Gator Preview Newsletter Summer 2014 | Page 29

Mrs.  Bernadette  Ford,  Principal’s  Administrative  Assistant   In   the   12   years   that   she   has   been   here,   Mrs.   Ford   has   made   an   indelible   mark   on   the   Gateway   community.    Serving  as  administrative  secretary  to  the  principal  and  vice-­‐principals  has  kept  her  busy   and  made  their  administrative  jobs  immensely  easier.    Those  who  have  worked  with  Mrs.  Ford  will   miss   her   uncanny   sense   of   humor.     She   thoroughly   enjoyed   assisting   in   any   and   all   aspects   of   the   school  to  help  ensure  the  smooth  operation  of  the  day.  It  was  also  always  a  pleasure  to  help  with   events   that   enhance   the   students’   experience   at   school.   Mrs.   Ford   appreciates   Gateway’s   family   oriented   touch   and   feels   in   her   heart   that   the   faculty   and   staff   are   like   extended   family.     In   her   retirement,  Mrs.  Ford  is  looking  forward  to  finishing  up  some  ongoing  projects,  spending  time  with   her  family  and  traveling  with  her  husband  and  friends.         Mr.  Nick  Salvatore,  Supervisor  of  Maintenance   Having   retired   from   the   Campbell   Soup   Company   for   about   one   year,   Mr.   Salvatore   didn’t   have   anything  to  do  one  day  so  he  looked  through  the  newspaper  and   saw  a  job  posted  for  Gateway.  He   applied.     That   was   13   years   ago.   Gateway   has   been   graced   with   his   knowledge   and   expertise   ever   since.   Mr.   Salvatore,   who   is   highly   respected   in   his   field,   came   to   Gateway   with   an   abundance   of   knowledge   from   his   management   position   at   Campbell   Soups   and   has   served   as   Maintenance   Supervisor   for   most   of   the   time   he   has   been   here.   Everyone   knows   that   if   you   need   something   –   call   Nick!     He   enjoyed   being   in   the   position   as   supervisor   to   be   able   to   help   contribute   as   part   of   the   process   in   seeing   Gateway   move   forward   over   the   years.     In   retirement,   Mr.   Salvatore   plans   on   spending  his  summers  boating  on  the  Chesapeake  with  his  family  and  spending  the  winter  months  in   their  Ft.  Lauderdale  home  while  managing  to  stay  in  close  contact  with  his  family.         Mrs.  Sharon  Bell,  Speech  Therapist   Mrs.   Bell   has   been   helping   the   students   at   Gateway   learn   to   speak   correctly   for   26   years.     She   works   diligently  with  students  who  look  to  her  for  support  and  training  in  their  quest  to  master  a  speech   impediment   they   have.   Students   enjoy   coming   to   Mrs.   Bell’s   classroom   where   they   sometimes   work   with   other   students   as   well   as   having   one-­‐on-­‐one   time   with   Mrs.   Bell,   as   she   is   pleasant,   patient   and   encouraging  in  her  teaching.    Her  greatest  reward  is  witnessing  her  students  experiencing  a  “break   through”  in  their  learning  and  the  look  of  pure  delight  on  their  faces  at  their  accomplishments.    Mrs.   Bell   has   also   provided   speech   services   to   the   Salem,   Sterling,   Upper   Pittsgrove   and   Oldmans   Township  districts,  some  as  shared  services  with  Gateway.    Mrs.  Bell  does  not  plan  to  slow  down  in   retirement  –  she  and  her  husband  are  in  the  planning  stages  of  fulfilling  a  dream  of  theirs  to  serve  as   missionaries  in  underdeveloped  countries  in  the  not  too  distant  future.