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Young achiever

Ride for Runaways goes virtual

Mercer County honors Lawrence High junior for her volunteer work

BY NICOLE VIVIANO

The Anchor House annual 500-mile bike ride fundraiser has been reimagined into a virtual experience to cater to the current restrictions amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year’s Anchor House Virtual Ride for Runaways will mark the 42nd year of the massive fundraising event that brings in more than $500,000 for the year for the Trenton-based organization.

“Everybody has their own goal,” COO of Anchor House Foundation Kathy Drulis said.

“As much as they love biking and they love what we do, they so believe in Anchor House so that’s what has always made our event so successful.”

This year’s change has brought many veteran participants back as well as new ones.

Mark Smith has taken part in Anchor House’s traditional 500-mile trek for 30 years.

To commemorate his years of commitment, Smith, a veterinarian at Hopewell Veterinary Group Inc., set a personal goal to raise $30,000, or $1,000 for every year he has participated.

As of June 23, Smith raised $25,125 and pledged that if his donors help him raise within $1,000 of his goal that he will make up the difference. He See RIDE, Page 11

BY JUSTIN FEIL

Lawrence High School Class of 2020 valedictorian Ian Wang with principal David Adam during the Senior Cap and Gown Photo Op. event held at the high school field on June 19. (Photo by Bennie Williams, AWB Photos.)

LHS to hold in-person graduation Class of 2020 virtual graduation held on June 19

BY BILL SANSERVINO

Members of the Lawrence High School’s Class of 2020 will celebrate their graduation at an in-person ceremony planned for later this month.

Superintendent Ross Kasun announced at the June 10 school board meeting that LHS is planning to hold the ceremony on Wednesday, July 29. This was made possible after Gov. Phil Murphy

relaxed the stay-at-home guidelines in late May and increased the number of people who can gather outside.

“We’re so excited to be able to celebrate with all of you one last time,” said LHS principal David Adam in a video update to the community on June 12.

Adam said that the district is still in the process of formulating plans for the in-person ceremony and will announce more details, including time and place, on the high school’s website, at ltps.org/ LHS. They are awaiting further guidance from the state.

“This is a huge stepping

stone in their lives,” said Adam in an interview with the Gazette before the decision to hold the in-person ceremony was made. “We want to give them the very best sendoff that we can.”

Before the decision to hold the July event, the district created a multi-event plan that included a number of activities, including a virtual graduation ceremony that was held on June 19.

The virtual commencement was a professionally produced video that included prerecorded speeches by student See GRADUATES, Page 6

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Lanae Lopez learned to appreciate at a young age all that she had.

The Lawrence High School junior has found constant reminders of her blessings during a lifetime of volunteering that includes co-founding her own community service organization.

“I learned that compared to a lot of other people, I have a lot,” Lopez said. “Not that I was ungrateful, but I learned to be really grateful for what I have. I also learned a lot about health issues that I never knew before. I was young when I started, but even as I got older and got to understand more, I saw a different side of things.”

Lopez is one of three high school students to receive the Young Woman of Achievement award from the Mercer County Commission on the Status of Women. Also honored were Namiaya Kelton of Ewing Township and Mehar Bajwa of Princeton.

An awards reception was originally planned for March 31 and then postponed until June 30 due to the COVID19 crisis. It has now been cancelled, but a recognition video is planned to be posted on the Mercer County webSee LOPEZ, Page 5

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I didn’t know what I don’t know BILL SANSERVINO FROM THE EDITOR

prised me. I thought I knew about the plight of Black people in our country, but the more I educated myself, the more I realized that I know almost nothing.

I had heard of Alabama Gov. and failed presidential candidate George Wallace, but had no idea about his legacy of racism.

I knew about the movie Selma, but I didn’t know the full story about Bloody Sunday and the Selma to Montgomery Marches in 1965.

I read about the Great Migration, (where Black people from the South went to northern cities in search of the promise of jobs and better treatment), but I was shocked to find out about the Red Summer of 1919, where white rioters attacked and killed Black people, because they felt they had taken their jobs.

Those are just a few of the things I found out, and they’re just the tip of the iceberg.

I urge everyone to learn more about our country’s history, especially as it relates to the treatment of non-whites.

Hopefully you’ll come to better understand their grievances. And through understanding, we grow.

Hopefully these learnings will guide more relevant conversations and lead us to positive changes.

When George Floyd died on May 25 after a Minnesota police officer knelt on his neck for almost 9 minutes, it turned our already tumultuous COVID-19-infected world upside down.

I stand behind the efforts of all of the protesters fighting to change systemic racism within our society, especially against Black people.

In my 30 years as journalist, I’ve come to know many good police officers.

Men and women who care deeply about the communities they serve, and their efforts should not go unrecognized.

That being said, I also believe there’s clearly a disparity between the way Black and white people are treated by law enforcement, and significant change is needed regarding how officers are trained and held accountable when responding to calls.

But what can I do to help? That’s the question I struggle with.

Scientific studies have shown that humans are born with the propensity to discriminate against those who are different from them.

Our saving grace, and what separates us from lesser animals, is our intelligence. It gives us the ability to overcome our biases and hatreds.

Contact BILL SANSERVINO: bill@comKnowing this, I decided to learn more munitynews.org, (609) 396-1511, ext. 104, about the issue. What I found out sur- facebook.com/BillSanservino.

we are a newsroom of your neighbors. The Lawrence Gazette is for local people, by local people. As part of the community, the Gazette does more than just report the news—it connects businesses with their customers, organizations with their members and neighbors with one another. As such, our staff sets out to make our town a closer place by giving readers a reliable source to turn to when they want to know what’s going on in their neighborhood.

EDITOR Bill Sanservino (Ext. 104)

Community News Service 15 Princess Road, Suite K Lawrence, NJ 08648 Phone: (609) 396-1511

STAFF WRITER Nicole Viviano CONTRIBUTING WRITER Justin Feil ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Mark Nebbia (Ext. 115)

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Around town

Lawrence officials to review police department policies The Lawrence Township Council and municipal manager Kevin Nerwinski have pledged to review the township police department’s policies and other related issues in the wake of the George Floyd killing and subsequent civil unrest.

