Inside this issue:
SIX09
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JUNE 2020 FREE
Team effort
Seniors prepare to graduate
School district prints and donates face shields for township workers
BY BILL SANSERVINO
BY BILL SANSERVINO
Lawrence Township asked for help and the school district stepped up to answer the call. School district officials on May 18 presented the township with 150 face shields that had been produced using one of the district’s 3D printers. Lana Mueller, Lawrence Township Public Schools operations manager, said the district set about the task of making the face shields after municipal manager Kevin Nerwinski requested them for township workers, who will be returning to a full-day schedule after Memorial Day (the building will remain closed to the public). Nerwinski said he initially got the idea from a resident (Robert Dember) who told him in a Facebook message about a Pennsylvania school district that was making face shields with a 3D printer. He suggested that the same could be done in Lawrence. Nerwinski said that when he made the decision to continue operations at town hall, he recalled Dember’s idea and contacted Andrew Zuckerman, assistant superintendent of schools, to find out if it was possible to partner with the LTPS and use a 3D printer See SHIELDS, Page 4
Thomas Eldridge holds the cake he was presented with May 12 by colleagues on his front lawn after being told he was named N.J. School Business Administrator of the Year.
LTPS administrator wins state award Eldridge named School Business Administrator of the Year BY BILL SANSERVINO
Thomas Eldridge knew something exciting was happening when a caravan of about 20 cars pulled up in front of his house on Tuesday, May 12. It wasn’t until his colleagues from the Lawrence Township Public Schools and the N.J. Association of School Busi-
ness Officials spilled out of the cars wearing face masks and carrying balloons and signs that he realized he had been selected as the NJASBO School Business Administrator of the Year. “I had no idea what I was seeing when I stepped outside of my door! My wife asked me to come outside, so I went,” said Eldridge, who is the LTPS business administrator/ board secretary. “I couldn’t process what I was seeing,” he said. “As all the faces came into focus on my lawn and street, home never felt so much like home.
I was in great company; dozens of the most kind people I have ever known.” For Eldridge, winning the award was as much of a surprise as the sudden sight of colleagues on his front lawn— all celebrating at a safe distance, of course. “My colleagues were very generous in their selection,” Eldridge said. “I have always felt blessed to be in the company of people who share common values and a shared mission. My school district is committed to equipping each student with the skills necesSee ELDRIDGE, Page 5
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The 2019-20 school year is coming to an end, and despite the unusual circumstances, the seniors at Lawrence High School are looking forward to the end of their high school careers. The district’s students have been working from a virtual/ remote learning environment due to COVID-19 since March 16, and the members of the Class of 2020 have kept up their studies and worked toward graduation day. Although the district will not hold in-person commencement exercises this year, school officials have come up with a number of alternate plans to make sure this year is still a special one. “Our seniors have worked hard and deserve to be celebrated,” said Superintendent Ross Kasun in a message to the community. “We wish we could give them a traditional graduation ceremony. Since that is not possible due to the pandemic, our high school administration has worked hard on creative ways to honor the seniors as well as to plan a virtual graduation ceremony. The Gazette will post a story detailing plans for upcoming celebratory events, including graduation, on communitynews.org in early June. Meanwhile, to read about this year’s Top 10 academic seniors and their feeling about this year, turn to Page 6.
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