Mercer Superintendents Secure COVID-19 Vaccinations for District Staffs
As has been said…it takes a village.
While people throughout New Jersey navigated the challenging and frustrating task of securing vaccination appointments against the coronavirus, Mercer County public school districts’ top administrators persistently collaborated on doing the same for their grades PreK-12 staff. And they succeeded.
The district superintendents secured five opportunities for staff vaccinations. Some dates provided only 15 openings for some districts; others were open ended and vaccinated over 1,000 people.
Vaccination administration dates follow:
- March 26 – at Penn Medicine Princeton Health Center
- March 27 – at Crockett Middle School in Hamilton via Walgreens
- April 3 – at Crockett Middle School in Hamilton via Walgreens
- Week of April 5 at Burlington County Mega-Site in Moorestown
Additionally, Lawrence Township Public Schools (LTPS) hosted a vaccination clinic at Lawrence High School (LHS) on April 6th in conjunction with Penn Medicine Princeton Health Center. Because vaccines generally have become available on short notice, clinic providers have to quickly launch logistical plans. Such was the case in Lawrence as Superintendent Ross Kasun coordinated with LTPS central office and LHS administrators and staff, and Ewing School District Superintendent Michael Nitti, to quickly organize the LHS clinic. A total of 143 people received the Moderna vaccine on April 6th at Lawrence High School.
Second vaccination injections are scheduled for May 4th at LHS.
“You could actually sense the relief staff felt as they expressed their appreciation in response to the emails we sent about vaccination appointment openings,” related Kasun. “I think I can speak for my superintendent colleagues in that we are so pleased we could offer this peace of mind to our staff and add vaccinations to the multiple measures districts have taken to provide safe learning spaces and conditions during these challenging times.”
Lawrence personnel on hand at the April 6th clinic include Ross Kasun; Andrew Zuckerman (assistant superintendent); David Adam (LHS principal): Cliff Williams, Fay Lopez, and Damian Bariexca (LHS assistant principals); Luis Ruiz and Martha Pereira (custodians); Laurie Wilson, Lynne Traina, Susanne Adamsky, Rebecca Doherty, and Alison Lalli (nurses); Chris Boutote, Bill Chester, Bernadette Clark, Debbie Martin, Sam Pastorella, and Bennie Williams (security guards); Suzanne Girard (SRO), and Mike Cseremsak (Class III officer).
Ewing School District staff assisting on April 6th include Leslie Curran and Joanne Trevor (nurses); Theresa Hullings and Lauren Zablow (administrative / secretaries); and Don Ellison and William Wolverton (security guards).
Mercer County Superintendents involved in the collaborations include: David Aderhold (West Windsor-Plainsboro), Brian Betze (Robbinsville), Mark Daniels (East Windsor), Barry Galasso (Princeton), Ross Kasun (Lawrence), Joan Kranisky (Marie H. Katzenbach School for the Deaf), Alfonso Llano (Trenton), Michael Nitti (Ewing), Scott Rocco (Hamilton), and Thomas Smith (Hopewell).
Photos:
- Clinic participants
- Lawrence nurses with Superintendent Ross Kasun: L-R Rebecca Doherty, Ross Kasun, Lynne Traina, Susanne Adamsky