“We have received many e-mails of concern about the curfew and our police department’s policies,” said a statement released by the township.

“Rest assured that council members have already started working on how we can best facilitate a deeper community conversation and reviewing our use of force policy.”

Nerwinski, in a seperate statement, said he is committed to keeping residents informed of the township’s future efforts.

“We will closely scrutinize who we are and how we police and look for ways to improve and be better. We promise to listen” Nerwinski said.

“To hear the voices of concern about police brutality and racism, and do our part to bring about change for the better for all people.”

He said that Mayor James Kownacki and the other township council members met with him and police Chief Brian Caloiaro “to discuss the current state of our police department, to ask important questions about the policy and procedures followed, to inform us of their concerns, and to determine the areas where there can be improvement.”

He added: “These officials showed a sincere commitment for reform and to improve community policing. These meetings are a critical first step by them to do what they were elected to do—to advocate on behalf of the residents, and to work to establish policies that improve what we do in service of the community.”

–Bill Sanservino

DEP files lawsuit against Trenton Water Works The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection stayed true to its word, filing a lawsuit against the City of Trenton and Trenton Water Works in mid-June after threatening to do so just weeks earlier.

Attorney General Gurbir Grewal and DEP Commissioner Catherine R. McCabe announced the lawsuit June 15, saying in a release that the state hopes the legal system will compel Trenton to protect the city’s water system.

The release specifically called out Trenton city council for its inability to properly fund measures that would reduce the risk of lead and pathogens in TWW’s drinking water. TWW utility serves more than 200,000 people in

Trenton, Ewing and parts of Hamilton, Hopewell Township and Lawrence.

Lawrence municipal manager Kevin Nerwinski said that the township intends to intercede in the lawsuit along with the other communities served by TWW. “I have met with Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora several times regarding TWW and its operations and plans for the future,” Nerwinski said in a post on his blog lawrencetownshipnjmanagerkpn.blogspot.com.

He said Gusciora is committed to taking the steps necessary to fix the water utility.

“Unfortunately, what he wants isn’t enough in Trenton’s form of government,” Nerwinski said. “Issues relating to funding fall within the authority of the (Trenton) City Council. If those council members are not committed to improving TWW in a meaningful manner, there is no alternative but to seek a court order to compel them to meet their obligations to their own residents and to the customers who reside outside of their city.”

In her release, McCabe framed the issue similarly in a May 21 letter to the City of Trenton, saying the city council’s vote in May to reject millions of dollars in bonds for crucial measures will prevent Trenton Water Works from providing safe drinking water to its customers.

The measures defeated by council May 7 would have provided nearly $100 million in funding for three projects: improvements at TWW’s water filtration plant, the replacement of 63,000 outdated water meters and the transition away from Trenton’s openair reservoir on Pennington Avenue to a new, decentralized water storage system. The reservoir has long been an issue for TWW—it has spent more than a decade out of compliance with a DEP order to cover the tank.

Though a majority of council voted in favor of the funding, the measures fell one vote shy of the required 5-vote supermajority.

“That decision has necessitated today’s action; it is part of a pattern of inaction and outright refusal to marshal the resources necessary to meet the City’s legal obligations to effectively run the water system and protect the public health,” the Attorney General’s office said in a June 15 press release.

DEP and the state Attorney General’s Office took particular offense at TWW’s lack of action regarding the reservoir, saying “because that reservoir is uncovered, it is subject to contamination from the elements and from birds or other animals, which poses a continuing risk of introducing See AROUND TOWN, Page 4

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AROUND TOWN cont. from Page 3 pathogens into the water supply.”

More than a decade ago, the DEP ordered TWW to install a floating cover over the reservoir by 2009. TWW missed several deadlines to comply, and, in 2018, Trenton and DEP entered into an agreement that extended the deadline for cover installation until 2023.

Last year, the water utility unveiled an alternate plan that would move the water supply from the current centralized reservoir to above-ground storage tanks placed in each of the five municipalities it serves.

The state, however, says TWW has not formally requested DEP approval for the storage tank project, and alleges that TWW has not indicated how it intends to fund the storage tanks, which will cost tens of millions of dollars to construct. Initial funding for the project was included in the bonds rejected by council May 7.

Gusciora disputed DEP’s characterization of the issue, saying the state agency has known for two years that his administration planned to replace the reservoir with storage tanks. The city developed the idea after the federal Department of Homeland Security recommended Trenton no longer rely on a single water source, particularly an uncovered one. But the project could not move forward without support—and funding—from council.

“Their rationale has been, ‘We haven’t covered it in 30 years. Why start now?’” Gusciora said.

The lawsuit also accuses TWW of

being delinquent in replacing lead lines throughout its system. DEP claims TWW had agreed in 2018 to have 14% of its lead lines replaced by July 2020. To date, TWW has only replaced slightly more than 2%.

TWW’s lead service line replacement project has suffered from frequent delays, and only started in earnest this January. TWW marked the occasion with a Jan. 9 celebration that featured city officials watching crews dig up a lead line.

TWW said it has replaced 1,000 lead service lines since 2017, with 500 of those having been removed in the last four months. It has promised it will remove 2,600 by the end of this year and an additional 1,700 lead service lines by June 2021.

TWW has been front and center for most of Mayor Reed Gusciora’s term due to its historic struggles before he took office in July 2018. Gusciora, in turn, has spent much of his term focusing on the city’s water utility.

TWW has reduced the number of vacant positions—a chronic problem that contributed to a number of TWW’s issues—with the vacancy rate improving from 45% to 5% in the last two years. In the 26 months between January 2017 and February 2019, TWW received 29 DEP violations. It has received none in the last year.

TWW recently launched a 6-year, $405 million capital improvement plan for its system, a plan that is comprehensive but requires Trenton council’s cooperation in order to get funding.

Gusciora said he wants the same thing as DEP: to ensure TWW’s aging infrastructure receives the upgrades it needs to deliver high quality drinking water.

