Photos: West Essex Middle Schoolers Honor Staff With Thanksgiving Feast

The West Essex Middle School Student Council thanked support staff with a feast of turkey, stuffing, potatoes, vegetables, salad, rolls and a variety of pies and sweets for dessert last week.

Everyone from secretaries to custodians to teacher aides enjoyed the food prepared by the students, with the help of Pomptonian Food Service. The food was also served by West Essex students.

The Middle School Student Council organizes and hosts the feast each year. The Council also wrote personal thank you cards to every support staff member.

“This luncheon is a good way to thank people for all of their hard word,” Sydney Fishman, a seventh grader from North Caldwell said.

“We want to thank you for all of the things you do that make West Essex Middle School so special,” Jordan Flusser of North Caldwell said to everyone at the luncheon over the microphone.

Middle School Principal Vee Popat, pictured in this gallery, a professional saxophone player, also played “Jingle Bells” and “My Romance,” for the staff as they dined in the Middle School Cafeteria.

Who’s Who in the Thanksgiving Photo Gallery

1) Left to right, Seventh grader Tommy Drago, eighth grader Ellie Decker and seventh grader Leni Steinhardt show off some of the delicious pies at the feast. All three students live in North Caldwell.

2) Left to right, Board of Education office secretaries Louise Fredo of West Caldwell and Patty Smith of Little Falls enjoy the feast as Billy Garofalo, an eighth grader from Fairfield, looks on after serving potatoes.

3) Left to right, Student Council Advisor and Middle School Teacher Jenna Maus-Colucci and WEMS Assistant Principal Lisa Tamburri enjoy the Thanksgiving feast.

4) Left to right, Seventh graders Tannery Newby of Essex Fells, Jordanna Grey and Laua Knodel, both of North Caldwell, display some of the desserts at the feast.

5) West Essex Science Supervisor Elizabeth Ricafort, a West Essex High School graduate, enjoys the feast.

6) West Essex Middle School Principal Vee Popat, a professional saxophonist, plays “Jingle Bells” and “My Romance” for middle school support staff as they enjoy the Thanksgiving feast.

Photos courtesy of Allison Freeman