Michael Butkus Jr.

    After Immaculate Conception I went to Trenton State College.  Did the Five Year Plan at $500 a semester (If I am correct).  I graduated after changing my major from Mechanical Technology in my second year to Media Specialists.  Actually I received an Associate Media Specialists degree as well as a Elementary Teaching Certificate.  I met my wife at College at the college newspaper/yearbook.  That camera I owned in High School got me places. Just remember I STILL have all my HS photos.   

    I worked at the newspaper as photoeditor for a number of years and on the Yearbook as photoeditor.  I graduated Trenton State (the College of New Jersey) in 1976.  My wife and I were married in 1978.  We have one child, Bruce, now at Rochester Institute of Technology for Photo Technology (must run in the family).  He's also on the 5 year plan it seems.  I taught as librarian for two years at Flemington-Raritan middle school (as second librarian).  It was the '80s and got RIFed, I went to Round Valley School in Clinton Twp. for two years, I then went to Delaware Valley H.S. for a year (again, was let go due to funding).  

I tried a venture in my own business.  After a year I quit that (those were the Regan Years, remember 18% interest rates) and was librarian at Netcong School for a maternity leave.  I took a computer course in 1984 while at that school on a 8K computer. Remember the VIC20.  Crazy Eddie stores sold them.  My next job in '85 was at Seton Hall University, College of Nursing. I was the only male in the building.  After a year as an AV person a professor received a grant of 6 computers.  Guess who got to play with them?  After a few years the College of Nursing bought a Network Server and 8 people were put on the network. The hub cost a few thousand dollars for 8 users. You can now buy them at Wal Mart for under $40.   By the next two years all the staff wanted to be on the network.  So I ran the entire Nursing network by '92.

    In 1991 I started to teach a Computer Fundamentals course as my nurses would come back to our computer lab and cry that the professors went too fast and they did not understand anything.  So I became an evening adjunct professor.  By 1991 the college of Nursing was using E-mail (guess who ran that too), and I changed my students to sending me their home work via E-mail after my first semester.  No more paper assignments!  Every year at the College of Nursing things changed quickly.  By 1995 everyone on campus was jealous that my students and my friend in the School of Business did all these great tech things.  The provost decided everyone should have the kinds of access my Nursing students had.  I learned an awful lot and by 1996 my son was reaching college age.   "Go to Seton Hall (for free too).. not me dad.." so I started to look for a new job.  

    In 1998 I found a Coordinator of Technology position at South Bound Brook Schools, N.J. with a nice pay raise.  I quickly used my computer talents to get computers into the classroom, Internet access, and everything under the sun.  I'm now at my sixth year there in 2003.  In 2003 after being there 5 years I was named "Teacher of the Year".   The nuns would have a stroke !

College of Nursing:  I was an administrator at the College of Nursing, Seton Hall University. I was is responsible for the Network and computer activity in that building. I was also responsible for the audio/visual functions that have to do with the College of Nursing. I  received my undergraduate degree at Trenton State College as Elementary Education/Associate Media Specialist in 1976. I  received my Masters as Media Specialist from Seton Hall in 1989 and Supervisor's Certificate in Education a year later. I now have 33 credits above my Masters.

My former position at South Bound Brook Schools involves the technology plan at our new building.  Currently re-setting up the Network and Internet access for the school system.  Check our site at South Bound Brook