–Rob Anthes

LTPS named a National District of Character Lawrence Township Public Schools has been recognized by Character.org, which named LTPS a 2020 National District of Character for the district’s use of character development to drive change.

Character.org is a national advocate and leader in character development in schools and communities. Its NDOC program recognizes the district’s positive impact on academics, student behavior and climate through its demonstrated use of character development.

“We are pleased to announce and celebrate the schools and school districts who have earned this national recognition,” president of Character.org Dr. Arthur Schwartz said in a press release.

LTPS will carry the distinction for five years and is one of seven districts in the nation certified as a National District of Character in 2020. This is the second time the district has earned the five-year distinction. The first time was in 2014, according to LTPS. Before earning a NDOC designation, a school or district has to be noted as a State District of Character in their respective state. LTPS was

named a 2014 and 2020 New Jersey District of Character.

The LTPS application automatically was forwarded to Character.org for national consideration. Amy Amiet, Eldridge Park Elementary School principal, and Alyson Fischer, Lawrence Intermediate School principal, led the district’s Character Education Committee in the extensive re-application process.

Various schools in Lawrence Township’s seven-school district have worked with Character.org, previously known as the Character Education Partnership, for at least thirteen years. Currently Eldridge Park is a National School of Character.

“Character education is woven throughout our district,” Amiet said, according to LTPS. “It is not simply an initiative that is touched on occasionally or something done to receive an award. One sees character education in the classroom, the lunchroom, the hallway, the nurse’s office, and the custodial office. It thrives on the stage, on the soccer field and at the bus stop.”

Character.org will honor LTPS at its next National Forum. Dates for the forum will be forthcoming. They are not set yet due to the pandemic.

WHAT DID WE MISS? What are you noticing in your community? What stories do you think we should tell? Do you have news to share? We want to hear from you. Send your news or tips to news@communitynews.org.

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She’s very engaged and outspoken.” a lot of people knew about prostate local gyms.

Clarke also teaches social studies cancer. I reach out to people and call Being connected with those organiat Lawrence and had Lopez in her law them and make sure they’re getting zations prompted Lopez to want to be class this year. She taught Lopez pre- checkups.” involved in more community service. viously in her Principles of EconomLEOAPCF also holds an annual Three years ago, she and her brother ics class. gala to honor cancer survivors. Lopez created HOPE by 2, which stands for “She’s such an amazing young looks forward to every year helping Helping Others in order to Promote lady,” Clarke said. “She’s outgoing, to make sure it runs smoothly and Elevation. outspoken, very smart. I called her attendees have a good time.

“It makes me want to help people an old-school thinker.

“I set up the tables even more,” Lopez said. “It deals with She thinks outside and make sure every- giving clothes to mostly kids who are the box, well beyond one is okay, and be in in foster homes. My mom is involved her age. You don’t see the front welcoming with DYFS. Seeing how stressed she that in a lot of teenagpeople,” said Lopez. “I is about these kids and how they ers these days. She’s a remember one year it don’t have certain things, it makes special young lady. I’m was so big because they me want to do something so I can happy for her.” honored 50 people. It help them.”

“To meet her and to Lopez said she finds herself hapwas a bigger task for know her is to love her,” piest when she is helping others. me, but I handled it.”

Clarke said. “She’s an Adela’s Angels was Her experiences in community seramazing student.” similarly formed by the vice have helped to shape her career Lopez went so far as family. Lopez’s mother, goals. to invite some of her “I feel really great when I do this a 12-year breast cancer teachers and advisors to survivor, started the because it has to do with what I want attend the awards receporganization as an out- to do in the future,” Lopez said. “I Lopez tion. They have been reach to women going want to be a lawyer. I want to be important influences in through what she did. the voice for those that don’t have a her life, she said.

The organization helps educate and voice.”

Lopez balances her in-school and support women.

Doing so will keep Lopez involved out-of-school commitments well. She “She made Adela’s Angels so that in helping those less fortunate in the finds ways to slot everything into her women are getting checked up,” community. It’s something that she schedule.

Lopez said. “And we sit with them has been passionate and dedicated to “The foundation things are from at hospitals while they go through throughout her life.

August to October,” Lopez said. “In chemotherapy, because not every“I really enjoyed doing it,” Lopez that time frame, I’m not really run- one has family that can be there with said. “It sort of came natural to me. ning. If it’s anything that has to do them.”

It’s like, at this time of year I do this with it and it’s during when I run Beyond that, Adela’s Angels pro- for this organization, and at this time track, I would do those on the week- motes fitness events like community of year so I do this with this organiends. I only have practice on Satur- walks or runs, and they organize fit- zation. It gave me life. It made me day morning and it would be over and ness challenges like bike-athons at happy.”

I wouldn’t have (track) any other time BRING IN YOUR during the weekend.”

POTS & PLANTERS Being active in the community FOR PLANTING has been important to her from a young age. She traces her community service roots back to when she LANDSCAPE was 6 years old. She volunteered INSTALLATION with her church, and it made a strong AND GREENHOUSE & FARM impression.

RENOVATION “When I was in church around the COVID-19 Protocol winter months and around ThanksSocial distancing of giving, my church would make food at least 6 feet or more and we would go around giving it to Curbside pick up the communities like Trenton, to peoand local delivery ple that couldn’t get it and we would available Annuals • Perennials • Shrubs • Trees give it to people that were homeless,” Hanging Baskets • Tropicals • Planters Lopez said.

Vegetable Plants • Herbs The takeaway from those experiences was clear. Lopez enjoyed help13 acres of OPEN SPACE and FRESH AIR ing others.

“I’m lucky enough to be able to Plant something! have these things, and I’m blessed enough to have a family where I can Open July 4th from 9-1 celebrate Thanksgiving with and have food to eat, but there are othJuly hours: Mon.-Sat. 9-5 Sunday 10-4 ers that don’t have that,” Lopez said.

“I learned I need to start giving 10 WOOSAMONSA ROAD, PENNINGTON Rt. 31 back to people that don’t have those opportunities.” www.jacksnurseryandlandscaping.com JACK’S NURSERY Lopez began to take advantage of plantsandtrees@icloud.com opportunities created close to home.

