Residents in Howell and Jackson elected residents to serve on their local school boards in the 2022 general election.
Jackson – Three residents sought two three-year terms on the seven-member Jackson School District Board of Education.
The candidates were Megan Gardella, John Spalthoff and incumbent board member Allison Barocas.
As of Nov. 15, according to results posted online by the Ocean County Clerk’s Office, the winners of the two terms were Gardella, with 11,091 votes, and Barocas, with 7,602 votes.
Spalthoff received 5,939 votes in his bid to win a seat on the board.
The results of the election are unofficial until they have been certified.
Howell – Four residents of Howell sought three three-year terms on the nine-member Howell K-8 School District Board of Education.
The candidates were Joseph Mauer Jr., Alexandria Langenberger, incumbent board member Laurence Gurman and incumbent board member Cristy Mangano.
As of Nov. 15, according to results posted online by the Monmouth County Clerk’s Office, the winners of the three terms were Mauer, with 9,086 votes, Langenberger, with 8,909 votes, and Mangano, with 8,029 votes.
Gurman received 5,374 votes in his bid to retain his seat on the board.
The results of the election are unofficial until they have been certified.
In the Freehold Regional High School District, incumbent board member Marc Parisi, who is one of Howell’s two representatives on the Board of Education, ran unopposed and was elected to a new three-year term with 12,123 votes, according to the Monmouth County Clerk’s Office.
Under the regional school district’s voting rules, residents of Howell and Farmingdale were permitted to cast ballots for Parisi.
Incumbent board member Kathie Lavin, who is Farmingdale’s representative on the Board of Education, ran unopposed and was elected to a new three-year term with 10,458 votes, according to the Monmouth County Clerk’s Office.
Under the regional school district’s voting rules, residents of Farmingdale and Howell were permitted to cast ballots for Lavin.
As of Nov. 15, the results of the election were unofficial. The results will remain unofficial until they have been certified.
According to the New Jersey School Boards Association, “The school board has a dual role: To represent the concerns of the citizens, taxpayers and parents to the school administrators, and to represent the needs of the students and school district to the citizens, taxpayers and parents of the community.
“The school board does not operate the district on a day-to-day basis; that is the job of the superintendent, who is the district’s chief executive. Rather, the school board sets the policies, goals and objectives for the district – and it holds the superintendent responsible for implementing the policies and achieving the goals,” according to the NJSBA.
School board members serve as volunteers without compensation.