Home » Hopewell Valley Board of Education Says Goodbye to Two Board Members

Hopewell Valley Board of Education Says Goodbye to Two Board Members

by Angela Jacobs

Hopewell Valley Regional School District’s Board of Education (BOE) reluctantly said their goodbye’s to Bruce Gunther and Gordon Lewis at Monday night’s BOE meeting. 

During Bruce Gunther’s three-years term, he served as the board’s Chairperson of the Policy Committee and a member of the Education/Program Committee. He also held a leadership position on the Board of Directors of the New Jersey School Board Association, representing Mercer County.

Mr. Gunther brought to the BOE extensive experience as he, before retiring, worked for 35 years in the Trenton School District, as an English teacher for ten years and a School Psychologist for 25 years. Within that time he also maintained a private practice working with families and children, owned a consulting business where he contracted services with the New Jersey Department of Criminal Justice, Juvenile Division, and taught Group Practices as an adjunct professor at Trenton State College in the Department of Student Services.

Bruce Gunther

Bruce Gunther

According to Lisa Wolff, President of the BOE, Mr. Gunther’s combination of professional and personal experience made him invaluable to the board. “Not only did you have a son in the district but you had the unique experience of having him transfer out to a private school and then transfer back. You were able to provide us with insights no other board member has been able to do. There’s going to be a hole and you will be missed.”

Mr. Gunther said, “I’ve never seen a district, teachers, superintendent, board president, or board that was so effective in doing what they’re charged to do. What this district does is outstanding.”

Gordon Lewis ends his service after six years on the board. He was instrumental in starting and serving as Chair of the board’s Technology Committee, and was a member of the Personnel Committee.

gordon-lewis

Gordon Lewis

Among Mr. Lewis’ professional achievements, he is co-author of “Games for Children” and author of “The Internet and Young Learners”. He and his wife founded a children’s language school in Berlin, Germany, in 1991, and sold it in 1999 to Berlitz International. In 2001, Mr. Lewis became Director of Instructor Training and Development for Berlitz Kids, and in 2004, was named Director of Curriculum and Academics for Kaplan. Currently, he is employed currently by Laureate Education as the Executive Director of English Programs.

Of Mr. Lewis’ time on the board he said, “We’ve accomplished some amazing things. I think we’ve been innovative and visionary.”

Superintendent Dr. Tom Smith said of both, “It was a nice ‘yin and yang’ where Bruce focused on the social/emotional aspects of education, and Gordon had the academic hat on. Both really pushed the district forward.”

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