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LOPEZ continued from Page 1 site (mercercounty.org).

“It is with great sadness that the Mercer County Commission on the Status of Women has canceled its annual awards reception,” said a statement on the county website.

At the awards reception, Mercer County Executive Brian Hughes and members of the Mercer County Commission on the Status of Women were to present awards for the Woman of Achievement and the Young Woman of Achievement.

The Woman of Achievement Award was established to honor Mercer County residents who volunteer their time to make the county a better place to live, raise a family and work.

The Young Woman of Achievement Award honors high school students for their outstanding volunteer work within the county.

“We look forward to honoring each of this year’s recipients,” said Hughes, the event’s honorary chairman before the event was cancelled.

“We are proud to recognize these selfless individuals for their work and the example they set for everyone in our communities.”

Lopez volunteers with two organizations with personal connections— Adela’s Angels and Law Enforcement Officers Against Prostate Cancer Foundation. In addition, she and her twin brother, Lance, started the HOPE By 2 Foundation which helps to collect coats, hats, gloves and pajamas for youth in the foster care system in Mercer County. Lopez is being honored for her abundance of community service work.

“It’s really great,” said Lopez. “I think it’s really amazing that they chose three young ladies to be honored for this.”

Lopez was in class when she found out she would be honored, and it came as a shock to her. She hadn’t been thinking about the award.

“I didn’t do this just so I could be honored,” Lopez said, adding she didn’t realize she could be honored for volunteer work. “I just wanted to do it to help out other people. To know I’m being recognized for that feels really good to me, but that’s not what my whole purpose of this was.”

Lopez is highly active in school and in athletics at Lawrence High.

She has run sprints for indoor and outdoor track and field, and was to be a co-captain of the girls team this spring.

Outside of her schoolwork, Lopez is a part of the business club, DECA, and she volunteered with the Black History Month gala committee, which puts on the largest event in the school district to end February.

Lopez served as co-host at the gala.

“Lanae was one of the vital members of the planning committee,” said Jametta Clarke, the gala’s advisor.

“The committee is made up of about 20 students. We don’t have officers, but if we did, she would have been the vice president. She was very sharp and very detail oriented. I needed people like that on the committee.

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GRADUATES continued from Page 1 council president Jumana Khalifa, class president Nabil Hachicha, salutatorian Tucker Simpson and valedictorian Ian Wang.

“From what I’ve seen of this community, especially in the past few months, I have no doubts about our futures,” Wang said. “We’ve proven that we can thrive, even as the world feels like it’s being turned upside down.

“But our stories are just beginning, so let’s go forth Class of 2020—a class that will be long remembered. We’re at a great turning point. A turning point in our lies and a turning point in history.

Let’s make it a turn for the better.”

The video, hosted by Adam, also featured student performances, individual names and photos of each senior, and messages from Kasun and School Board president Kevin Van Hise.

It ended with video messages from prominent LHS graduates, including John Schneider ‘98, coach, Toronto Blue Jays; Ifa Bayeza ‘68, award-winning playwright, author and producer; Brett Brackett ‘06, former NFL player; Kim Hatchett ‘80, executive director, Morgan Stanley; Todd Brunner ‘86, NFL scout, Seattle Seahawks; and Jon Stewart ‘80, comedian, writer, producer and activist.

“Congratulations on the weirdest graduation any Lawrence High School class will ever have,” Stewart said. “I too went to Lawrence High School.

I’m a Cardinal, through and through.

I just missed you guys by 40 years...

A Lawrence Township resident snapped this photo of LHS mascot Larry the Cardinal when he stopped outside her house on June 16.

Good luck for everything you’re going to be doing in the future. I’m excited to see what you guys are gonna do.”

The graduation video, which is an hour and nine minutes long, has been posted on the LHS/LTPS websites and on the LTPS cable channel.

A community-wide clap out occurred at the conclusion of the virtual graduation ceremony, in which Lawrence families and community

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6  Lawrence Gazette | July 2020

parents and LHS staff.

Project Graduation is a parent group that sponsors an event at the high school every year after the graduation ceremony ends.

Because the event could not be held this year, Project Graduation purchased the lawn signs, and then a group of parents, high school administrators and teachers spent the day delivering them to all 297 graduates.

On the last day of school, June 19, LHS hosted the “Senior Cap and Gown Photo Opportunity.”

The event gave seniors the chance to take photos in their cap and gown on the high school football field. They were allowed to bring two adults with them.

A stage was set up on the field, the district had a photographer there, and the family members who accompanied them were allowed to take pictures. Adam was also there in his cap and gown to help the kids feel like they were getting part of the graduation experience.

Prior to the photo op event, members of the faculty staff at the high school and other district schools were asked to adopt a senior, Adam said.

The week before graduation they assembled celebratory tote bags sponsored the PTO and Project Graduation.

The bags had the students’ caps and gowns and a beach towel that was purchased by the Project Graduation parents.

There were also some other items in the bag that were personalized by the person who adopted the student. Adam said they asked the adopter to include a handwritten note or a congratulations card in the bag.

Other events that were held included the senior academic and athletic awards presentations.

The LHS community recognized members of the senior class on May 28 to celebrate their academic accomplishments, awards and scholarships in a video presentation, which can be viewed on the LTPS Youtube channel at youtube.com/ltpsrewind.

On June 4, the LHS honored student-athletes in a video award presentation highlighting record-breakers, championship teams and senior scholarship winners in a video presentation.

The video been posted on the LTPS Youtube channel at youtube.com/ ltpsrewind.

Finally, yearbook production has been delayed and were expected to be delivered to LHS during the last week of June or early July.

Yearbooks will be distributed along with diplomas, diploma jackets, any senior awards, which can be picked up at the high school by appointment.”

members went out onto their porches and front lawns to applaud the new graduates.

Adam said school officials did their best to make the end of this year a special one for the seniors, despite the unusual circumstances.

“The hard part is that we can’t do the things we typically want to,” Adam said. “We want to make sure everyone’s safe, and that’s what’s most important.”

