Veteran Bear Tavern teacher plans to retire

Mary Ann Sparkman has been with Hopewell Valley schools since 1964.

By John Tredrea
   Mary Ann Sparkman, who has taught in Hopewell Valley schools since 1964, is planning to retire July 1.
   Her retirement request is expected to be among personnel actions taken by the Hopewell Valley Regional Board of Education at its regular meeting Monday.
   Ms. Sparkman began teaching at Bear Tavern Elementary School a year before Valley schools regionalized in 1965.
   In addition to teaching at Bear Tavern, Ms. Sparkman served as teaching vice principal at Hopewell Elementary School, beginning in 1974, under former principals Carl Andreasen and Barbara Newbaker. She returned to Bear Tavern as a teacher in 1989. Today, Ms. Sparkman teaches fifth-graders.
   A draft series of personnel actions, including the item pertaining to Ms. Sparkman, was OK’d by the school board at its agenda meeting Monday night.
   At its reorganization meeting after the school elections, the board decided to reinstitute its practice of holding an agenda meeting as well as a formal action meeting each month.
   Other personnel actions scheduled for consideration Monday include acceptance of three resignations. Effective July 1 would be the resignations of high school music teacher Tom Zumchak and speech therapist John Whitaker. Mr. Whitaker is in an itinerant staff member, meaning he works at schools throughout the district. The district has four elementary schools plus a high school and middle school. The third resignation, retroactive to April 15, is that of school bus van attendant Roseann Seals.
   The appointment of school psychologist/consultant Barbara Hannmann for the 2005-2006 school year also is on the list of personnel actions recommended to the board by Acting Superintendent Judy Ferguson. Ms. Hannmann would be paid $420 per day, not to exceed $62,160 for the year.
   Granting of family medical leaves to Nicole Cerqua, Timberlane Spanish teacher, and Lori Gerald, elementary school teacher at Hopewell Elementary, also are on the list of personnel items. Ms. Cerqua’s leave would run from May 26 to June 21. Ms. Gerald’s leave would run from April 25 to May 25.
   The meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. in the Board Meeting Room, 425 S. Main St., Pennington.