Salem Public Schools Educator Anny Cruz Earns Distinguished Service Award from AFT Massachusetts
Ms. Cruz honored for union leadership, excellence in family engagement
SALEM (May 13, 2025) – Anny Cruz, a family engagement facilitator at Salem Public Schools, was named the recipient of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Massachusetts Distinguished Service Award Friday, May 2, at the AFT Massachusetts Awards Dinner at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate.
In her fourth year at SPS, Ms. Cruz was among nine AFT union members statewide presented with awards and received the honor in the non-licensed pre-K-12 category. The AFT Massachusetts Distinguished Service Awards are presented annually to members who have demonstrated an outstanding level of service and dedication to their local unions.
A member of the Salem Teachers Union, Ms. Cruz was nominated by the STU leadership.
“I don’t think family engagement facilitators are seen as educators and a lot of people don’t understand what we do,” she said. “So to be selected from the whole PSRP (paraprofessional and school-related personnel) unit makes you feel valuable. That was why I was loud during our negotiations.”
Ms. Cruz has spent three and one-half years as the family engagement facilitator at the dual language Bentley Academy Innovation School and, in addition, took on a similar role at the Horace Mann Laboratory School in January.
“Anny has been an integral part of the culture at Bentley Academy Innovation School as well as a strong member and advocate for PSRP members, specifically our family engagement facilitators,” said Ann Berman, a general music educator at the Bates Elementary School and the President of the Salem Teachers Union. “She is never afraid to speak her mind and doesn’t hold back, regardless of who is in the room.
“As a parent of Salem Public School students, Anny has a unique perspective as to what our kids need and she continues to speak up at school committee meetings to make sure that management knows what kids need; that she is not backing down when it comes to being a fierce mama bear,” Ms. Berman added.
Ms. Cruz is the second SPS educator to be honored by the AFT Massachusetts in as many years. Last year, Keeghan Hughes, a special education teacher at the Carlton Innovation School, received an award for distinguished service.
A native of the Dominican Republic, Ms. Cruz comes from a long line of educators. Her mother was a third grade teacher while her grandmother taught first grade. She also has several aunts who taught math and science.
“Anny comes from a union family and spoke often about her father’s union work,” Ms. Berman said. “Her passion for workers rights was evident from the start. She was quite vocal when she needed to be, advocating not only for her colleagues but also for the families and students that she serves.”
A resident of Salem, Ms. Cruz has two children at SPS: Isabella, a junior at Salem High School; and Fernando, a fourth grade student at Horace Mann.
About Salem Public Schools
Salem Public Schools is an urban public school district in Salem, Massachusetts. Salem is a small, diverse city with a proud maritime and immigrant history. Our leaders and our teachers are all passionate about education and understand the urgency of improving student achievement with equity and social-emotional needs as the lens we view all of our work through. We respect and value the racial, cultural, and linguistic diversity of our students and their families, and have a strong commitment to the Salem community. Salem Public Schools staff serve all of our students, regardless of ability or language. Salem Public Schools enrolls approximately 4,000 students across its eleven schools.
