If you had the pleasure of knowing Edward Neumann, you might think of him in many different ways — an active outdoorsman and hunter, dog lover, conservationist, and proud member of the MeatEaters organization; but to the School District of Belleville, his colleagues and his students, he was all of this and more. Ed simply led the way when it came to “Project Lead the Way” as a two-time PLTW National Teacher of the Year who helped earn the “PLTW Distinguished District” award for Belleville many times over for the educational programs he developed for his students as a STEM teacher.
Ed was a mentor to the colleagues he shared the hallway with and to educators who reciprocated his passions throughout the U.S. He enjoyed attending the Massachusetts STEM Hub conferences and also serving as a coach. He was a Master Teacher in Engineering Design & Development (EDD) and his abilities showed from hand-made projects he crafted himself, to the way he helped shape his students’ futures with career goals in mind. Ed was fantastic at seeing the potential in others and helping them to find their way. Now his work lives on through the many students whose lives he touched in his classroom at Belleville High School.
Gone but not forgotten — students, faculty and administrators returned to Belleville High School after winter break with a deep sadness knowing they had lost a passionate force in their learning community on December 25th, 2022. Ed passed away doing what he loved — hunting on a cold winter’s day. The loss of Ed’s spirit was felt immediately as alumni, students and staff gathered in the high school library on December 26th to come together and support one another with the news of Ed’s sudden passing.
The first week back after break, the Monroe School District sent a special pizza lunch for the teachers at Belleville Middle and High School as a gesture of support and condolence to help move the staff through a tough week as they supported students. Ed had a way of bringing people together and the week following his death was no different. Knowing the former school district Ed once taught in could come forward in sorrow and extend a helping hand to another educational team was phenomenal. It was a moment where the staff in Belleville knew they were all experiencing the same loss whether they were a Wildcat or a Cheesemaker and Ed was bigger than both.
Grief takes hold in a small, tight community like the one Belleville fosters and it has taken some time for many voices to come together and find a way to honor such a special member of their team. Undeniably, the Belleville learning community knew what Ed would want — a way to keep educational paths alive for the students who shared his passions. With this in mind, they set to work!
As a result, District Administrator Nate Perry and Ed’s close friend and colleague Erik Farrar have planned “Neumann Night” to kickoff on May 20th, 2023 at 6 p.m. in the Belleville High School Library to establish an annual high school scholarship in their friend and teaching colleague Ed Neumann’s name. District Administrator Nate Perry says, “With Ed’s sudden passing, the school district wanted to honor Ed and recognize the scope of his work and accomplishments. A scholarship for future engineers and students entering the trades, especially female students, was a top priority for Ed. We want to keep his memory and initiatives alive with this fundraiser and scholarship.”
The night will include a silent auction to raise funds for this newly established scholarship and a trivia challenge will help provide a fun-filled atmosphere to celebrate Ed’s memory. The School District of Belleville is asking for school-appropriate donations for the silent auction that will be held on this night in a celebration of the work Ed Neumann did as an educator to keep doing his good work in perpetuity. If you would like to donate to this first annual fundraising event to honor Ed, please contact District Administrator Nate Perry at 608-835-6120 Ext. 3440 by Monday, May 15th about your donation.
Currently the School District of Belleville is thrilled to be receiving support and donations for the event that beautifully represents Ed’s passions, “The MeatEaters podcast, for whom Ed created a one-of-a-kind trivia trophy, is sending trivia questions and memorabilia for the silent auction. Ed’s wife, Christie, is donating a set of tables and a portable fire pit that Ed created himself. We hope they go to good, generous homes!” says Perry.
— Marie Perry is the Communications Director and MS/HS Librarian & Media Specialist for the School District of Belleville.
