Catch up on the biggest stories in Haddonfield this week.
The Board of Education voted not to renew superintendent of schools Richard Perry’s contract, and the “Haddonfield Parents” Facebook page is getting local parents engaged. Catch up on everything from the past week in the Weekly Roundup.
Board unanimously votes not to renew superintendent’s contract
The Haddonfield Board of Education unanimously voted to not renew Superintendent Richard Perry’s contract at a special meeting held Thursday, July 14 at J. Fithian Tatem Elementary School. The tone of the sparsely attended meeting was somber, as board members simultaneously praised Perry for his dedication to the school over the years while explaining it was time for the school district to go in a new direction. Board President Adam Sangillo opened the discussion saying the board wants to be as transparent as legally possible. Sangillo explained Perry has a four-year contract that comes to an end on June 30, 2018, and they are required to give Perry at least 120 days notice if they plan to not renew it.
‘Haddonfield Parents’ a forum for collaboration, support
When Megan York Parker and her family moved to Haddonfield in 2012, she didn’t know anyone, and in the tight-knit community, she felt a bit out of the loop. Today, Parker has created and cultivated a resource for both parents who are new to town as well as established residents to share updates and connect via her “Haddonfield Parents” Facebook page, which has more than 700 members. The “Haddonfield Parents” page started as a forum to exchange information about events in town and resources for local parents. However, it has transformed into something more, Parker said, with parents arranging playdates, lost items being located and runaway pets found.
Turning the tide: ecologist on a mission to create young scientists
For Haddonfield resident and associate professor of ecology Neeti Bathala, her goal is simple: getting young people to realize anyone can become a scientist. Through her work at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, and with the recent publication of her first children’s book “Moonlight Crab Count,” Bathala is trying to get young people out along the Delaware region to participate in scientific research. She said science has enabled her to live a vibrant life, from studying bottlenose dolphins in Greece to researching sea turtles in Costa Rica. Now, all of her efforts are directed toward making science accessible to young people so they, too, can experience the joys science has to offer.
