August 2023 | Volume 16 | Issue 10
THE 280 CORRIDOR’S COMMUNITY NEWS SOURCE 280LIVING.COM | STARNESMEDIA.COM
Mt Laurel at 25
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Back to school Students, staff head back for a new school year
Mt Laurel community celebrates 25 years since founding.
See page A14
Football Preview
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By LEAH INGRAM EAGLE
ells will be ringing soon as the 2023-24 school year begins. Teachers begin professional development on Aug. 4, and students head back to classes on Aug. 10. 280 Living reached out to the principals at each of the schools in our coverage area to find out a bit about what’s ahead for the new school year.
CHELSEA PARK ELEMENTARY PRINCIPAL MARY ANDERSON
Briarwood, Chelsea, Oak Mountain and Spain Park programs gear up fall season.
See page B1
INSIDE Sponsors .......... A4 City .................... A6 Business ..........A10 Community .....A12 Schoolhouse ...A18
Sports................ B4 Events...............B10 Opinion............. B12 Calendar...........B14
Anderson is in her 21st year in education, including a total of eight at Chelsea Park Elementary. She works alongside Assistant Principal Jessi Adams. ► Q: Do you have any new administrative hires? ► A: We will have a new administrative assistant, but we do not know who that person is yet. ► Q: Can you share an update from Anderson your school? ► A: Our students, faculty and staff finished the year strong. Our iReady data showed a lot of growth in our students. Construction has also been underway on campus. Our maintenance and custodial staff have been working hard this summer to prepare our building for when students return in August. ► Q: Are there any expansion/construction projects taking place at your school? ► A: Yes, construction has begun on an
Students arrive at Oak Mountain Elementary School. Photo by Erin Nelson.
additional eight classrooms and the new gym. We are very excited about both of these projects and the estimated completion is spring 2024. ► Q: How many students will you have for the 2023-24 school year? ► A: We finished the year with around 876 students. We predict that our enrollment will be around the same, if not a little higher, since Chelsea is continuing to grow. ► Q: What are your expectations for the upcoming school year? ► A: Our expectations are that our faculty and staff continue doing an excellent job preparing our students for the future. With recent Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling training and new curriculums, we expect our teachers to provide our students with the best education possible. We also expect our faculty and staff to work even harder on building those positive relationships with our students, so that students feel safe, cared for and loved.
FOREST OAKS ELEMENTARY PRINCIPAL STEVI SIMS
Sims is in her 27th year as an educator and her 16th year in Chelsea schools. She works alongside Assistant Principal Carlyn Duncan. ► Q: Do you have any new administrative hires? ► A: We do not have any new administrative hires for the 23-24 school year; however, we are hiring three new classroom teachers, one new PE Sims teacher, a new special education teacher and two new paraprofessionals.
See BACK TO SCHOOL | page A22
Bringing happiness to the hospital facebook.com/280living
Grandview’s pet therapy program a hit with patients and staff By LEAH INGRAM EAGLE
Brittany Smith, left, and Bonnie Green, center, kneel to pet Daphne and Hazel, two dogs that are part of Grandview Medical Center’s pet therapy program. Photo by Erin Nelson.
Bonnie Atchison’s eyes lit up with happiness when she was visited by two therapy dogs in her seventh-floor room at Grandview Medical Center. This was her second visit from Hazel, a brown and white border collie / Great
Pyrenees mix with trainer Dorothy Gerr, and her first visit from Daphne, a white Goldendoodle with trainer Connie Wilson. Atchison petted the dogs, told them how beautiful they were and that she loved them. She said while she was in the hospital, she was missing her own dog, a 4-year-old shih tzu named Barkley, and couldn’t wait to get back to see him.
See HAPPINESS | page A20