HOPEWELL VALLEY: Things go smoothly for schools’ opening

By John Tredrea, Special Writer
   In his report to the Hopewell Valley Regional Board of Education Monday, Superintendent Thomas Smith said the opening of school for 2012-13 went well.
   ”Overall, we had a smooth start to school this year,” Dr. Smith said. He noted that the district, among its other responsibilities and tasks, transports 3,400 students to school by bus daily.
   Also at Monday night’s meeting, the board discussed the ongoing construction of a turf athletic field at Central High School, hired seven new teachers and a school nurse and other employees and discussed long-term plans and goals.
   Dr. Smith and school board President Lisa Wolff profusely thanked local contractor Michael Ackerson, who is leading the construction of the turf field.
   ”This field is really being built by one person — Mike Ackerson. He has donated significant time and resources. We really couldn’t have done it without him,” Dr. Smith said.
   Ms. Wolff echoed those comments and added that the district’s administrative team — “they’ve been working very hard on this,” she said — deserved credit for the construction of the field.
   The Hopewell Valley Recreation Foundation is running the fund drive for the $1 million field, and the foundation says it is close to reaching that number.
   In terms of time, materials and equipment, Mr. Ackerson estimates that what he’s putting into the field is worth $550,000.
   IN OTHER BUSINESS, the board discussed goals and projects for the 2012-13 academic year, which began Sept. 6.
   Quarterly reports on standardized test scores and other information are to be released to the community this year.
   A new program for teacher and principal evaluation is in place.
   The board also plans to address the issue of student enrollment projections for 2016.
   NEW TEACHERS whose hirings for 2012-13 were approved Monday night are:
   — Alicia Higgins, as a new teacher at Hopewell Elementary School, at $50,615 annually.
   — Ashlie Delloiacono, as a teacher at Hopewell Elementary, at $52,263.
   — Allison Hamer, at Hopewell Elementary, part-time, at $13,566.
   — Nupura Davi, as a special education teacher at Timberlane Middle School, at $33,461.
   — Joseph Sullivan, as a special education teacher at Timberlane, at $59,420.
   — Keith Schwacha, as a part-time math teacher at Central High School, at $14,390.
   — Maki Ray, as a part-time English as Second Language teacher at Central High School, at $8,660.
   Also approved was the hire of Kimberly Shevlin, as a school nurse at Timberlane, at $52,263.