drive to the Jersey Shore , you might find yourself grabbing a coffee and filling up at the Jon Bon Jovi Service Area. Some of New Jersey's most iconic figures are getting their names on something other than awards or gold records: Garden State Parkway rest stops . 

The New Jersey Turnpike Authority, in conjunction with the New Jersey Hall of Fame, approved naming nine Parkway service areas after luminaries with strong Garden State connections: groundbreaking baseball player Larry Doby, rockstar Jon Bon Jovi, actor James Gandolfini, broadcast journalist Connie Chung, Grammy-winning singer Whitney Houston, Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison, author Judy Blume, Cuban American singer Celia Cruz, and Frank Sinatra — perhaps New Jersey's most famous native son.

"This is about putting New Jersey greatness on full display. This is the first part of an extended statewide exhibition of New Jersey heroes throughout our state," Gov. Phil Murphy said in a statement. "From military heroes on the Battleship New Jersey to historical figures on the New Jersey Turnpike to science and technology trailblazers at Newark Penn Station, New Jerseyans will find pride in our contributions to society and the world."

The service areas will contain Hard Rock Cafe-style exhibits and artifacts, and an interactive Wall of Fame featuring a life-sized video monitor showcasing Hall of Fame inductees and their acceptance speeches, according to the governor's office. 

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"Service area patrons will be invited to pose with various Jersey legends and share the photos on their social media platforms," according to a news release from the Hall of Fame and the governor.

Since 2008, the New Jersey Hall of Fame has inducted more than 180 people in science, sports, performing arts, arts and letters, public service, enterprise, and also a category known as "unsung heroes" who have "made invaluable contributions to society, the State of New Jersey and the world beyond," according to its website.

"We encourage patrons in each service area to identify with one of our inductees and take to heart the advice our inductees provide on how to reach the pinnacle of their respective professions," Hall of Fame President Steve Edwards said. "The rest is up to you!"

Locations of the newly renamed service areas

  • Montvale: James Gandolfini Service Area
  • Brookdale North: Larry Doby Service Area
  • Brookdale South: Connie Chung Service Area
  • Vauxhall: Whitney Houston Service Area
  • Cheesequake: Jon Bon Jovi Service Area
  • Monmouth: Judy Blume Service Area
  • Forked River: Celia Cruz Service Area
  • Atlantic: Frank Sinatra Service Area
  • Ocean View: Toni Morrison Service Area

With The Associated Press. 

judy blume travel plaza

Garden State Parkway Rest Areas to be Renamed after Famed New Jerseyans

The names of nine nj hall of fame inductees will begin gracing service stops this fall..

judy blume travel plaza

In the not-too-distant future, Jon Bon Jovi will be able to stop on the Garden State Parkway at his very own rest stop. The rock star and New Jersey native is among nine New Jersey Hall of Fame inductees—including Whitney Houston and James Gandolfini—whose names will soon grace the Parkway’s service areas.

Under a program announced Tuesday by Governor Phil Murphy, the Cheesequake Rest Area will become the Jon Bon Jovi Service Area. Vauxhall will be renamed for Houston; Montvale will be Gandolfini’s turf.

The naming program is part of a larger statewide initiative to showcase the contributions of New Jersey heroes. Garden State Parkway service area parking lots will soon welcome visitors with banners of NJ Hall of Fame inductees, and each service area will contain inductee-related exhibits, including posters designed by renowned New Jersey architect Michael Graves and video monitors showcasing more than 200 inductees and their acceptance speeches.

“This is about putting New Jersey greatness on full display,” Murphy said in a statement.

The service areas will be “renamed in phases,” according to a Hall of Fame spokesperson. The first to be renamed will be the Monmouth and Atlantic service areas in October and November. The New Jersey Turnpike has long had service areas named for famous New Jerseyans.

The nine Garden State Parkway rest areas will be renamed as follows:

  • Montvale : James Gandolfini Service Area
  • Brookdale North : Larry Doby Service Area
  • Brookdale South : Connie Chung Service Area
  • Vauxhall : Whitney Houston Service Area
  • Cheesequake : Jon Bon Jovi Service Area
  • Monmouth : Judy Blume Service Area
  • Forked River : Celia Cruz Service Area
  • Atlantic : Frank Sinatra Service Area
  • Ocean View : Toni Morrison Service Area

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In San Jose school district, acrimony leads to…

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In san jose school district, acrimony leads to talk of teacher strike.

Sharon Noguchi, education writer, San Jose Mercury News, for her Wordpress profile. (Michael Malone/Bay Area News Group)

SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT (publ. 5/24/2013, page A2) An article about a labor dispute in the Evergreen School District in San Jose incorrectly reported due to misinformation from a source which activities had been affected. Teachers’ refusal to work beyond the prescribed school day caused the districtwide science fair, theater productions and tutoring to be canceled, but after-school sports at middle schools continued under the supervision of either teachers or outside coaches.

SAN JOSE — In the award-winning Evergreen School District, there has been no districtwide science fair this year. At some open houses, administrators this spring opened classrooms for visiting families when teachers didn’t show up. On many campuses, theater productions, after-school sports and tutoring have disappeared.

Angry over stalled contract talks, many Evergreen teachers have been “working to rule,” refusing to work beyond the prescribed school day, meaning nothing extracurricular. The district and the Evergreen Teachers Association have been at a bargaining impasse since October, and the union is briefing its members on what to expect in a strike.

For a year, the union and the southeast San Jose district have been negotiating over a contract to replace the one that expired in June. Salaries are only a small issue — despite being a low-revenue district, the Evergreen salary schedule is already toward the top among Santa Clara County districts. However, Evergreen believes that unless it controls ballooning health care costs, it’s headed toward insolvency.

