Laura Newcomb is presented with a certificate and resolution recognizing her service on the township board of education.
The Deptford board of education honored outgoing member Laura Newcomb during its meeting on Dec. 17, her last.
Newcomb, whose term ends on Dec. 31, has served on the board for nine years and was as a major figure in overseeing the school district’s finances, buildings and grounds, shared services, policy, personnel, transportation and negotiations.
“Ms. Newcomb was a driving force behind the Spartan improvement plan,” said Superintendent Kevin Kanauss, “playing a major role in the 2020 bond referendum and successive development, which brought extensive improvement to our learning spaces and facilities.”
Newcomb helped develop the district’s remote-learning plan after schools closed during COVID, and oversaw the adjustment back to in-person learning once restrictions were lifted.
“Ms. Newcomb served as a liaison to the township’s high school and middle school, enhancing the educational experience for our scholars,” Kanauss noted. “Ms. Newcomb has maintained the highest level of professional integrity in making policy decisions that have impacted upon the lives of the children in the school district.”
Kanauss presented Newcomb with a certificate and a board resolution as a permanent reminder of her service and contributions to the district. Fellow board members then expressed their thoughts on her service.
“I’d like to personally thank Laura Newcomb for her service,” said board President Joe McKenna. “What a pleasure to work with you on the board, and I wish you the best in the future.”
“Laura and I started together nine years ago, running together as a group, and we went through three elections together,” recalled board Vice President James McDevitt. “Every time we won, we said, ‘We won again,’ and a buddy of mine would always say, ‘If you lost, you would’ve won, too.’
“That was an inside joke we always had,” he added. “Laura, it was a pleasure working with you and being a teammate of yours and working for the district, for the kids and for the taxpayers. Thank you so much.”
Taking Newcomb’s place will be Justin Green, who won a three-year term on the board in the November election. He will be sworn in at the board’s reorganization meeting on Thursday, Jan. 2, at 6:30 p.m.
