By:Jennifer Marino
She just had a way about her, said Mike Heller, athletic director for Rockville Centre schools. He had the pleasure of working with Rosenberg for 18 years, arranging for her to spend time with Rockville Centre-s fifth graders and their parents every year.
Rosenberg grew up in Rockville Centre, moving to the village when she was four years old, and attending Hewitt Elementary School and South Side High School. After graduating from Tufts University and earning a master-s degree at Hofstra University, she moved back to Rockville Centre. She and her husband, Roger, raised their two children Andrew, 34, and Hillary, 32, in the village. Most recently she lived in Long Beach.
Now, Andrew plans to continue her mission of helping parents, teachers and kids through the maze of growing up. It-s so meaningful to carry on her work, he said.
As a health and human sexuality teacher at Nassau Community College and Brooklyn College, Rosenberg saw how uncomfortable her students were discussing these issues. The experience spurred her to address these issues at a younger age. It started with some rap sessions with kids on the cusp of middle school.
It was like my mom was more popular than I was, said Andrew, with a laugh, remembering coming home from school to find his peers hanging out with his mom. She made kids comfortable about sharing and always offered them an anonymous way to ask questions or share concerns by writing them on cards. It was often one of the livelier parts of the presentations as kids debated issues, according to Andrew.
The result of the rap sessions was Growing Up, Feeling Good. Not only the program taught to Rockville Centre fifth graders, but something that reached over 20 school districts on Long Island. It also took Rosenberg to 46 states to lecture.
In Rockville Centre, the program included an orientation for parents and then Rosenberg spent four hours with the students. Two hours with girls and boys separately and two hours together.
Growing Up, Feeling Good is also a 500-plus page book, one of four books she wrote. Rosenberg has also touched several generations. At her funeral, two women approached Rosenberg-s brother, George Greenfield. They had been taught by her and their kids had been taught by her too. One woman shared that she went to Rosenberg for help and guidance when a parent passed away. She was friend as well as a teacher, said Greenfield.
But that was typical Ellen. Greenfield remembered her introducing herself to an elevator operator. As they rode the elevator, Rosenberg gave the woman a copy of Growing Up, Feeling Good, and they discussed the woman-s troubled son. On the elevator the next day, the woman thanked Rosenberg. She had left the book around for her son to see, and they had a breakthrough in communication.
Andrew will continue to make presentations about puberty and sexual education, as well as the many issues that face young people such as friendship, teasing and bullying. He has been working with his mom for 12 years. At first, he just carried her briefcase, he said, but then they began co-presenting programs, and he graduated to doing them on his own.
I could tell my mom anything, he said, adding that there was such open communication in his family growing up. While her work was very important to her, she made being a mom her priority. Coming of age with a mom who educated other kids about maturing, Andrew was sparred a lot of the misinformation and confusion kids have about sex. It wasn-t until later that he appreciated her hard work and dedication to helping others.
Even in the hospital, Rosenberg made friends with everyone. She was like the mayor of the hospital, said Greenfield.
In addition to her husband, Roger, and children, Andrew and Hillary, Rosenberg is also survived by two grandchildren.
