JACKSON – Five residents are running for two available seats on the sevenmember Jackson Board of Education in the April 15 school election. The terms are for three years. Polls will be open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
The candidates are Barbara Fiero, Michael Hanlon, Sal Duscio, Howard Tilis and Scott Sargent.
Fiero and Hanlon are current members of the board.
Each candidate was asked by the Tri- Town News to respond to three questions on current issues.
The three topics were: cable television and how it could be used in the schools; how to improve security in the schools during and after school hours while remaining within the budget; and while there were 30,123 registered voters in Jackson last year, only 4,893 voters cast their ballots (16.24 percent) in the election. This year there are 30,610 registered voters. How would you actively get people out to vote in the upcoming election?
Duscio said he has been running for a seat on the board for 13 years.
“I am a resident of Jackson and a taxpayer since 1950,” Duscio said. “I have experience with special-education children, having two handicapped grandchildren of my own.”
He said he manages a farm on his property and adheres to strict business practices in its operation.
“One of my prime concerns is giving the best education to our children,” Duscio said.
Responding to the first question, Duscio said cable television can be used to educate students on a large scale. Classes can share the same subjects, or news flashes, notices of early dismissal and/or emergency situations can be posted.
“Students at home, for whatever reason, can be given the learning instructions via themedia,” Duscio said. “[There is] no need to give out notes. Televisions are in every home.”
Regarding security, Duscio said all school doors should be locked at all times.
“Exit use is only frominside,” he said. “A main entrance door that has a security camera should be used. A button to alert a security guard on duty will open the door.”
Duscio said metal detectors should also be used and the number of security guards should be increased.
“Bathrooms are breeding grounds for a lot of illegal stuff,” he said.
Responding to the third question, Duscio said there has been some talk in New Jersey about moving the date of the school election fromApril to theNovember general election as a way of increasing voter
turnout.
“You are sure to have a greater turnout of voters in November,” Duscio said. “Some people feel it is no use to vote. Taxes will never go down, but we should exercise our freedom to vote. The polls are open long enough to vote. There are no excuses.”
Fiero, a resident of Jackson since 1991, is married with five sons; four are graduates of Jackson schools and one is still attending township schools. Along with her husband, she operates a national firm that provides alternative telecommunications services.
She is currently serving her first term as a school board member and during that time she said she has shown herself to be an active, involved participant in the business of overseeing the district’s schools.
Regarding cable television in the schools, Fiero said that since more people in town have Internet access than cable TV, the board has been exploring the distribution of school meetings and events in that forum.
“Whatever themethod of distribution, it will provide real-world experiences to our students who have chosen to explore electronic media as a career,” she said. “The cable television channel is welcome as an alternate means of distribution.”
“I am happy to say that security issues in Jackson are so rare that the few issues we experienced last year gave us the opportunity to refine procedures,” Fiero said. “Mostly, our schools remain free of serious issues due to the alert staff, vigilant security, and proactive students. We continue to share resources and explore options with the Jackson Police Department.”
Fiero said she has spent a lot of time volunteering in schools encouraging everyone to be part of the process.
As to increasing voter turnout in the school election, Fiero said, “This year we are actively organizing a vote by mail campaign through aWeb site that can be found at www.jacksonfoe.com. I believe information and convenience are our best tools.”
Hanlon said he and his wife have lived in Jackson since 1978 and their five children attended and graduated fromJackson schools.
“I have been on the scholarship committee for nine years and I have been a member of the Jackson Board of Education for nine years, as well as assisting on many community projects. I am a licensed counselor who operated a large community counseling center for over 27 years.”
Hanlon said having a cable television station in the schools would allow the district to showcase the creative programs and activities that make each of them unique.
“This cable initiative would give our students real-life workplace readiness skills and experience that could not be matched in a traditional classroom setting,” he said. “It would also go a long way toward strengthening the connection between the schools and the community.”
Regarding school security, he said while administrators are confident that all students are safe in Jackson’s schools, they are always looking at ways to stay on top of security issues.
“I have pressed for increased training for all of our staff to improve the systemwe have in place,” said Hanlon. “I’mhelping to research how new security technology can best be used.”
