Cathie Miskov, Manville Education Association
Years as mayor
were rewarding
To the editor:
I would like to take this opportunity to publicly thank everyone who attended my last Borough Council meeting, has written to me, called me, or stopped me on the street to wish me well, and for your kind words regarding my years as mayor of Manville.
I will always consider my 16 years as mayor of this wonderful borough as the most rewarding of my life.
I moved to Manville in 1983, and within months I knew I had come “home.” The residents of Manville never ceased to astound me with their resilience when faced with the many catastrophes we weathered together.
I pray that Manville has seen its last flood, and that the road ahead is a smooth one.
Thank you again for your thoughts, kind words, and good wishes, and I pray that Manville will continue the prosperity we achieved together over the last 16 years.
Angelo Corradino
North Sixth Avenue
To the editor:
As we ring in the New Year, it is a time to consider the endless possibilities that await us in the upcoming year. It is also a time to reflect upon the mistakes of the past so that we may have brighter, more prosperous lives.
I am reminded of the immortal words of Martin Luther King Jr., as he delivered his powerful speech sharing his vision for the future. Like Dr. King, I, too, have a dream. I dream that the children of Manville will always have access to quality teachers and the very best educational opportunities.
This dream is well within reach, but it is going to require more foresight than the Manville Board of Education is currently willing to give. I am concerned about the “revolving door” for teachers in Manville; it is not financially sensible to cultivate an educational career here and in the long run, it is our children who lose out.
Our teachers are among the lowest paid in Somerset County, and, when analyzing career earnings, Manville teachers rank dead last compared to our peers in other districts. It is no surprise, then, that teachers cannot remain in Manville if they, too, want to support a family in this day and age.
There is a solution: If Gov. Jon Corzine’s proposed funding plan is adopted into law, then the Manville school district is poised to receive adequate additional funding so that we may become competitive with other districts and finally be able to attract and retain the best and the brightest educators for our children. The Board of Education would no longer be able to cry poverty and in- stead, will be in a position to reverse our current disastrous path.
I propose we make this a year to remember; I urge the Board of Education to not forfeit this golden opportunity and work with us to keep quality educators in Manville.
It’s time for change, it’s time to put the children and their education as the top priority, and it’s time to join us as we work to “Make Education Awesome.”