Chrissy Kosar was named the Educational Support Professional (ESP) of the Year by the Gloucester County Education Association.
WASHINGTON TWP. -- Chrissy Kosar, like the rest of the educational support professionals she works with and represents, is used to being behind the scenes and going unnoticed.
That's what made her recent moment in the spotlight even more special.
Kosar, a bus driver in the Washington Township School District for nearly a decade, was named the Educational Support Professional (ESP) of the Year by the Gloucester County Education Association. ESPs include the bus drivers, food service workers, custodial staff, secretaries and security personnel who help schools run smoothly.
Kosar received her award at a ceremony at Nicolosi's Catering in West Deptford on Nov. 18.
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"It's a great honor and I had some wonderful things said about me and my work and my outlook," said Kosar, who was nominated by several of her colleagues in the district. "I gave a small thank-you speech and I received beautiful flowers and a plaque. It was a wonderful evening and I'll have very fond memories of it for a long time to come."
A native of England, Kosar came to the United States 13 years ago after meeting her husband, a long-time Washington Township resident. She became a bus driver in 2006, and in 2013 she was elected president of the Washington Township Schools Support Staff Professionals Association (WTSSSPA), which she said is the second-largest support staff union in the state.
One of her many responsibilities is representing the 630 members of the association in contract negotiations with the board of education.
"Arguing with boards of education is difficult these days, but we try our best," Kosar said. "This is our second year without a contract, so we're busy trying to settle that for everyone. Negotiations are never easy. It used to be a bargaining table, but now it's not really bargaining. You're basically begging to keep your job. We try to come up with cost-saving ideas to keep our jobs, stuff like that. We also get out into the community and let people know who we are.
Since most of the ESPs Kosar represents live in Washington Township, it's important to them to give back to the community. The WTSSSPA takes part in several fundraising events throughout the year, and is preparing for itsr annual "Stuff the Bus" event on Dec. 2 to benefit Mother's Cupboard, a local food bank and assistance program.
A Washington Township school bus will be parked on the corner of Ganttown and Hurffville-Cross Keys road, and residents were asked to donate non-perishable items.
"Our township has been very generous," Kosar said. "It's always been a well-supported event, and it's our way of giving back. We live here, we work here and we want to stay here."
Community events also help the ESPs stay visible, since their contributions to the local schools often get overlooked.
"It's because we're in the background," Kosar said. "If you look at it in a basic way, schools couldn't run without out; teachers couldn't teach without us, and I don't think the students would be as successful without us.
"We have people who are trusted and committed to the students and their education. A lot of our staff has been here many years, and that's because they're committed to their jobs and the people here. It's not because they're making a lot of money."
Kosar currently drives students to Washington Township High School, Chestnut Ridge Middle School and Grenloch Terrace Early Childhood Center kindergarten. She loves interacting with kids of all ages.
"They're all wonderful in their own special way," she said. "It can be a shock sometimes when you're starting a new school year and a high school student says, 'You drove me for kindergarten.' You can leave a lasting impression on some of these kids, which I hope is a good thing."
In addition to receiving the ESP of the Year award, Kosar was also one of eight New Jersey Education Association members to receive the NJEA/Eagles Pro-Educator of the Week award. She received two tickets to the Eagles' home game against Tamp Bay on Nov. 22 and attended a VIP tailgate party before the game.
Despite the Eagles' 45-17 loss, she called it a "great atmosphere." The experience was just the latest in a long line of shining moments in 2015.
"It's been a pretty phenomenal year for me," Kosar said. "I became an American citizen in March. So that started the year off strong and it's just gone up and up from there."