Hanlon said this year the board held many public budget workshops to help residents seeing how tax dollars are being spent and by placing all of the information on the school district’sWeb site for all to review.
Sargent has lived in Jackson for 18 years. He is married with two children and is an employee at the Jackson Department of PublicWorks. He is a U.S. Navy veteran and a community volunteer.
He said that as a school board member he would focus on two primary areas: emphasize time-proven methods for teaching critical skills to students, and setting priorities for the allocation of school district funds that provide immediate benefit to the children, schools, materials and teachers, over administrative expenditures.
Responding to the first question about cable television, Sargent said although every family must decide this issue for themselves, he advocates little or no media (television) exposure in early childhood or school.However, value exists inmedia education for adolescents, he said.
Students who are able to interpret purpose in media are less prone to take it at face value, he said. Freedomof thought and informed interpretation of the media are necessary to a democratic society, the candidate said.
Sargent said school security is the job of every resident.
“We have raised good kids and we are good people, ” he said. “Our Jackson police, fire, EMS and security personnel are dedicated public servants. I work with these professionals every day.”
Sargent said that as a board member, he will provide those professionals with the resources they need to keep Jackson’s children safe in the community.
“Using our cable TV station in the high schools, I would let students become our media outlet,” Sargent said. “With objective news coverage, reporting on events in Jackson, government, industry, and civic groups, students would learn the importance of accurate journalismaswell as informJackson voters. Similarly, in covering band concerts, science, sports, theater and art, they would promote local culture.”
Tilis is retired after 43 years in education as an administrator, director of policy and trainer of school boardmembers, director of testing and college professor.
“Prior to moving to Jackson, I served a combined 12 years on the Board of Education in Marlboro and in the Freehold Regional High School District,” Tilis said. “I was involved inmany community activities, from coordinating soccer divisions to serving on township committees such as the Marlboro Alliance to Prevent Alcoholism andDrugAbuse, theMount Laurel advisory committee, the Children’s Psychiatric Center [at] High Point Center, and more.”
Responding to the questions posed by the Tri-TownNews regarding the upcoming election in Jackson, Tilis said a cable television station would be a powerful vehicle to inform residents about schools.
“I would broadcast all board meetings and allow students to expand the use of the already existing TV studios,” he said. “It would allowthe already existing TV studios and courses to expand what they are doing. One ofmy goals is to advocate for a contract with Cablevision to broadcast school and district programming.”
Regarding school security, Tilis said there should be only one entrance and exit used at a school. A staff member should be stationed at the door tomonitor, sign in and verify identification and provide escort for guests.He suggested training all school personnel regularly, inviting local law enforcement personnel to emergency drills, having amemorandumof agreementwith local law enforcement agencies and providing updated and accurate floor plans to local police.
Tilis said voters need to be informed throughout the year.
“With 60 percent to 70 percent of all tax dollars used to support education, it is my responsibility to keep residents informed by seeking forums to speak about the school, asking for community input and using Channel 77 to view Board of Education meetings and making it the best show in town.”
In addition to voting for candidates for the Board of Education, voters on April 15 will be asked to approve a tax levy to support the budget for the 2008-09 school year. Polls will be open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
The board is proposing a $136.3 million budget for 2008-09. Residents will vote on a tax levy of $64 million to support that spending plan.
The budget proposes an increase in the school tax rate of 5.34 cents per $100 of assessed valuation.With the full proposed increase in place, the tax rate will rise from $2.27 to $2.32 per $100 of assessed valuation.
With a tax rate of $2.32 in place, the owner of a home assessed at $150,000would see his school tax rise from about $3,405 in 2007-08 to about $3,480 in 2008-09.
The owner of a home assessed at $250,000 would see his school tax rise from about $5,675 in 2007-08 to about $5,800 in 2008-09.
The owner of a home assessed at $350,000 would see his school tax rise from about $7,945 in 2007-08 to about $8,120 in 2008-09.
School taxes are one part of the overall property tax bill. The property tax bill also includesmunicipal taxes andOcean County taxes