Meanwhile, school officials, staff and parents banded together in an effort to make the seniors’ experience special, regardless of the circumstances.

“The thing we’re hearing from our students is that they’re missing those experiences, and we’re trying to do as much as we can provide them for them,” Adam said.

Graduation week activities kicked off June 16 when LHS mascot, Larry the Cardinal, drove through town and stopped outside the seniors homes.

In order to celebrate the graduates, the district is hosting a slideshow on the LHS website’s main page. Adam described the presentation as “an opportunity for students to send in a couple of pictures and facts about themselves and memories they want people to know about their high school experience.”

“It’s chance to shine a spotlight on them because they deserve to be honored and identified as the individuals for who they are as they are preparing to move on after high school,” Adam said.

Another effort was “Proud of Our Senior” lawn signs. On May 1, each senior received a Class of 2020 lawn sign, paid for by the LHS Project Graduation.

Contact BILL SANSERVINO: bill@comThe signs were delivered to each munitynews.org, (609) 396-1511, ext. 104, senior’s home by Project Graduation facebook.com/BillSanservino.

School officials, staff and parents banded together in an effort to make the seniors’ experience special.

july 2020

M A R C H

M A D N E S S

2020 COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic-style local, state, and nationwide events were canceled, and March Madness took on an entirely new meaning.

As the COVID-19 pandemic made its way to the United States and numbers of cases and deaths steadily climbed in our region, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy closed schools as of March 16, 2020. Schools remained closed throughout the remainder of the school year.

Chalk drawing in Lawrence Township’s Village Park. The rainbow and slogan became a message of hope throughout the community.

C

ommonly, about mid-March, many sports enthusiasts look forward to the beginning of March Madness. This is a term used to describe the excitement surrounding the NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament. The single-elimination tournament has 68 collegiate teams that compete in seven rounds to the national championship.

But not this year. Due to the COVID-19 coronavirus, the tournament and many other district,

Upon closing, we quickly implemented plans for delivering remote instruction so the school days would count toward New Jersey’s mandate of students having 180 days per school year.

We surveyed families to learn how many did not have internet at home or devices to access the internet.

The district routinely provides students in grades 6-12 with Chromebooks for the school year. With little turnaround time and for students in grades K-5 who do not have devices at home, we distributed 243 Chromebooks and 42 hotspots for accessing the internet. The Lawrence Township Education Foundation donated funds to purchase 100 Chromebooks to help meet the need.

District committed to race relations and anti-bias programs

Aims to improve recruiting staff of color

A

s the 2019-20 school year drew to a close, many witnessed protests against racism within our community and across the nation. Adults and students of color openly shared their experiences of racism that occurred within the Lawrence community and our schools over the years.

It is painfully clear that racism is too pervasive in our country, and we need to do our part to help address it.

Our district made an intentional decision three years ago to focus on improving equity within our schools. We worked with consultants, formed an Equity Committee, had multiple professional developments for staff, reached out to universities to learn how we may recruit more staff of color, and have two administrators who serve on New Jersey’s core team of the Diverse Learner Ready Teacher Initiative.

Despite our best efforts, issues persist, and we must do more.

We have reached out to Dr. Kenneth King to audit our hiring and recruitment practices this

(continued page 4)

(continued page 3)

Pandemic benefits referendum projects

Contractors take advantage of closed schools - #BetterBuildings4Learning While the pandemic was wrecking havoc throughout the district, it actually presented opportunities for contractors working within the schools on projects provided for in the 2018 referendum.

From the begninning, New Jersey Governor Murphy had designated construction as one of the essential services that could continue while most other businesses and services were shuttered throughout the state. School closures enabled contractors to get into buildings rather than waiting for summer.

– High School: complete – Middle School: almost complete (Summer) – Intermediate School: power upgrade to sup port air conditioning: complete Remainder is almost complete. (Summer) – Ben Franklin: complete – Eldridge Park: power upgrade to support air conditioning: complete Remainder is almost complete. (Summer) – Lawrenceville: complete – Slackwood: Summer

Referendum projects and their current status follow:

Replace boilers and related work – High School: complete – Middle School: almost complete (Summer)

Install air conditioning in classrooms and spaces not currently air conditioned

Install elevator to increase accessibility to all floors – Middle School: almost complete (Summer)

Modular classrooms (4 elementary schools) new ramp installation: complete New siding: Summer Windows: rebidding (continued page 4)

Lawrence Public Schools | July 2020 | Lawrence Gazette 7

A photo essay of our 2020 COVID-19 coronavirus journey

Jump started by Theresa Krisak, a Ben Franklin Elementary kindergarten teacher, students were asked to make rainbows with the phrase “Everything is going to be alright!” and to display the creation in their window as a sign of hope. The community embraced the message, and rainbows appeared everywhere! Subsequently, Cathy LeCompte, a Board of Education member and a graphic artist, created a logo which is used widely by the district.

To help engage everyone, we held a Spirit Week. On one of the days, students and staff were asked to share photos of their remote learning or teaching environment.

Mondays found food service and business office employees as well as volunteers packing and delivering a week’s worth of lunches (over 2,500) for students (503) eligible for free or reduced lunch.

L - R: Lawrence Middle School held a drive-by Farewell for 8th graders. The Project Graduation Committee delivered lawn signs to each senior. Lawrence High School hosted a photo op for seniors in their cap and gown.

Lawrence High School alumni extended congratulatory wishes to the Class of 2020 in the Virtual Graduation Video.

NFL Scout Seattle Seahawks

Award-Winning Playwright, Author, Producer

8Lawrence Gazette | July 2020 | Lawrence Public Schools

Comedian, Writer, Producer, Activist

Former NFL Player Tight End

Coach Tornoto Blue Jays

Executive Director Morgan Stanley

La

rence High’s Class of 2020

What’s next for the graduates?

