An Evesham Township Board of Education meeting late last month provided ample opportunity to highlight the district’s classroom and extracurricular diversity alike.
Interim Superintendent of Schools Dr. Charles Blachford made it clear he was thrilled the Feb. 27th session’s first order of business was recognizing the Marlton Middle School Wrestling Team and its coaches for placing fifth in the South Jersey Middle School Wrestling League Individual Championship.
“Absolutely one of the most fun things we get to do is honor student accomplishments, and wrestling is very dear to my heart,” he said. “We congratulate all you guys.”
Vice President Trish Everhart handed out certificates recognizing team members’ various achievements: Lorenzo Lontok, fourth place in the 80-pound weight class; Lucas Lapinski, first place in the 85-pound weight class and the Tournament Outstanding Wrestler; Isaiah Jordan, fifth place in the 106-pound weight class; Zachary Stevens, third place in the 134-pound weight class; Leo Bluestein, fourth place in the159-pound weight class; and Jacob Amato, first place in the 174-pound weight class.
Principal Gary Hoffman and Matt Kuhlow were also honored during the board’s recognition of the MMS team.
In his superintendent’s report, Blachford detailed how his visits to classrooms on a recent tour made him see just how Evesham Township is “a very impressive school district” that not only teaches its students, but also prepares them for what’s to come.
“I went into an eighth grade chemistry class, and you would be very happy to know that with the preview that those students got, they’re going to be doing really, really well when they get to high school, AP chemistry, honors chemistry,” he said,
“They’re going to do spectacularly; it was absolutely a wonderful lesson.”
It’s not just the students’ performance and curriculum Blachford called impressive. Sessions he attended on math, science, and specialized teaching methods during the Feb. 14 teachers’ in-service day gave the superintendent insight into the breadth of resources available to teachers, as well as their proactivity in utilizing them.
“The first session I attended was on helping students who have dyslexia with vocabulary and word study,” Blachford noted. “Realistically, every school in the state does this, but the level of expertise in Evesham is very impressive: They went over about 30 methods and techniques the teachers can use.
“That’s the type of thing that will keep kids’ interests high and help them learn a tremendous amount.”
With few reports and little clarification needed for approved items, much of the meeting focused on upcoming school events and a conversation inspired by public comment about facilitating communication regarding schools, transportation and parents.
The next meeting of the Evesham Township School District will be March 26 at DeMasi Middle School.
