Schools

Lacey Veteran and Phys Ed Teacher in Need Receives Support

Manahawkin couple provides holiday gifts to Lacey Middle School teacher

Manahawkin residents Maria and Anthony D’Aloisio made a stop Tuesday at the to support veteran and physical education teacher Brian Fischer with gifts for the holidays. 

Fischer has been a part-time physical education teacher at the middle school for nearly one year but as a veteran with a 2-year-old daughter, the position barely pays the bills.

Maria and Anthony D’Aloisio heard Fischer’s story on PBS, where he was featured on “Need to Know, Nov. 11, 2011: Coming home: The enduring sacrifice.”

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“The story touched us,” Maria D’Aloisio said. “Just listening to his story, that he’s home trying to work. He’s deserving… He’s done two great things — he has served our country and he’s teaching our children. I just want to see him do well.”

After shaking Fischer’s hand in appreciation for his service, the couple presented several gift bags, a gift card to a food store and a kitchen set for his daughter.

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“We’re just so lucky to have what we have and it’s all because of these guys,” Anthony D’Aloisio said. “We’ve got to give back to them.”

An estimated 850,000 veterans are unemployed and another 1 million will be returning to the workforce within the next five years, PBS reported. The unemployment rate for post 9/11 vets is 12 percent and 20 percent for people ages 18 to 24. Over 13,000 veterans are homeless.

Fischer graduated from and went straight into the marines. He worked in the infiltry division, serving one tour in Iraq and has been deployed all over the world, he said.

When he returned home he went to school at Ocean County College and then William Paterson University on the GI Bill, receiving his Bachelor of Science degree in health and physical education.

Lacey Middle School Principal James Handschuch has known Fischer for almost 20 years as he was his earth science teacher in high school, his track coach and offered him work at Island Beach State Park as a lifeguard.

“He always gave his all,” Handschuch said on PBS. “He does an excellent job every day. It’s just unfortunate that right now the money’s not there for him where he’s maybe struggling. He’s an excellent teacher. He really belongs in the educational field as a profession.”

Fischer has been working at the middle school since January as a three-sevenths teacher.

“It’s a job but it doesn’t pay much,” Handschuch said.

The position splits the introductory salary by three-sevenths so Fischer is making around $20,000 a year with no benefits.

When Fischer began as a substitute teacher, the pay “covered just enough,” he said.

“As time went on it became more difficult,” Fischer said.

Fischer has since had to move in with his uncle to save some money, pay his bills and support his daughter.

“For me, what’s going on right now with all the financial stress, that’s harder than what I did in the Marine Core,” he said on the PBS feature.

Fischer told PBS that he has had to apply for food stamps and has even had to eat less in order to save.

As an officer in the National Guard, Fischer can be called at any time. In the meantime, he will be applying for a fulltime position with the high school since David Wedding will be retiring.

If things don’t improve, Fischer may have to return to fulltime active military service, he said.


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