The 600-member union insists the stumbling block is the district’s unwillingness to tap into reserves.

The insurance issue and tight budget are common to union disputes. The issues are core to teachers, who have forgone cost-of-living increases and shouldered heavier loads during a half-decade of recession. Now, with more money flowing to K-12 schools, many unions say it’s time for payback. But districts still worry about fluctuating income and growing costs.

Among other Bay Area districts at impasse, according to the California Teachers Association, are Fremont Unified in Fremont; Millbrae elementary; Bayshore elementary in Daly City; Las Lomitas elementary in Menlo Park; and the San Mateo County Office of Education, whose members have authorized a strike.

In Evergreen, it appears mistrust and resentment have led the sides to dig in, even as a mediator tries to guide them to common ground.

“We’re deficit spending at an unsustainable rate,” Superintendent Kathy Gomez said. This school year, the district expects to spend $97.6 million but take in only $91.8 million. Evergreen is one of the few districts in Santa Clara County, she said, that still pays 100 percent of health insurance premiums for both employees and their families. The district proposed capping those contributions at 2011-12 levels.

Health insurance costs will eat into the surplus and drive the district into the red in two years, Gomez said. However, the union says the district is crying wolf. “They’ve made this claim numerous times,” said teachers union President Brian Wheatley, and financial disaster has never come to pass. He characterized the district’s deficit projections as “Chicken Little scenarios that have no basis in reality.”

Evergreen teachers have not had a cost-of-living raise for six years, although they have continued to earn increases for longevity and university credits. They’ve seen class sizes grow and support services shrink.

“I’m very upset, I’m very angry,” said Jeff Beckley, a sixth-grade teacher at O.B. Whaley Elementary School. “We’ve given them distinguished schools. We’ve given them Title I academic achievement schools,” he said, referring to two state awards for public schools. “It hurts our morale to know we are not appreciated.”

That resentment of district ingratitude permeates teacher protests. District officials see the union fanning flames of anger, expressed in sometimes profanity-laced emails and outbursts at board meetings. On May 9, the union staged a mock funeral, with members donning paper tombstones for the death of respect, quality teachers and integrity in Evergreen.

Teachers passed a no-confidence vote on Gomez. The board unanimously reinforced its confidence in her.

The district’s predictions of a precarious financial future are reinforced by the Santa Clara County Office of Education, which state law charges with fiscal oversight. Because Evergreen suffers from declining enrollment, “revenues will fall more quickly than expenditures, and long-term structural solutions are necessary,” wrote Jason E. Vann, an adviser with the county office, in a letter reaffirming that the district lies in a financial danger zone. He advised that before increasing salaries, benefits or other expenditures, the district needs to ensure ongoing increased revenue.

But with ever-uncertain state funding, that’s difficult to do. Gomez said this week that it’s not yet known how Gov. Jerry Brown’s revised budget proposal, much less the Legislature’s final version, would affect the district’s offer. The passage of Proposition 30 in the fall simply provided temporarily stable, not increased, school funding.

The district pegs its reserve at 14.7 percent; the teachers union says it’s 22 percent. Evergreen has offered to open its books to the union, which so far has declined the offer. “We know the books,” Wheatley said. “The books are designed to create the potential worst-case scenario.” He said given the district’s lack of credibility and accuracy, teachers refuse to make concessions.

The starting salary in Evergreen is $49,401 for 184 days of work. Teachers may reach $88,975 in 12 years if they earn additional college credits, and they earn small increases in four-year increments up to 24 years.

“We have always been a very generous district,” board President Jim Zito said. But state law requires the district to produce a balanced budget projected over three years. Facing a $5 million deficit in 2014-15, the district has to trim expenses. Thus, he said, “we’ve cut and gone to the bone in so many ways, we have to go back and address how we pay benefits.”

Parents who sympathize with teachers fear a strike and dislike the disruption imposed on their children. Celina Martinez, mother of five children, said teachers “deserve all they are asking for and more.”

The acrimony is taking a toll. Some teachers blame the board. “Years of building a ‘family’ in Evergreen are being destroyed by their actions,” said Allisa Nozaki, a fifth-grade teacher at Norwood Creek Elementary.

However, other teachers decry “adult bullying” by union supporters. One teacher, who did not want her name used because she fears harassment, said she can’t afford to go on strike and thinks the union demands are unrealistic.

Parent Christine Tarver, who criticizes the “work to rule” decision, said, “Every time a teacher says, ‘I’ll only do what I am paid to do,’ he or she insults every volunteer who has worked tirelessly.”

The delays in grading papers, the cancellation of musicals, the failure of teachers to resist union pressure all exact a cost, she said. “The continued damage to my children’s education is inexcusable.”

Contact Sharon Noguchi at 408-271-3775. Follow her at Twitter.com/NoguchiOnK12 .

Comparing teacher compensation

Value of total compensation and salaries in selected elementary districts in Santa Clara County

District Total compensation* Salary at BA+60, Step 10** Evergreen $96,221 $79,939 Saratoga $92,664 $75,772 Cupertino $85,178 $75,197 Oak Grove $83,679 $68,633 Franklin-McKinley $83,092 $72,802 Alum Rock $83,058 $72,497 Los Altos $82,880 $69,133 Sunnyvale $82,232 $70,319 Mountain View-Whisman $82,004 $67,202 Region 5 elementary average*** $81,407 $69,061 Los Gatos $81,078 $73,011 Berryessa $80,071 $67,318 Loma Prieta $67,196 $62,191

* Total compensation includes salary plus average health and welfare benefit contribution. ** Bachelor’s degree plus 60 semester units, with 10 years’ teaching experience *** Elementary districts in Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, San Benito and Monterey counties

Source: School Services of California

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