Monday, December 10, 2012
'Listening and Doing' forums to begin in January
A year ago Nov. 15, Superintendent Dr. Sandra Brower took her first steps into the Lacey Township School District. The highlights of her first year fall back to all that was accomplished during the transition period—listening and learning, she said. “We made a lot of changes,” she said. That first year was a time for Brower to get to know the community, its expectations and its desires, she said. “I have learned Lacey is unlike any other district. It’s about involvement, tradition and cherishing the things that make Lacey different,” she said. “You don’t change those things but keep them intact and build on them.” But the year also was one of challenges with the loss of student Ana Kopack and Hurricane Sandy, she said. “To watch the …
Monday, July 16, 2012
At tonight's Board of Education meeting, High School Principal James Handschuch's salary will also be approved
The Board of Education will vote to approve Jason King as principal of Lacey Middle School at Monday's meeting at 7:30 p.m. in the High School Lecture Hall. King was formerly the vice principal of Lacey Middle School and will be replacing former principal James Handschuch, who was recently hired as principal of Lacey Township High School. King’s recommended salary is $115,000 and his tenure as principal would be from Monday, July 9, to Sunday, June 30, 2013. As vice principal, King made $87,885 in 2010. The board also will be recommending a salary for Handschuch at $134,000 from Sunday, July 1, to Sunday, June 30, 2013. He previously made $111,019 as principal of the middle school. Also on tonight’s agenda: The agenda is attached to this …
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
The current middle school principal will begin his position at the high school on July 1
Current Lacey Middle School Principal Jim Handschuch will be serving as the new principal of the high school effective Sunday, July 1, Superintendent Dr. Sandra Brower announced in an open letter to the school community on Tuesday. Handschuch has a “broad range of secondary experiences” having served as the middle school principal since 2008. Prior to that, he served as high school and middle school assistant principal as well as high school and middle school teacher. “Mr. Handschuch is a student advocate at heart and believes that we can always do more for kids each and every day,” Brower said in the letter. “He recognizes the importance of building relationships and building team to improve our schools.” The position at the high school …
Thursday, May 3, 2012
A "clarifying amendment" will be made to Dr. Sandra Brower's contract to accurately reflect her start date
The Lacey Township School District has announced that it will be holding a public hearing at its May 21 Board of Education meeting to consider a “clarifying amendment” to the superintendent’s contract. When Dr. Sandra Brower was hired as the Superintendent of Schools, her start date was pending her release as Assistant Superintendent in Wall, Board of Education Jack Martenak said. As a result, the contract did not reflect her actual start date. “There’s a ripple effect on other dates in her contract,” he said. Dates in Brower’s contract are dependent on her start date. Some dates impacted include Brower’s healthcare coverage and her renewal date, Marteank said. The school board will consider and vote on the amendment at a public hearing …
Friday, April 27, 2012
PTA/PTO members' contributions of time and energy critical to students' experience, officials say
Toniann Pyle’s mother was the president of the Parent Teacher Organization at the First Avenue School in Newark for 25 years. Kim Broome’s father served on the Lacey Township Board of Education. To Pyle and Broome, spending hours helping out at Lanoka Harbor Elementary School is second nature. “It’s in our blood,” Pyle said Wednesday night at Lacey Township High School. And it's people such as Pyle and Broome who are the lifeblood of the school district, Assistant Superintendent Vanessa Clark said. “You make our schools better,” Clark said, as the Lacey Township School District honored its volunteers – parents, teachers, grandparents – at its annual celebration of their efforts. The volunteer recognition night has existed for more than 19 …
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Superintendent Dr. Sandra Brower highlighted opportunities for change as she presented her midterm report
Superintendent Dr. Sandra Brower will begin phase three of her transition plan as she begins to lead the Lacey Township School District after presenting her midterm report at the school board meeting on Tuesday. “From November until now, I have listened, I have watched I have written, I have taken pictures, I have done all that I could to understand what it looks like and what it feels like to live and work and learn here in Lacey Township,” Brower said. Brower first presented the transition plan on Tuesday, Nov. 15. “I talked about the value added benefit that someone new to an organization gives and it takes some time,” Brower said. “So in the first three months, there’s a lot of taking and then slowly but surely we start to effect …
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Dr. Sandra Brower will be holding her first "Breakfast Coffee" at the Forked River Perkins from 9 to 10 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 12
Parents and community members can stop by the Forked River Perkins from 9 to 10 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 12 for a cup of coffee as Superintendent Sandra Brower holds her first community meet and greet. “I’m inviting the community,” she said. “It will be informative. To meet people and talk to people about how they’re feeling about the schools and what they envision for the future.” Coffee hours are a part of Brower’s transition plan since she took the position in November. The transition plan consists of three phases that focus on listening and learning and eventually leading, she has previously stated. The plan includes meeting with “stakeholders” such as students, parents, teachers, staff, members of the community and the Board of …
Monday, December 19, 2011
To stay in touch with school happenings from the new superintendent's point of view, visit Lacey Patch
New superintendent Dr. Sandra Brower has been documenting her experiences on a blog linked to the school district’s website. But now, “Learning About Lacey” is coming to Lacey Patch. Brower began her blog as part of her transition plan, to engage the community. By using Lacey Patch, she’ll have the opportunity to reach a greater audience because the schools are not just for parents and students. The district impacts all of Lacey’s present and future. The purpose of the blog is to communicate with the community and to “strengthen the home-school connection,” Brower told Patch in November. “It’s just a great way for people to communicate,” she said. “It’s an opportunity…we cannot wait for people to come to us. We need to get information to …
Friday, December 16, 2011
Dr. Sandra Brower had her first meeting with the transition team on Monday, Dec. 12
Dr. Sandra Brower has officially been working as Superintendent of the Lacey Township School District for one month and although it has been a whirlwind, she says she has been on “target.” “I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to get a sense of what people have been telling me,” Brower said. Brower has been told that Lacey is community-driven. “I’m seeing it,” she said. Monday, Dec. 12 was Brower’s first meeting with her transition team. The team includes high school Athletic Director Karen Hughes, Forked River School Principal Eric Fiedler, Lanoka Harbor Elementary teacher Darlene Price, parent Cathy Rapsas and Assistant Superintendent Vanessa Clark. “I’m going to be very transparent,” she said prior to the meeting. For the first meeting, …
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
In the upcoming weeks Superintendent Dr. Sandra Brower will be setting up meetings with “stakeholders”
During her first school board meeting, Superintendent Dr. Sandra Brower presented her transition plan and unveiled her transition team. “Transitions are periods of opportunity,” Brower said. “They’re periods of time where we take just stock of the vulnerabilities that one, as a leader particularly coming into a new district might face.” The transition plan consists of three phases that focus on listening and learning and eventually leading. The purpose of the plan is to ensure her goals are aligned with the school district's, to create opportunities to learn about the district and to build a solid understanding of the district, she said. The plan will provide structure into the relationships, activities and understanding the culture of the…
Lacey Mom
11:13 am on Sunday, December 16, 2012
I never knew this school was in our town. Where is the school located? Where do these children come from? I Have a child in preschool in that area and never knew this existed. I just wanted to know more facts. more ›