BY DAN NEWMAN
Staff Writer
Leonora Caminiti MIDDLETOWN – Three incumbents and one newcomer are running for three three-year terms in the April 17 township Board of Education election.
Leonora Caminiti, 47, of Lombardi Court, is running for the second time after winning a seat on the board three years ago. Caminiti is a former president of Fairview Elementary School’s PTO and was also a member of the Parent Information Committee (PIC).
“I want to continue to see the lines of communication stay open between the township, parents and administration,” Caminiti said. “We’ve been making great progress in all areas and I want to see it continue this way.”
As a proud part of her track record, Caminiti mentioned the time and effort that was put into creating a strategic plan for the school district, one that outlines a sort of road map for the district over the next few years.
“It’s something that our board backed and it’s great,” Caminiti said.
Dawn Diorio, 43, of Sugar Maple Drive, is also running for a second term. The current board president is looking forward to following through on some initiatives begun during her time as a member. She said that during her initial three-year term she was glad to see the lines of communication become more open after a long period of tension in town.
Dawn Diorio “There are a lot of items concerning staff development that are important to me,” said Diorio, a stay-at-home mom. “We’ve also marketed our district very well and that has helped a lot.”
Diorio, a former president of the Nut Swamp Elementary School PTA and the district’s President’s Council, said she views her work helping to craft the district’s strategic plan and building good relations between the board and parent groups as two of her key accomplishments. In the future, she said that she wants to see more advances made in the district’s technology.
“Also, I think continuity is very important,” Diorio said. “I think this board has worked very hard maintaining a good relationship with the town and the parents, and I hope that we can continue to progress in these ways.”
Patricia Walsh, 48, of West Front Street, is running for a fourth term. She was on the board from 1996-2002, having served as vice president during the 2000-01 school and as president the year after. She said there is one project she wants has yet to complete from when she was first elected almost 11 years ago.
Pat Walsh “I want to see the renovation of all elementary schools. I feel that’s very important,” Walsh said. “Overall, I do want to focus on the needs of all of the children in our school schools.”
Walsh is also running for a seat in the state Assembly this year and said that if she is fortunate enough to win, she would relinquish her position on the Middletown Board of Education.
“I’ve been told by legal experts that there would be no problem with keeping both spots, but I have a problem with holding two offices at the same time. I don’t think it’s a good thing,” Walsh said. “I would just want to focus on the Assembly.”
Mark Sobel, of Navesink River Road, is also running for a seat on the board. Attempts to reach Sobel for this story were unsuccessful.