May 21, 2014 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 3 Franklin Lakes Board of education trustee recognized by BCSBA by Frank J. McMahon Susan McGowan of the Franklin Lakes Board of Education was recently honored by the Bergen County School Boards Association as the recipient of this year’s Janet Lobsenz Award. The ceremony took place May 6 at Maggiano’s Restaurant in Hackensack. The BCSBA established the Janet Lobsenz Award in 2002 in honor of the retirement of Lobsenz, who had served as the New Jersey School Boards Association Senior Field Service Representative for the previous 18 years. The award is presented to an individual board member who exemplifies a strong commitment to his or her per- sonal, professional development as a board member and his or her involvement in school governance at the local, county, and state levels. McGowan was appointed to the local K-8 school board in 2010 and elected in 2011, when she received the highest number of votes of all the candidates at that time. Her current term on the board will expire at the end of this year. She has been the chair of the board’s Policy Com- mittee and has served on the Personnel and Technology committees and the school district’s Efficiency Com- mittee. She has also been the Franklin Avenue Middle School Parent Teacher Association representative, the High Mountain Road School PTA representative, and the New Jersey/Bergen County School Boards represen- tative. McGowan moved to Franklin Lakes six years prior to her election. She has two daughters who attend the schools in the district. “As the board president, I couldn’t be happier for Susan,” Larry Loprete said, “as all her hard work and dedication to the Franklin Lakes Board of Education was recognized and rewarded by the BCSBA. She is truly deserving of this very prestigious award.” Vice President Shirley O’Reilly also expressed her pride in McGowan, saying, “Susan should be proud of the work that she does and the impact she makes on our district. I am proud to serve with Susan.” The membership of the Bergen County School Boards Association includes all the constituent school districts in the county. According to its website, the goal of BCSBA is to enhance the skills and knowledge of local board of education members throughout Bergen County. The association serves as a forum for the exchange of information and ideas and as a catalyst to expedite and initiate action. Events are open to board members and administra- tors of the BCSBA constituent districts, and provide net- working opportunities and feature experts from the New Jersey School Boards Association and the Department of Education, school board administrators, and super- intendents.