4 Yr. College

58%

2 Yr. College

30%

Non-U.S. College

0.3%

Employment

8%

Military

1%

Other/Unknown

1%

Arizona State University-Tempe Bard College Belmont University Boston University Centenary University CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice Dartmouth College Delaware Valley University DePaul University Drexel University Eckerd College Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus Georgia Gwinnett College Indiana University-Bloomington James Madison University Kean University Kutztown University of Pennsylvania La Salle University Lincoln Technical Institute Lock Haven University Loyola University Maryland McDaniel College Mercer County Community College Misericordia University Monmouth University

(continued from page 1) Race relations . . . summer. His education career spans 46 years, and he is highly regarded as an expert on human resources management and recruitment.

Right before the COVID-19 pandemic closed schools, we were soliciting funding for us to work with Val Brown, a professional development facilitator for a national non-profit. Her role primarily includes designing, facilitating and evaluating anti-bias professional development for educators across the country. We continue to plan with Brown and hope to have her work with us for two years. Her involvement will include leading staff professional development, facilitating courageous conversations about race, and writing curriculum specifically for our district.

In addition to actions, we pledge to listen. It is important that we do not shy away from these conversations with students, staff, parents, and community members. Stay tuned for information about opportunities to get together, whether virtually or in person, and work together for understanding and improvement. Our success is dependent upon the participation and support of the broader Lawrence community, and of parents with their children, so that we may create a safe and supportive environment for our students of color.

Moore College of Art and Design Montclair State University Morgan State University New Jersey Institute of Technology North Carolina Central University Northeastern University Pace University-New York Pennsylvania State University Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Abington Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona Princeton University Purdue University Rider University Paris Daniels, Lawrence High School senior, captured her Roanoke College graduation milestone with Principal Dave Adam.

Rowan College of South JerseyGloucester Campus University of Georgia Rowan University University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Rutgers University-Camden University of Maryland-College Park Rutgers University-New Brunswick University of Miami Rutgers University-Newark University of New Hampshire Seton Hall University University of New Haven Sterling College University of North Florida Stevens Institute of Technology University of Pennsylvania Stockton University University of Pittsburgh Stony Brook University, State University of New York University of Southern California Susquehanna University University of Wisconsin-Madison Temple University Virginia Tech The College of New Jersey Wellesley College The University of Tampa Wentworth Institute of Technology Towson University Widener University Tulane University of Louisiana William Paterson University of New Jersey United States Naval Academy Yale University University of Connecticut University of Delaware

Character.org names Lawrence a National District of Character. . .again

I

n mid-May 2020, Character.org, a national advocate and leader in character development in schools and communities, named Lawrence Township Public Schools (LTPS) a 2020 National District of Character (NDOC). The NDOC program recognizes districts that have demonstrated their use of character development to drive a positive impact on academics, student behavior, and climate throughout the district.

LTPS is one of seven districts throughout the nation certified as a NDOC in 2020. The district earned the five-year distinction in 2014 and in 2020.

Prior to earning a National District of Character designation, a school or district must first be noted as a State District of Character in their respective

state. Thus, prior to receiving each of the national awards, LTPS received the designation of being named a 2014 and, later, a 2020 New Jersey District of Character. Subsequently, the LTPS application automatically was forwarded to Character.org for national consideration. Amy Amiet, Eldridge Park Elementary principal, and Alyson Fischer, Lawrence Intermediate School principal, led the district’s character education committee in the extensive re-application process. Teachers, administrators, guidance counselors, support staff, and librarians composed the committee.

Since its inception, the National Schools of Character program has impacted nearly 3 million students, staff, parents, and community members.

The schools and school districts that apply must meet the rigorous standards articulated in Character. org’s 11 Principles Framework for Schools. Each school/district is evaluated by a team of trained educators and includes a site visit to assess how a school’s “shared values” are motivating students to do the right thing.

Character.org will honor Lawrence Township Public Schools at its next National Forum. The dates for the forum are not set yet due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lawrence Public Schools | July 2020 | Lawrence Gazette 9

Board of Education Kevin Van Hise, Esq., Pres.

Dana Drake, Vice Pres.

Michele Bowes Jonathan Dauber, Ed.D. Pepper Evans Jo Ann Groeger Michelle King, Ph.D. Cathy LeCompte Joyce Scott

District Mission The mission of the Lawrence Township Public Schools is to foster a community that: • values academic excellence, critical thinking skills, and lifelong learning; • challenges each student to become a responsible citizen of a global society; and • respects different learning styles and adapts instruction accordingly.

Check us out on the Web! www.ltps.org

(continued from page 1) March Madness . . .

Mondays found district food service and business office employees as well as volunteers packing a week’s worth of lunches for students eligible for free or reduced lunch. Bus drivers, other transportation employees, and volunteers delivered the lunches.

Weekly, food service packed over 2,500 lunches for delivery to 503 students.

Because of the COVID-19 global pandemic, many students and their families experienced disappointment as events and milestones for various grade levels could not be realized as usual. Lawrence High School (LHS) designed a multitude of new activities to celebrate the Class of 2020, including a photo op for students in their cap and gown with the LHS principal. Lawrence Middle School (LMS) honored

each 8th grader in a drive-up Farewell photo op for the student with the LMS principal. Schools held virtual orientations for students moving up to a new school and hosted creative attempts to stay connected with students and families. Virtual spirit weeks, talent shows, and art shows became the norm.

At this time, we do not know what September looks like. We are eager for Governor Murphy’s decision and guidance regarding opening schools. In the meantime, we are planning for three scenarios: students returning to school, students continuing with remote instruction, and students following a hybrid of both.

It hasn’t been easy. But all in all, staff, families, and community members came together, supported each other, and learned the power of resiliency. We truly were #LawrenceStrong.

Solar Update: In 2020, we sold Solar Renewable Energy Certificates (SRECs) for $381,000. Over the lifetime of our solar panels, we have earned $3,629,000 and have offset energy costs by about $1.5 million. This revenue goes toward tax relief for Lawrence residents and future expenditures for other capital projects. (continued from page 1) Referendum . . .

Follow us on Facebook!

Follow us on Twitter! #ltps Online Backpack

As part of the district’s “greening” initiatives, we continue to successfully promote the use of the Online Backpack on the district website. Information from non-profit entities is entered as it is received. Check the site often.

