By Stephen Kasko, Haddonfield Memorial High School Valedictorian 2020

A wise man once said, “What is today, but yesterday’s tomorrow?”

That man was none other than Mr. Eugene Krabs, proprietor of the Krusty Krab, who taught our generation the value of hard work and financial responsibility. What may seem like an insignificant, off-handed comment from a kids’ cartoon show actually has an important meaning: it is easy to repeatedly put off fulfilling your hopes and dreams until tomorrow without realizing that tomorrow may never arrive.

Throughout high school, we have been taught that our current lives are nothing more than preparation for something bigger, whether it be college or a career. We become so focused on the destination that we lose our appreciation for the journey that gets us there. So today I hope to reflect on the journey that got us to this moment and why we need to appreciate it more.

I think we can all agree that our journey through high school would not be possible without the love and support of many people. First, I’d like to thank our administrators who have truly put their all into helping us through this unique senior year. I’d also like to thank all of the senior parents for the love and support they’ve given us over the years. Especially you mom and dad, I never could have done it without you. Without all of them, none of us would be the people we are today.

Next, I want to say thank you to my friends and classmates for all the great memories. And finally I want to thank all the teachers and coaches at HMHS for their time and dedication they’ve given over these four years. Thank you Coach Baker for teaching me that Don’t Walk signs are optional. Thank Mrs. Pracher for teaching us the art of cooking bacon during class. And thank you Señora Rodriguez for teaching us the value of teamwork when completing homework assignments.

As we all know, no journey is complete without its share of both ups and downs. I’m sure we’re all proud of our accomplishments these last four years, however, every achievement follows a certain amount of setbacks. For example, before making the varsity cross country team I had to learn the consequences of falling backwards during a run on a rainy day in bright blue shorts. Before getting into Madrigals I had to fumble through a series of scales I could only sing if castrated in front of TMills. And before earning a red pencil in Dr. Sohn’s chemistry class I had to learn that no one ever seems to forget the time you spilled concentrated phosphoric acid on your lab partner.

As a class, we’ve shared many amazing moments, like winning hallways our sophomore year, getting a brand-new senior lounge, and countless sectional and state championship titles. Likewise, we’ve also experienced our not-so-amazing moments, like suffering through rain at every class dance, reacting just a bit too harshly to the StopIt assembly, and a controversial end to our final rec hall.

There’s also the small individual mistakes, like forgetting your keycard and getting locked out in the breezeway, getting kicked out of the library for playing games, getting kicked out of the library for talking, getting kicked out of the library for eating on the wrong side, or, my personal favorite, getting kicked out of the library for moving a chair.

So although the road can be rocky, some of our best moments are actually during the journey, not at the destination. I never actually read Walden in English, but Sparknotes tells me that Henry David Thoreau once said “Live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find eternity in each moment.” So go out and live for today before it becomes tomorrow.

I’ll miss you guys.

During their meeting on June 11, the Board of Education approved the appointment of Dr. Carmen Henderson as the director of special education for the Haddonfield School District, from July 1, 2020.

The District released the following statement about the appointment today (July 15).

Dr. Henderson is a familiar face in Haddonfield, having worked as an LDT-C (Learning Disabilities Teacher-Consultant) and as a Child Study Team case manager for the district for the past year. She steps into a position formerly filled by Dr. Gino Priolo who was approved as Assistant Superintendent in May and whose official start date is also July 1.

“We are very fortunate to have gotten to know Dr. Henderson during this past year,” said Priolo. “She has been a valuable and caring member of the special education team and brings many years of training and experience to the Director’s post. It is rare to find someone who is not only a skilled clinician, but who also combines keen vision and leadership skills with an empathic lens. I am confident our students, staff and families will benefit from her leadership.”

Henderson began her educational journey at Fairleigh Dickinson University where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a master of arts in Teaching. She received a certificate of graduate studies in Learning Disabilities from Rowan University and later earned her Ed.D. in Special Education Leadership from Gwynedd Mercy University. Her thesis topic was “Factors Contributing to the Over-representation of Black Elementary Students in Special Education in Suburban Public School Settings, June 2018.”

Henderson is board certified as an educational diagnostician, a child development specialist, a teacher of supplemental instruction in reading and math grades K-8, an elementary teacher grades K-5, a preschool-grade 3 teacher, a student assistance coordinator and a school administrator. She has served as an LDT-C in Pennsauken, Burlington, and Lawnside Public Schools. In Pennsauken, she was also the chair of the Child Study Team, and in Lawnside she was the 504 coordinator. An adjunct professor at Rowan University, Henderson has also coordinated Rowan’s LDT-C program.

In addition to her experiences working for various school systems, Henderson has owned and operated her own consulting business since 2007, Carmen Henderson Educational Consulting in Cherry Hill.

“Dr. Henderson is a committed professional whose knowledge and expertise are only outpaced by her passion for children,” said incoming Superintendent Chuck Klaus. “She is the ideal person to continue our mission to be a leader in educational inclusivity for our children with special needs.”

Currently a resident of Cherry Hill, Henderson and her husband have an eighteen-year-old son who will be attending Fisk University (Nashville, Tennessee) where he has signed a letter of intent to play on the men’s soccer team. Henderson takes particular pride in the accomplishments of her son, because of the journey their family has taken, raising a child with special needs.

“My roles – both as a parent of a child with special needs and as a clinician – have provided me a view through a unique lense as well as deep passion for special education,” Henderson said. “It is my intention to continue to enhance the current inclusive practices and student interventions in the Haddonfield Public Schools. I am very pleased to be a part of the Haddonfield community because the consistency and quality of the services provided to our students are aligned with what I expect as a parent and a practitioner.”