Sherrer honored as she retires

Stanhope - The Stanhope Board of Education honored Patricia Sherrer for her 36 years of service to the board by dedicating the courtyard at Valley Road School to her and creating a fishpond in the courtyard. Borough officials, including Mayor Diana Kuncken noted how hard Sherrer worked to get the addition to Valley Road School approved by the voters. Superintendent of Schools Nicholas Brown presented Sherrer with a plaque including a photo of the school and a giant card signed by all of the school’s seventh and eighth graders. Brown noted Sherrer’s grandson, Christopher, signed the card in a “John Hancock-like hand,” large and in the center of the card. Sherrer said she is “hardly ever speechless,” and told the board, family members and other assembled for the presentation that she used to tease her children “that when I die I want my ashes spread over Stanhope School.” She added she thinks having the courtyard named for her is enough. “They say it takes a village to raise a child,” she said. “I like to think I’ve been a little help raising children in Stanhope.”