Ross Kasun, Ed.D. Superintendent

Andrew Zuckerman, Ed.D. Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction

Thomas Eldridge Business Administrator/Board Secretary

Sean M. Fry

Director of Personnel & Administrative Services

Linda Mithaug

Director of Student Services

Lana Mueller Editor

lmueller@ltps.org 609-671-5405 2565 Princeton Pike Lawrenceville, New Jersey 08648 Phone: 609-671-5500

L to R clockwise: condensers for air conditioning at Slackwood School; 4 hot water boilers at Lawrence Middle School (LMS), replacing 2 steam boilers; unit ventilators for air conditioning installation at LMS Install/replace security access controls, paging, monitoring, and telephone systems (all schools) ongoing and in progress Install security vestibules in main entrances Slackwood, Eldridge Park, Intermediate and Middle Schools. (Other schools already have security vestibules.) complete Lawrence voters approved the approximately $25 million bond referendum on January 23, 2018.

Multiple projects are included within the referendum. All projects are eligible for partial state funding. Thus, the state of New Jersey will pay about 40% of the costs.

10Lawrence Gazette | July 2020 | Lawrence Public Schools

We strive to maintain our facilities on an ongoing basis. Planned capital projects within a few years include installing a new roof and solar panels on the administration building and installing solar panels on the maintenance building, removing walls and renovating the Slackwood basement and moving the library to the newly-created space, repaving about 75% of the parking lots and roadways, and replacing siding on the administration building.

Questions? Contact Business Administrator Tom Eldridge at (609) 671-5420 or teldridge@ltps.org.

RIDE continued from Page 1 has sent out 240 letters requesting donations.

Looking to this year’s virtual ride, Smith, 67, knows it will be a very different experience.

Riding alone or with one friend will be more difficult than when riding with a large group, as it psychologically wears the rider down. The friendships that have been built over years of participation will also be missed, he said.

Regardless of this year’s switch, Smith saw the pandemic as no excuse to forget about the needs of the youth population helped by Anchor House.

“I see them as the most vulnerable population,” Smith said. “They can’t do much themselves, and kids at Anchor House, they’ve been put into a really tough, tough spot as far as I’m concerned…And when I found out about Anchor House, and a chance to do more than just send a check once a year or twice a year, it was the perfect opportunity to do something to really help a lot of kids.”

Participants have a profile on the official Anchor House Virtual Ride for Runaways website, where they can display the funds they have raised and what their monetary and distance goals are, as well as options for posting blog entries of their participation.

The site will remain up throughout the length of the ride and the year, so donors may continue to contribute funds towards Anchor House.

Involvement may be different this year but it offers new options to join for those who haven’t been able to participate in the past.

Along with the decision to forego the group aspect of the ride and move everything remote, the Anchor House team created two more options for participation.

This year, participants can choose the regular 500-mile bike ride, the new 250-mile bike ride or a new 100-mile walk.

Over the past 41 years of the event, the 500-mile ride has been done over the course of a week. This year, the event has been expanded to last six weeks—43 days—to accommodate both new and veteran participants.

“We wanted to kind of keep it that same endurance goal,” said Drulis, a Ewing resident. “We like to equate it with you’re helping out kids who struggle every day and so we want to have an event that is a struggle.”

The three options and six-week plan for participants allows for more flexible involvement, including a mother and daughter from Lawrence.

Cheryl Curbishley has participated in six Anchor House rides over the years, along with some of her family members, and is back again this year.

She is set to complete the 500-mile ride, while her daughter, Gwyn, is signed on to complete the 250-mile ride.

Although Gwyn has participated in the 500-mile ride in the past with her family, the option to do the shorter ride was what fit with her schedule this year.

Cheryl, Gwyn and Tom Curbishley of Lawrence during the final day of the 2016 ride. (Photo by Jeanne Imbrigiotta.)

“I feel like it’s more accessible for people to sign up for the six-week challenge because of the virtual ride… you’re not going to have to take a week off of work,” Cheryl Curbishley said. “You can do an hour ride in the evening after your job. You can do that a couple times a week and then do a long ride on Saturday and Sunday.”

A middle school language arts teacher in West Windsor-Plainsboro, Cheryl has known of the Anchor House ride since 1991, when she was dating her now-husband, who was a participating cyclist then and has ridden other times over the years.

Being involved with Anchor House allows people to feel connected to helping the vulnerable children that may not have advocates and are living in unimaginable situations, Curbishley said.

Anchor House Inc. serves abused, runaway, homeless, aging out and at-risk youth and their families in the Mercer County and Central New Jersey areas. Emergency shelter, transitional living, homelessness housing and street outreach programs, along with opportunities to learn life skills and receive school-based counseling and parent support services are initiatives that need the funding raised by the ride.

Managing the funds raised is the charity arm of Anchor House, Anchor House Foundation Inc. Working as a separate, tax-exempt non-profit, the foundation provides the Trenton organization with grant funding throughout the year for its programs.

The programs have helped youth grow to aspire and achieve their goals despite the difficult situations they find themselves in.

Zena Aluboudi, 20, has been a part

of the Anchor House Anchorage Transitional Living Program for about two years. Between working, attending community college and playing

for her college’s basketball team, Aluboudi has experienced the help that the annual ride provides her and so many other youths.

“I’m a student-athlete and I’ve been working and I’ve been saving up,” Aluboudi said. “I’m just trying to succeed as much as I can and to set examples and standards for other residents and other people that were once like me with no home, to see that there is hope, that you can make it out and just work hard.”

Contributions from the annual ride help those youths in Anchor House programs to continue education and work towards bigger goals.

Aluboudi is on track to complete her associate’s degree and moving on to Rutgers-Newark to finish a four-year degree. Along with playing basketball for Rutgers, she wants to acquire an internship at the statehouse or a law office to help her achieve her dream of becoming a defense attorney and working in congress one day.

In the past, Aluboudi and many other kids involved in Anchor House have participated in the ride’s sendoff event and welcoming back celebration, traditionally held at Quaker Bridge Mall.

