HOWELL – Incumbents MaryRose Malley and Jennifer Okerson, and newcomer Scott Jeffrey, were elected to three-year terms on the Howell K-8 School District Board of Education in the Nov. 6 election.
In November 2017, Okerson won a one-year unexpired term on the board. She has served that term this year. On Nov. 6, Okerson won a full three-year term with 8,239 votes, according to results posted online by the Monmouth County Clerk’s Office.
She said she felt “relieved” after winning the election.
“I really enjoy doing this, this board works well together, so I am excited to continue now for a full term,” Okerson said.
Malley won a second term on the board, receiving 6,659 votes. She said she was “thrilled” to return.
“I love the work we are doing and I am very committed to the students in this town. I am very excited to continue the good work we started,” Malley said.
In the race for the third term, Jeffrey and Marc Parisi were tied with 6,088 votes after votes that were cast on Election Day, plus mail-in ballots and provisional ballots, were counted, according to election officials. A recount was conducted last week and final results showed Jeffrey won the three-year term by seven votes over Parisi, 6,141 to 6,134.
Angel Sanchez received 4,882 votes and Joseph Tate received 3,264 votes in their unsuccessful bids for seats on the school board.
In other school district news, at the Nov. 14 board meeting, Howell Memorial Elementary school was awarded Bronze Level Certification from Sustainable Jersey for Schools. Malley said she looks forward to seeing every school in Howell earn such a certification.
“We have the other 11 buildings that are also registered and forming green teams, so I am very excited. I am looking forward to them all attaining their status and getting their plaques as well, it is very important to me,” Malley said.
According to its website, Sustainable Jersey for Schools “is a certification program for New Jersey public schools that want to go green, conserve resources and take steps to create a brighter future, one school at a time.”