By Jessica Calefati/The Star-Ledger
Lauren Marrocco has taught at E.J. Patten Elementary School for the last 10 years, working initially with first-graders and then with fourth-graders, a spokesman from the state Department of Education said. She is known for urging parents to get more involved at the school and for helping to create tailored professional development workshops for her colleagues.
“Hands down, New Jersey’s most important and valuable resource for our students is our teachers,” Christie said.
“Lauren Marrocco exemplifies the very best of her profession and all that an excellent teacher can accomplish in our state —helping our children progress into accomplished, knowledgeable and successful young adults ready to step into the work force or college classroom,” he added.
Christie and the New Jersey Education Association are frequently at odds on education policy, but he often states that his qualms are with teachers unions, not with individual teachers. Marrocco is a member of the Perth Amboy Federation of Teachers, an affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers.