By Jo Ann Groeger
With the warmth of the summer sun on your face and sounds of the beach fresh on your mind, fireworks of Independence Day are just a memory and Labor Day is just around the corner, it’s not too early to start planning for the 2014-2015 school year. Students will trade their bathing suits and flip flops for pencils and text books and return to the classroom on Thursday, Sept. 4. Staff will already have had two days of professional development on the previous Tuesday and Wednesday. If Mother Nature is kind to us this winter and we can avoid more than three snow days, school will be out on June 18. For more information about district events such as back to school nights, use the following link: ltps.org/calendar_events.cfm?school=0.
Summertime is usually a time when athletics takes a vacation, too, and bats, balls and sticks are replaced by bathing suits, beach balls and surf boards. Fall sports are set to start in August, with many athletes returning to the playing fields for preseason training. The first FAN (Family Athletic Network) meeting will be Tuesday, Sept. 3. Whether your student is a current athlete or is considering participating in a Lawrence Middle or High School sport, this informative meeting is for you. Parents/guardians and students should attend to learn and receive material such as program offerings, expectations, tryouts and cuts, practices, program evaluations, and resources for college-bound athletes. If you have any questions or would like more information, you can contact the athletic office at (609) 671-5516.
More than 60 Lawrence Township 5-year olds prepared to enter kindergarten in September by attending the two week Safety Town program from June 25 through July 3. With direction from teachers, police officers and firefighters, Safety Towners learned how to create safe situations for themselves including bicycle safety, fire safety and much more through the program held at Ben Franklin Elementary, which included trips to the municipal building and firehouse. These youngsters will enter Kindergarten this fall as the Lawrence High School Class of 2027.
The fall also brings preparation for the school board election, which is set to be held on Tuesday, Nov. 4. Three of the nine seats will be up for grabs at the polls this year.
Jo Ann Groeger is a member of the Lawrence Township Board of Education. To submit a question or topic to the board, email askaboardmember@ltps.org. Your question may be addressed at the next board meeting.
