Retiring principal will be remembered fondly
Staff describes Weaver as a hands-on, caring educator
BY MARY ANNE ROSS Correspondent

Thomas Weaver

SPOTSWOOD — A familiar and wellloved figure will soon be gone from the halls of Memorial Middle School.

Thomas Weaver, who has been the school's principal since 1994, has announced he will retire at the end of December.

Weaver started out in the Spotswood school system as a high school social studies teacher 34 years ago. He became an assistant principal at Spotswood High School before moving on to his present position.

Over the years he has also been a spring and winter track coach, assistant football coach and advisor to the honor society. At one point he even braved a stint as a behind the-wheel drivers education instructor.

Since word has gotten out about his retirement, many former students and colleagues have been getting in touch. Weaver, clearly moved by all the calls and attention, said he will look back fondly on his years in Spotswood.

"This is such a great community. There are such strong family values. I feel honored to have been a part of the lives of people here," he said.

Family is a word that comes up often in connection with Weaver. So does "wonderful" and quite a few other superlatives.

"He is just the best boss you could ever imagine. He cares about the children and the staff. He will call students to make sure they get up in the morning," said school nurse Katherine Shkolar.

Shkolar referred to Weaver's habit of getting into school very early each morning to make wakeup calls to those having trouble getting in on time.

"Sometimes the parents have to leave for work before the kids get up. I just tell them, 'Come on, it's time to get up,'" Weaver said. "I also like to be in early so it's easy for parents to reach me."

Weaver also makes sure he is available to teachers and students by doing much of his work in the school hallways and being in the cafeteria during lunch hour.

"You would think he was a bookie," Shkolar said with a laugh. "He lends money to the kids who don't have it for lunch. Then he keeps track of it in a little book because they are supposed to pay him back."

Teachers said Weaver's main priority has always been the students. Middle school can be difficult, and is a time of transition between elementary and high school. Weaver often impresses upon his staff that he wants them to get their students ready for the "big leagues," meaning high school.

"If you have a problem in a class, he not only listens, he does something about it," math teacher Joanne Cifelli said. "He's just a wonderful, caring man. No words can express the impact he has had on my growth as an educator and as a person."

Eighth-grade science teacher Mark Richardson said Weaver has created an environment that encourages teachers to do their best.

"He shields us from all the administrative stuff and gives us the freedom to teach. He tells us, 'You teach. You mentor. I'll take care of the rest.' As a teacher you couldn't ask for anything more," Richardson said.

"He's a great administrator because he's a great teacher," said Janet Marshall, eighth-grade language teacher, who has worked with Weaver for over 30 years. "Even now, if he fills in in the classroom, you can see how he connects with the students."

The praise is not just limited to the staff at Memorial. Weaver was recently made a lifetime member of the PTA and was inducted into the Spotswood Athletic Hall of Fame.

"He's the kind of principal I would like my kids to have," Superintendent of Schools John Krewer said. "He's exemplary, a role model. Tom's created a caring family environment at that school. He knows all the students and their parents."

In some cases, he already knew the parents because many of them are his former students. On Back to School nights, Weaver likes to tease them. "I tell them, don't worry I won't mention what you did in school. I'll take those secrets to my grave," he laughed.

Weaver and his wife Francine, who is a retired teacher, live in Lakewood, Ocean County. They have two children, Benjamin and Kathleen, both of whom are married now. When they were little, Weaver didn't hesitate to bring his "two families" together.

"My wife went to every prom, my son was the water boy for the football team, and they dressed my daughter up in a cheerleading outfit," he noted.

Weaver has touched the lives of thousands of students. There are few places he goes where he doesn't run into someone he has taught or coached.

"I can be in Cape May, Disneyland. I was at a gas station in the middle of the night in Dayton, Ohio and ran into a former student," he said.

Just as his staff and students said they will miss him, he feels the same way about them.

"This has been the best job in the world, and I am so grateful for the students I've known and the teachers and staff I worked with," Weaver said. "But it's time for new blood to come in. That's the circle of life."