Dever honors late media aide

With the entire student body, faculty and staff in attendance, a plaque was unveiled outside the James A. Dever School for former media aide Frances Freeman, who died earlier this year after a brief illness.

The plaque was placed in front of a weeping cherry tree, planted earlier this spring in Freeman’s honor. Principal Darren Gruen told students at the June 8 ceremony to stop in front of the tree and plaque whenever they got a moment and “think about all the wonderful memories we have of Mrs. Freeman.”

Freeman worked in District 13 for 26 years. She started in the business office but later became the media aide at Dever, working in the computer lab, helping teachers and students with their technology needs. At the end of the school day, Freeman also assisted with bus duty, ensuring that students from each class got on the right buses before they took off. Gruen said it was her way of saying goodbye to the children each day.

Gruen described Freeman as a caring and nurturing woman. “Everybody misses her,” he said. “She had a sweet, loving disposition.”

Freeman moved to Valley Stream when she was in elementary school, and attended Howell Road School before moving on to Memorial Junior High and Central High School. She eventually worked for an insurance company in New York City, but left that job after having her daughter, Simone.

When Simone was in elementary school at Howell Road, Freeman took a job with District 13. Simone, now 32, attended last week’s ceremony and said she was touched by the outpouring of support for her mother. “It’s wonderful,” she said of the dedication ceremony. “It’s a great testament to the person she was.”

Simone said the her mother was very good with computers and was always taking classes to learn more. She was in the process of learning about website design when she died. Simone said her mother loved the children and appreciated the diversity of the student body. Freeman was also particularly fond of those students who needed a little extra help or attention, Simone noted.

Even in the summers, Freeman kept working, serving as secretary for the summer recreation program.

She died on January 25. Gruen said her death came as a surprise to the faculty and staff at Dever because she had been away from work for only about three weeks.

Every year for Arbor Day, students plant flowers around the school. This year, on April 29, they also planted the tree for Freeman, as well as some flowers around it. A cement base was then set for the stone, and a granite plaque installed. Sixth-graders Antonio Evola and Shelby Denton unveiled it last week before the entire school. The plaque reads simply, “In loving memory of Frances S. Fortunato-Freeman,” with a picture of a teddy bear. Freeman was known for having teddy bears around her room.

The Dever faculty and staff collected about $1,200 for the tree and the plaque. Gruen said the cost was about half that, so the rest of the money will be donated to charity. Simone said she has chosen St. Jude Research Hospital, which helps children with serious diseases.

She noted that the contributions from the Dever faculty and staff were very touching, because her mother always thought of the school as a second home. “She did consider everyone here family,” Simone said. “I consider her the best mom ever.”