At the Wednesday, June 14 meeting, board members thanked the students and faculty who made the 2016–2017 school year a success.
At the Wednesday, June 14 Palmyra Board of Education meeting, the shared sentiment was one of gratitude. With the school year coming to an end, board members thanked the students, faculty and parents who made the school year successful.
The night began with principal of Charles Street School Mark Pease recognizing Lynise Dabu as the fourth-grade student of the month. Nominated by her teacher Nicole Michaels, Lynise was described as a leader in the classroom.
“She is kind to others, steps in when someone needs help without being asked, and she lets me know when someone needs help,” Pease read from Michael’s recommendation.
Michaels’ recommendation detailed not only Lynise’s kindness toward others but her ferocious love of school. Michaels said Lynise asks for extra work at times, and her hard work has paid off, having been on honor roll for all four marking periods.
“I look forward to seeing what the future has to hold for her,” Michaels’ recommendation said.
Palmyra High School Principal Ken Holloway read the seventh-grade student of the month recipient, Emma Maniscalco, her recommendation by her nominating computer science teacher Tony Gore. In his recommendation, Gore said Emma is never afraid to meet an academic challenge head-on, and she has proven herself not only academically but in her character.
“Outside of the class, Emma is looked up to as a leader among the seventh-grade students,” Holloway said reading from Gore’s recommendation.
Following the student of the month recognitions, Holloway presented a video detailing every Palmyra High School student’s plans after graduation, with some students attending a four-year university, some entering the workforce and a sizable number attending community college.
Borough liaison Bernadette Russell commended many students for choosing to attend community college. She said she thought these students were making a smart choice by not putting themselves in tremendous debt.
“Times have changed,” Russell said. “College is ridiculously expensive, and it is not for the faint of heart.”
Russell also thanked the board, members of the borough and teachers who made Dr. Clarence B. Jones’ visit possible. She said it was “one of the most memorable experiences of my lifetime.”
Keith Austin, vice president of the Board of Education, echoed Russell’s sentiments. He said his father went to school with Jones, and Jones’ return made Austin’s father immensely proud to have studied at PHS.
“Palmyra really put its best foot forward,” Austin said.
Superintendent Brian McBride said the time he got to spend with Jones was immensely enriching.
“He gave us some insights as leaders in our community holding up that value of nonviolence,” McBride said.
McBride said Jones’ visit was the culmination of months of hard work, and he was grateful to everyone who made Jones’ visit go off without a hitch.
Later in the evening, the board’s student representative, junior Rebecca Lake, expressed her gratitude to the board for allowing her to serve as the student representative. She also introduced board members to her successor, freshman Maura Scott, at Wednesday’s meeting.
The board will not meet in July. The next Board of Education meeting is scheduled for Aug. 9.
