William Floyd Honors Longtime BOE Member with Library Renaming

On Thursday, January 23, members of the William Floyd school community gathered together to celebrate the life and legacy of Jeananne Dawson, which has been memorialized in the annals of William Floyd School District history with the renaming of the William Floyd High School library to the Jeananne Dawson Memorial Library. Mrs. Dawson was a 40-year member of the William Floyd Board of Education and its longtime vice president. She passed away on September 26, 2019.

At this ceremony, which was filled with fond remembrances and anecdotes, members of the William Floyd school community gathered with the Dawson family for the dedication, renaming and library plaque unveiling. The ceremony included music by the William Floyd High School String Quartet, the presentation of colors by the William Floyd High School NJROTC and cupcakes prepared and served by students from Culinary Arts – all programs that Mrs. Dawson supported tremendously or had direct input and involvement in their creation and success.

The event, attended by more than 150 people, including fellow Board of Education members, community members, elected officials, faculty, staff and administration (past and present) along with 15 members of the Dawson family, celebrated the contributions that Mrs. Dawson made to the William Floyd School District during her four decades of dedicated service.

“For Mrs. Dawson, it was simple, it was all about the students,” said Robert Vecchio, president, William Floyd Board of Education, who served as the evening’s emcee. “She fought for providing our students with all that they needed to excel and succeed. She felt that they should have what students from other districts have because William Floyd kids deserve it – and she was right.”

Superintendent of Schools, Kevin M. Coster, spoke fondly of Mrs. Dawson and remembered the fierce advocate that she was for William Floyd and how she helped it become the amazing school district it is today. “It was an honor to learn from her and a privilege to know her,” he said. “Mrs. Dawson’s name, legacy and love of the William Floyd School District will be forever cemented in the Jeananne Dawson Memorial Library.”

“Having Jeananne Dawson’s name on this library not only memorializes her but immortalizes her,” said Philip Scotto, principal, William Floyd High School, who first joined the William Floyd School District in 1984 when Mrs. Dawson was in her second term on the Board. “There is no greater honor, and no greater way to honor her legacy. Every time that I walk by the library and see her name, I will remember all that she told me.”

The evening concluded with eloquent and moving remarks by Mark Dawson, Mrs. Dawson’s son, who spoke on behalf of himself and his entire family. “To mom, there was nothing more important than family, but, being part of the William Floyd School District was a close second. Having the high school library renamed in her honor means so much to me and my family; mom always was and always will be part of the William Floyd School District.”