Montclair Education Association Reappoints President for Second Term

Gayl Shepard has been reappointed as president of the Montclair Education Association for a second term.

The MEA voted on April 4 by an "overwhelming majority" to reappoint Shepard for a second term that begins July 1 and runs through June 30, 2017, according to an announcement released Monday.

"I am proud to represent the Montclair Education Association for another term," Shepard said in a prepared statement. "I will lead this union of dedicated educators as we work collaboratively with the Montclair School District and Montclair Community to provide the best education for every public school student."

According to an MEA statement, Shepard accomplished the following during her first term that began in 2011:

• Successful negotiation of the 2013-2015 contract between the MEA and the Montclair School District; the contract included no loss of MEA positions and the reinstatement of health benefits for most paraprofessionals.
• Appointment to the National Education Association (NEA) Governance Review Committee; and 2014 NEA Northeast Institute
• Appointment to the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA) Human Rights Committee.
• Honored as a 2014 Ambassador by the Montclair African-American Heritage Foundation
• Recipient of a 2014 Shirley Chisolm Award for her work in education.