Retired Lloyd Road Elementary Teacher Dies

Bonnie McCullough died on Wednesday at her home in Matawan, where she lived most of her life. She served our community in the Matawan Aberdeen Regional School District for 34 years, retiring from Lloyd Road Elementary School in February 2010, according to the MRTA.

One of the more unique tributes a teacher can get is for bravery and quick thinking in the face of danger. I reproduce below a proclamation, delivered by Aberdeen Mayor David Sobel at the 5 November 2007 meeting of the Aberdeen Town Council, that demonstrates her faithful dedication to our district's students.

PROCLAMATION
 

     WHEREAS, it was just another day for the fifth graders at Lloyd Road Elementary School as Bonnie McCullough and Brenda Adelson taught a vocabulary lesson; and
     WHEREAS, a crash, the sound of glass breaking and a 200 pound buck flying through the window, dashing through the classroom and out the door stunned and terrorized the fifth graders; and
     WHEREAS, thinking quickly, Bonnie McCullough called the principal, Patricia O'Keefe who quickly announced to close all doors, as school nurse, Rosalie Preuss raced to close the door she was face to face with the four-point antlered buck; and
   WHEREAS, the buck took a tour of Lloyd Road Elementary School, sliding and running through the halls before being corralled into the empty cafeteria by lunch tables and lead out the back door by the school custodian, security officer and Aberdeen Police where he ran into the woods.
     NOW, THEREFORE, I, DAVID G. SOBEL, MAYOR OF THE TOWNSHIP OF ABERDEEN, do hereby proclaim, on behalf of the Township Council and the citizens of Aberdeen Township our most sincere congratulations and thanks to the faculty and staff of Lloyd Road Elementary School (Patricia O'Keefe, Rich Abrahamsen, Bonnie McCullough, Brenda Adelson, Rosalie Preuss, Maggie Friedman, Scott Purdie, Theresa Piccolo, Rich Vitaliano, David Galvao, Ron Gregorio, Hidojet Hamzic, Michael Homoky, Thomas Parry and Richard Carroll) and the Aberdeen Police Department (Lt. Al Geyer, Sgt. Ted Sigismondi, Ptl. Kathy Sisti and Ptl. Edgar Serrano) for their quick response and professionalism on the day a deer jumped through the window at Lloyd Road Elementary School.