HOPEWELL VALLEY: CHS baseball field project is delayed

By John Tredrea, Special Writer
   Due to delays caused by Hurricane Sandy and other inclement weather, Hopewell Valley Central High School’s new baseball field is not expected to be ready for the opening of this spring’s season, officials said at Monday night’s meeting of the Hopewell Valley Regional Board of Education.
   The field should be ready for part of the season, however, said board member Roy Dollard, a member of the board’s Facilities Committee.
   The new varsity baseball field is being constructed on the grounds of Timberlane Middle School, just across South Timberlane Drive from Central High School.
   A new turf athletic field at the high school used part of the ground occupied by the old varsity baseball field, thus necessitating the construction of a new baseball field for the varsity.
   Board Secretary/Business Administrator Robert Colavita said the district is looking into having the Central High School baseball varsity play at a field on Eggerts Crossing Road, in Lawrence, until the field at Timberlane is ready.
   Baseball fields at the athletic complex behind the Hopewell Township municipal building are too small for the varsity, Mr. Colavita said, but may be used by other interscholastic baseball teams at the high school and Timberlane until the new field is done.
   On a related note, the school board accepted a donation, valued at $285, of a new set of professional Jack Corbett Hollywood bases for the new baseball field. The bases are of Major League caliber, officials said.
   The donation was made by Ron Cefalone, who owns and operates CG Sports shop on North Main Street in Pennington. The shop sells athletic uniforms and equipment.
   IN OTHER BUSINESS at Monday night’s meeting, the board awarded at $1,183 bid to Performance Mechanical Inc., for improvements to the HVAC system at Bear Tavern Elementary School.
   The hiring of four new teachers was among the approved personnel moves recommended by Superintendent Thomas Smith.
   — Jamie Foma was hired as an elementary teacher at Stony Brook Elementary, effective Feb. 1, for the rest of the school year, at an annual salary of $50,615.
   — Michele Gittings was hired as a math teacher at Central High School for the rest of this school year, effective Jan. 15, at an annual salary of $56,025. This is a leave-of-absence position, meaning Ms. Gittings will fill in for a teacher on leave.
   — Also hired for a leave-of-absence position was Chelsea Bradshaw. She will teach special education at Hopewell Elementary School for the rest of this school year, effective Jan. 15, at an annual salary of $56,015.
   — Hired as an interim social studies teacher at Timberlane Middle School was Mary Morano. Her appointment, effective Jan. 15, runs through the end of this school year. Her annual salary is $50,615.