E-Squared dinner held Friday
By Ruth Luse
Hopewell Valley Education Foundation hosted its annual E-Squared Dinner on Friday at the Hopewell Valley Golf Club.
The group presented its annual awards to one individual and one corporate or business partner who have made significant contributions to the Hopewell Valley Regional School District and honored the six district Teachers of the Year
The recipient of the E-Squared Individual Award, presented by former school board President Bill Hills, was Carl Swanson, longtime supporter and friend of the schools and member of the Hopewell Valley Board of Education, which he has served for over eight years.
Dr. Swanson is a former college instructor and K-12 classroom art teacher. He spent 20 years at the New Jersey Department of Education in a number of capacities, including evaluating high schools, supervising high school curricula and evaluating research proposals. For a time he worked as the department’s lobbyist, promoting education bills in the Legislature, including family life education and high-profile amendments to the Thorough and Efficient (T&E) clause of the state Constitution.
At the time of his retirement, Dr. Swanson was serving as deputy assistant commissioner for Curriculum & Instruction. For several years following his retirement from education, Dr. Swanson worked in employee and management training for a Hightstown-based importer of scientific balances and scales. He also worked as a freelance cartoonist and book illustrator. Retirement also has provided time for other civic involvements, such as the Hopewell Valley Lions Club and church committees.
JUDITH FERGUSON, superintendent of schools, presented the E-Squared Corporate Award to Eleanor Horne, who accepted the award on behalf of Educational Testing Service. ETS has provided housing, meals, and special receptions for many HVEF artists, authors and composers in residence at the schools, and has offered conference space for foundation and school district meetings.
In addition to the live and silent auctions which helped the foundation raise funds for teacher grants in the 2007-2008 school year, the 120 guests enjoyed a presentation by Timberlane sixth-grade teacher Melissa Sisz and Bristol-Myers Squibb’s Becky Taylor on Mrs. Sisz’s recent trip to South Africa to meet with Timberlane’s partner school students and teachers this winter. Mrs. Sisz’s trip was sponsored by B-MS as part of the joint Timberlane-B-MS Secure the Future project to open communication across cultures and continents.
Cindy Passolino also led guests in a tribute to former HVEF board member Jimmy Maul, who lost a long battle with cancer last week. Among his many contributions to the community, Mr. Maul began the Senior Citizen Luncheon program sponsored by the HVEF and local realtors, banks, and other businesses.
The six teachers honored at the dinner were Patricia Fengler, Stony Brook Elementary School; Evangelynn Hulme, Bear Tavern Elementary School; Marilyn Lilly, Central High School; Eileen Sweeney, Hopewell Elementary School; Susan Tobias, Tollgate Grammar School; and Janet Watson, Timberlane Middle School.