School District Recognizes Teachers and Students for Achievements

Teachers and students alike were honored at the Board of Education meeting on Monday, May 21. 

Crediting the teachers for their students' success, six Lacey teachers were recognized by their respective principals: 

Erin Bechold, Lacey Township High School

Bechold was hired as an English teacher but quickly jumped on the opportunity to work with the high school’s disabled program, Principal William Zylinski said. She now also works with students who act as interns and mentors to their classmates.

“Erin has not only brought the program to new heights, she’s been able to expose her students to so much more,” he said.

Bechold brought her students to Washington, DC for a three-day trip last year. This year, her class took a two-day walking tour of Cape May.

She also serves as the coach of the high school’s Challenger League, which allows disabled youth to compete alongside athletes.

Bechold is a graduate of Rutgers with a degree in English and Psychology. She has her Masters in Education from Georgian Court and has the certification to teach English and students with disabilities.

Edward Subokow, Lacey Middle School

A resident of Lacey, Subokow is a Language Arts teacher.

Principal James Handschuch said Subokow “positively impacts the children of Lacey.”

Subokow is a member of the Professional Development Committee, he said.

With a bachelor's degree in science from La Salle University, Subokow has his teacher’s certification from the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey and a Masters in Administration and Supervision from Georgian Court University.

“He is truly a gentleman and a gentle man,” Handschuch said. 

Laura O’Connor, Mill Pond School

Principal Susan Gallagher described O’Connor as an “expert musician.”

She has been teaching in the district for almost 30 years and serves the concert, stage and marching bands as well as drama and chorus. Her students play at school activities including the annual talent show, field day, evening parent orientations as well as at community events and local nursing homes.

O’Connor serves on the Scheduling, Technology and Scholarship committees and has assisted in the grandparent’s celebration, Arbor Day and the responsive classroom. She is also an active member of the Lacey Township Education Association.

“Throughout the many years that I’ve known Laura, her positive attitude and acceptance of change are her most noteworthy characteristics,” Gallagher said. 

Loreen Esposito, Lanoka Harbor School

Esposito initially worked in the financial industry before returning to Georgian Court to get dual certifications in Elementary Education and Teacher of Students with Disabilities.

She teaches in a self-contained special education classroom for students in third and forth grade, Principal Rosemarie Bond said.

Bond said Esposito plans lessons that meet the needs of diverse students, collaborating closely with the student’s pathologist and occupational therapist.

Esposito’s classroom is full of “energetic learners,” she said.

Susan Haskell, Cedar Creek School

Principal Jackie Ranuska called Haskell an “unsung hero.”

Haskell has taught for 20 years and has her Bachelors degree in Speech, Language and Hearing, a Masters in Education and is certified in Elementary School and Teacher of the Handicap, Ranuska said.

She is on the School Level Planning and School Safety, Scholarship, Lend a Hand, Good Character, MARE and Lacey Township Education Association’s Family Fun Walk committees. She is also on the Ocean First Grant Model Classroom team, Techology Club advisor and voluntary school recycling coordinator.

She also works with the Rutgers University MARE program and Lawrence Hall of Science. 

Theresa Lavorgna, Forked River School

Before becoming a teacher in Lacey, Lavorgna worked as an environmental chemist after receiving a Bachelors degree in Environmental Science from Rutgers University. She then pursued a Masters degree in Education from Monmouth University.

She has been teaching in Lacey for the last 10 years providing a “sense of family” in the classroom, Principal Eric Fiedler said.

Lavorgna provides differentiated instructional experiences and interactive based lessons, he said.

She serves on the MARE, School Spirit and Secret Santa committees.

Lacey Township participates in the Ocean County Teacher Recognition Program. Each school in the township formed a Teacher of the Year Committee made up of administrators, teachers and parents, which nominated three candidates and forwarded those names to a district selection committee, consisting of Board of Education members, teachers, administrators and parents. The district committee selected one candidate from each school, based on various criteria, including effectiveness, quality of instruction, and relationship with students and staff. 

Gifted and Talented

The accomplishments of Lacey Township Middle School’s Gifted and Talented Program were noted as they recently took the Scholastic Achievement Test (SAT), an exam designed for high school juniors and seniors.

The group of 14 seventh-grade students is a part of the Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth, a program that identifies, assesses, and recognizes academic talent internationally.

The program includes having the students take the SAT to reveal more about their academic talents and where they stand.

The students were selected for the program based on their ASK test scores. They had to place in the ninety-fifth percentile in Language Arts or Mathematics.

Without noting the student’s scores, Assistant Superintendent Vanessa Clark said that simply having the opportunity to take the SAT was an “amazing task.”

“We couldn’t be prouder of them to represent our school,” Superintendent Sandra Brower said. 

Perfect Score

Forty-nine students were recognized for receiving perfect scores on the NJ ASK. The district presented the students with a certificate and medal of academic excellence.

“What an amazing accomplishment and we know we’re going to hear great things in years to come,” Clark said.

Brower said to achieve a perfect score requires knowledge and the application of critical skills.

“This is an amazingly difficult state test, so we are proud of them,” she said.

Two Perfect Scores

The district recognized Junior Richard Henwood for the second time in three months after receiving two perfect SAT scores.

“When I took the SATs a few months ago, I thought I would do good but I never expected to do as good as I did,” Henwood said. “It’s really an honor.”

Henwood is the only Lacey student to achieve two perfect SAT scores, Brower said.

“We can’t wait to see what you can do as an alum of Lacey Township,” she said to Henwood.