Support the Farmingdale community with a donation to NYSUT's relief fund

Our NYSUT family is devastated by the Orange County bus crash that injured several students and killed two exceptional educators from the Farmingdale school district: Gina Pellettiere, the band director at the high school for almost two decades, and retiree Beatrice Ferrari, who taught for 26 years.

Gina was beloved by her students as she fostered their creativity, confidence and love of music. Under her careful instruction and with her nurturing, Gina’s ensembles achieved the highest honors, drawing recognition from their town and the music education community. Her friends remember her as a skilled musician and as an amazing single mother to a 2-year-old boy.

Beatrice, who was affectionately known as the ‘grandmother’ of the Farmingdale high school band, taught and inspired thousands of students over the course of her career. She was volunteering as a chaperone on this school trip, an event her family says she looked forward to every year. Throughout her years of service, Beatrice mentored dozens of her colleagues. Even in retirement, she continued to serve her community, and was named as a Distinguished Woman in Education from the Town of Oyster Bay.

Show your support with a donation

We join all who knew Beatrice and Gina in their grief. As the impact of this trauma will be felt by students, educators and family members in Farmingdale and beyond, we encourage your donations to the Disaster Relief Fund to help support those affected by this unimaginable tragedy.

The NYSUT Disaster Relief Fund is working with the Farmingdale Federation of Teachers to determine the best uses of the donations collected to ensure maximum support for those who were impacted by this tragedy. All donations that you direct to "Farmingdale Community Support" will go towards helping those individuals and their families.