Faculty and Staff News
New Solar System on Upper School Building’s Roof
Solar panels on the roof. This view looks toward The Carol and Park B. Smith ’50 Middle School.
Patricia Euwer P ’97 and her husband James.
Patricia Euwer P ’97 Celebrates 25 Years at Pingry What does it feel like to be the newest member of Magistri Maxime Laudandi (“Masters Most Greatly to be Praised”)? “I feel quite privileged to have worked with such wonderful students at Pingry, and the school has afforded me the opportunity to attend many conferences and workshops to further my education. It’s simply a wonderful place to work,” says third-grade teacher Patricia Euwer P ’97, who was honored in May 2011 during Reunion Weekend.
In 1997, Mrs. Euwer received the Herbert F. Hahn Junior Faculty Award, which is given to encourage young, experienced teachers to stay in teaching and recognizes good teaching and successful involvement in multiple extracurricular responsibilities. Five years later, she received the Woodruff J. English ’27 Faculty Award, which recognizes teachers who instill in their students the love of learning and commitment to living the ideals of the Honor Code.
The solar panels became operational in December 2011 and will produce about 20 percent of the building’s electricity, depending on the amount of sunlight during the year. Pingry has a 10-year SREC (Solar Renewable Energy Certificate) contract with JCP&L. “Over the course of this operating lease, the SREC revenue and operating savings will cover the lease payments and create real savings in the operating budget,” says Director of Facilities Michael Virzi P ’18. Mr. Virzi also mentioned that the solar installation involved a lot of thought and planning, with significant efforts by various board members. Trustees Ian Shrank ’71 and Stuart Lederman ’78 were recently recognized by the board for their significant efforts to help make the project a reality. Demonstrating that Pingry continues to make strides with energy initiatives, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded the school ENERGY STAR Certification for the Martinsville Campus. This certification recognizes institutions and organizations that are leaders in efficient energy usage.
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Mrs. Euwer joined Pingry in 1986 and received a B.S. from Bowling Green State University in 1974, with a major in Elementary Education and a minor in Library and Educational Media. Prior to teaching at Pingry, she was a first-grade teacher at Elmwood School in East Orange, New Jersey. Among her accomplishments, she and the late Lower School teacher Virginia Nazario P ’90, ’94 began the annual tradition of the Lower School’s Mitten Tree.
Pingry’s Honor Code and mission compel the school to be the best possible steward of resources, for the sake of past, present, and future generations. As part of this objective, Pingry has implemented a 394 kilowatt (kW) solar panel array, expanding the school’s sustainability efforts. “This exciting project is an important step in our quest to simultaneously reduce operating expenses and lessen our carbon footprint—it advances our sustainability goals on many fronts,” says Headmaster Nat Conard P ’09, ’11.