Police Officers Celebrated With Breakfast At Long Valley School

LONG VALLEY, NJ — Students and staff at the Flocktown-Kossmann School hosted members of the Washington Township Police Department on Law Enforcement Appreciation Day on Jan. 9.

On the day of recognition, members of the local police department were treated to a full breakfast courtesy of the Flocktown-Kossmann School Sunshine Committee.

According to Sarah Rooney, one of the teachers in charge of organizing the Law Enforcement Appreciation Breakfast, the decision to use their funds to honor local law enforcement was unanimous.

"Staff members sign up to run one of the events through the Sunshine Committee and since my husband is in Law Enforcement, I chose to organize this event along with my teammate, Julie Martire," Rooney said.

The event, which took place Monday morning at Flocktown School, had a great turnout, according to Rooney, as many students were excited to thank a police officer for their service when they saw them in the hallway.

"Allowing the youths in this community to establish a bond and appreciation for our WTPD is both special and important. Recognizing our WTPD members with cards, pictures, expressions of gratitude, and a breakfast spread was a simple heartfelt gesture offered by the staff across two buildings and the students as well," Martire said. "We appreciate the heart each member offers when they come to work in supporting the community where the children we teach are growing up as well as the town in which we teach."

The breakfast table, which featured a variety of delectable treats such as bagels and donuts, was decorated with the assistance of students from the neighboring Kossmann School. According to Rooney, Kossmann School staff members collaborated with their K-2 students to create a beautiful appreciation book filled with drawings and letters of thanks for the police officers.

Michael Craver, Principal of Flocktown-Kossmann School, also stressed the importance of having security and police work with the school community.

"Gratefulness is an important trait to instill in children for many reasons. Being grateful and showing gratitude for the helpers in our community cultivates respect, connection, and an understanding of the roles of those who work hard to make our community the safe and child-focused area it is for them to grow up in," Craver said.

Just over four years ago, the Washington Township School District decided to hire school resource officers to increase safety measures. Since then, the school community has made an effort to teach the students the roles that the police have in our community.

"Our district's initial SRO officers, coupled with our current serving SROs, Adam Feichter and Rob Oranchak, have fostered an impressionable sense of safety and security for students and staff alike," Martire said. "When students see their SRO officer, or any other WTPD officer patrolling our halls, popping into classrooms, or bumping into them in town at one of our local joints, there is an immediate sense of comfort to present a smile, offer a high-five, or share a sincere expression of gratitude or a simple wish for well-being."

National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day was started in 2015 by several organizations as a way to express gratitude for officers, recognizing the challenges they have faced in recent years.