This year will be different, but the children of Anchor House still see the importance of being a part of the fundraiser. Aluboudi plans to join Anchor House executive director Kim McNear, a Lawrence resident, in the See RIDE, Page 12

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July 2020 | Lawrence Gazette11

Heading back to Heading back to work? work?

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SEPARATION ANXIETY IS REAL! SEPARATION ANXIETY IS REAL!

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The six-week window is meant to

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The ride kicks off on July 11, allowing participants to sign up until the day before.

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12  Lawrence Gazette | July 2020

create an option so that participants don’t need to take off from work and may complete their miles as they please, making aggressive training not as necessary as previous years.

Although the group aspect of the ride will not be the same Anchor House is working to make sure participants still know how much they are helping.

Lawn signs and painted rocks are being worked on by Anchor House and its youth to help spread the word around Mercer County of the time and efforts the riders and walkers are contributing.

Whether on their own, with family members, outside or indoors, the Anchor House ride is on its way to raising its funding for the year.

Every rider or walker is asked to raise a certain amount depending on their participation.

Every cyclist riding 500 miles is asked to raise $750. Cyclists riding 250 miles are asked to raise $500. Walkers or runners are asked to complete 100 miles and raise $200.

“I think we’re hoping that again, the awareness is raised for the issues that our young people are facing, the programs and services that Anchor House offers and how vital they are to our community,” said McNear, the Anchor House executive director.

“We are really hoping in the midst of everything that’s going on, really looking for an opportunity to provide a little bit of normalcy, if you will,” McNear said. “So for those who’ve been going on the ride 30 plus years you become used to that, one or two years you become used to it…that sense of family.”

Contact staff writer NICOLE VIVIANO: nviviano@communitynews.org, (609) 3961511, ext. 118, twitter.com/nicoleviviano, facebook.com/nicoleviviano609.

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14  Lawrence Gazette | July 2020

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Why were the July 4 fireworks cancelled? responded, “The Governor did NOT remove the restrictions on public gatherings (500 people). He is allowFROM THE MANAGER’S DESK ing public firework displays subject to the outdoor gathering rules.”

Our town has historically had thouThe township released the following statement to the community on sands attend the display, and there June 15 regarding the township’s would be no feasible way to issue tickets to this event to limit the numannual fireworks celebration.

As a result of the COVID-19 pan- ber attending.

There is no way to guarantee all to demic and the restrictions by goverhave a parking space nor’s executive order to attend the event for large gatherings, (if remaining in cars it is with great disapwere a plan). pointment that the There is no way to township must cancel guarantee those sitthis year’s 2020 Lawting in a car to see the rence Township’s 4th fireworks display. of July Fireworks DisThere is no way to play scheduled for July safely turn away those 1. trying to gain entrance This popular cominto the Rider Univermunity event takes sity parking lot who place at Rider Univerarrive after the limit is sity every year and filled (whether by car includes a concert peror walking). formed by a live band, There is no way to food trucks, music by guarantee the safety the Bronc Radio Stafor those having to tion and a spectacular work the event. fireworks display. The I understand that township must make everyone wants the decisions that are fireworks display, based upon the combut these events munity’s best interest. take time to plan. To In this situation, the determine the locatownship determined tion where they are that it could not adequately protect the attendees from staged from. To ensure it can be done the health and safety risks posed by safely and meet the fire marshall regthe virus. The township hopes that ulations (they are varying levels of the fireworks event can be incorpo- explosions).

It involves meeting very specific rated with another event at a later geographic requirements that make date this year.

Since this column’s purpose, in the locations limited in our commupart, is to provide you with some nity. To determine the location where insight on the thought process the people will gather. To determine behind decisions made that affect the how many staff would need to be in community, this seems like a topic place.

Some municipalities have the geothat I should address since there are graphic make-up to have the firesome who disagree with it.

First, I would like to start by say- works as they have had (fortunately) ing that it is my belief that the world planned pre-pandemic. We do not. says “yes” to health pandemicNews is real, and that our Because the governor Community Service - Trenton/Lawrence/Robbinsville Crossword - 7/20 community is not immune to the fireworks, but keep with my restricdeadly coronavirus. There are family and friends of 68 people who died in our community from the virus who can attest to it being very real.

Solution Secondly, I refuse to let politics Puzzle solution from Page 13 cloud my judgment when it comes to making a decision about the safety of O R C S P U P A D U E L our residents for events we sponsor.

E R S T I N K Y P O U T Whether you agree with me or not, I U G L I B L A S E E P E E am following the science in all of this.

S U P E R B L E G A T O The virus is still very much among E A S E L M A G I P A M F E Z A L L U R E us, and I believe responsible deciO V E R A L O E sions that affect public safety should R A B B I L I T A V A S T E G R E T be based upon this fact.

L A M A P A R E S A resident on social media stated R I O T L E I A L K A L I that “Lawrence isn’t even trying.” I A N T I Q U E S T responded, in part, “Is ‘trying’ just N E E R E T U R N U M P I R E having an event and hope for the M U F T I O D I N P A I R best? I would rather think than try.”

T I N G S E A T C L O D In another post, someone said to A R G O T R O Y H E S S not blame the governor since public fireworks displays are now allowed. I

KEVIN NERWINSKI

The township determined that it could not adequately protect the attendees from the health and safety risks posed by the virus.

Puzzle solution

tions, doesn’t mean they can and should be done in our town.

Important note: To be clear, I am not blaming the governor. I am, however, acknowledging his legal authority to issue his executive orders during this health crisis, and that I have no inclination to violate them.

And please know that making decisions that affect the health and well being of residents within our community are the most important decisions we make.

It is very easy to have and express opinions coming from a perspective of personal wants and needs that don’t have to consider all that must be considered for good decisions to be made.

I thought maybe this article would help those who disagree with the decision to better understand why it was made. In the end we can agree to disagree, and we can share some common ground that it is a big disappointment to have to cancel this great community event.

We will absolutely try to have a fireworks display some time later in the year in conjunction with another community event. When it makes sense, and we have confidence that it is safe for all who attend.

Kevin Nerwinski is the Lawrence Township municipal manager.

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16  Lawrence Gazette | July 2020