Board proclaims teaching assistant Jennifer Lapen for 10+ years of service; accepts donations and highlights student achievements

The Springs Union Free School District board recognized teaching assistant Jennifer Lapen for more than 10 years of dedicated service during its March 10 meeting, reading a proclamation that cited her work with students with special needs and her daily presence in the school’s carline and classrooms.

The superintendent also announced two donations: $2,500 from the East Hampton Education Foundation to support a student‑run school store (a collaborative project for business, technology and art classes) and seeds from Martyrs Nursery for greenhouse and garden projects. Enrollment was reported as steady, with 30 students registered for pre‑K next year.

Student achievements noted included four gold medals and one silver at the Special Olympics bowling competition and robotics teams—Thunderbots, Lightning Bots and Firebots—competing in qualifying tournaments with the Thunderbots reaching the championship and scoring 260 points. The superintendent invited the successful teams and Special Olympics competitors to present at upcoming board meetings and reminded the community of the Worlds Fair on March 20.

A caller, Shelby Finelli, phoned in to thank and praise Jennifer Lapen on behalf of students and families.