Lawrence Township board spotlights Slackwood renovations, accepts $10,000 environmental grant and approves consent items

The Lawrence Township Board of Education at its December board meeting reviewed recent renovations at Slackwood School, accepted a $10,000 grant to support outdoor environmental education at two Title I elementary schools and approved multiple personnel and curriculum consent items.

The discussion was led by Tom, who presented a photo-rich facilities update on Slackwood School, and Vanessa Bakarciak, assistant superintendent for student services, reminded the public that the district's referendum vote is three months away on March 11. Bonnie Giglio, executive director of the Lawrence Township Foundation (LTF), presented a $10,000 check from Church & Dwight's employee giving fund to support a StreamWatch scientists program at Slackwood Elementary and Eldridge Park Elementary.

Why it matters: Slackwood is one of the district's oldest schools and the presentation was intended to show how facilities work has preserved historic character while adding modern safety and instructional features. The grant will fund place-based environmental learning for kindergarten through third grade at the two Title I schools.

Tom's presentation emphasized security and infrastructure work done at Slackwood, including a secured vestibule; new flooring put in after asbestos abatement; a modern announcement and panic system; newly installed sinks and HVAC units; ballistic film applied to period windows; a terrazzo floor in a different building noted for comparison; a maker space/media center and a refurbished counseling center with a food pantry. He said the district has also installed bottle-filling water stations and solar panels that continue to generate revenue. "The sun shines in Slackwood," he said.

Vanessa Bakarciak, assistant superintendent for student services, told the board, "we are exactly 3 months away from our district's referendum vote on March 11." She also called attention to referendum-related outreach materials available at the meeting, including refrigerator magnets and vote-by-mail sign-up forms.

Bonnie Giglio described the $10,000 LTF/Church & Dwight grant as funding outdoor learning experiences and hands-on environmental education for Slackwood and Eldridge Park students. The grant will support kindergarten observation and data collection at each school, a first-grade StreamWatch experience, second-grade visits to Colonial Lake tied to social studies, and third-grade full-day NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards) experiences at the Watershed Institute. "The LTF is proud to present the Lawrence Township Public Schools and the BOE tonight with a check for $10,000," Giglio said.

During the business portion, the board considered a transportation item: the district requested quotes for a shuttle expected to cost about $60,000, but received a low bid of $115,000. Tom said, "It came in at a hundred and 15 thousand. And that was the low quote," and told the board the district will pursue hiring a driver and using a district bus if a contractor solution remains unaffordable.

Public comment included a question from Dan Brennan, who asked whether the referendum affects the district's operating budget and questioned the value to students of sending administrators on an exchange to China. The board responded during public comment that "There's no connection between the referendum and the general operating budget at all," and board leaders offered to answer detailed questions offline or at a community conversation.

Votes at a glance - Adopt minutes of the Nov. 13 meeting: motion by Miss Evans, second Miss Groger; roll-call yes votes recorded in the transcript for multiple members; motion carried. - Personnel consent (items P-1 through P-34): moved and seconded on the consent calendar; motion carried. - Curriculum/Instruction items (OIS-1 through OIS-9): moved and seconded on the consent calendar; motion carried. - SBM consent items (SBM-1 through SBM-22): moved and seconded on the consent calendar; motion carried. - New business consent items (NB-1 through NB-16), including a retirement announcement for Patricia Nelson and approvals listed in personnel/new business: moved and seconded on the consent calendar; motion carried. - Motion to adjourn: carried.

What the board did not decide: Slackwood was described as "not a focus of this referendum" but the presentation was framed as background to show ongoing facilities investment; no referendum measure was discussed for approval tonight. On the shuttle, the board directed staff to pursue a district-operated option if contractor bids remain unaffordable.

Looking ahead: Vanessa Bakarciak and the board encouraged public participation in referendum outreach, and reminded residents of a community town hall planned for Feb. 4, 2025, to provide information on the March 11 referendum vote.