LACEY – In Lacey Township, eight individuals are vying for three, three-year terms on the Board of Education.
This year’s election brought forth a host of newcomers, campaigning on behalf of the students and taxpayers. Only two of the eight candidates are incumbents on the Board of Education.
For this newspaper’s election coverage, each of the candidates was sent the same questions. Their answers are below, lightly edited for narrative flow.
Edward Scanlon
Forked River resident Edward Scanlon is campaigning for a seat on the Lacey Township Board of Education on the basis of “Education Not Politics.”
Scanlon is a retired teacher, having taught math and science for over three decades in the Old Bridge Township School District. Currently, he is employed by the Ocean County Board of Elections in a permanent part-time position.
In addition, Scanlon has experience serving on a governing body, having served as a former committeeman, mayor, and member of the planning board in Lacey Township, as well as currently serving on the on the zoning board.
With no shortage of professional experience, Scanlon also maintains a strong connection with the local community.
“While my children were growing up, I was an active member of the Lacey Soccer Club and Lacey Little League where I was Corresponding Secretary for a short period. I was the Webelos leader for several years and committee chairperson for Cub Pack 156 in Forked River. I have been a member of the Lacey Township Municipal Alliance over twenty years,” Scanlon told Jersey Shore Online.
When it comes down to the issues Lacey School District is facing, Scanlon identified the recent cuts to state aid as a major concern.
“I became concerned when the current board chose to eliminate the Paraprofessional Aides as a cost saving measure,” he explained. “This directly affected the quality of education for all students. When the students who need the assistance of the aide in order to be able to be participate fully don’t have that help, the classroom teacher becomes the person who must meet the individual student’s special needs. This in turn takes instruction time from the entire class.”
One of his goals is to work on finding budgetary solutions that would avoid impacting students’ educational needs. This would include finding alternate funding sources, such as grants and sponsorships, that would afford the district the ability to offer its students more and better programming.
In addition, Scanlon wants to reinstate Developmental Kindergarten and Transitional First Grade, “two programs that I know were beneficial in identifying and working with learning needs at an early stage.”
Gavin Rozzi
As one of the younger candidates, Gavin Rozzi’s focus is “students first” as well as holding elected officials accountable to the pubic they serve.
Rozzi is campaigning in tandem with candidates Sal Armato and Sonia Marchitello on behalf of the student and the taxpayer.
Rozzi is a full-time graduate student pursuing his Master’s degree in Data Science and Strategic Analytics at Stockton University. He has previously worked as an undergraduate teaching assistant, a writer on politics and public affairs for Ocean County Politics, as well as an independent web developer. As a web developer, Rozzi has been able to create such sites as OPRAmachine, “that increase government transparency & accessibility,” he said.
While this would be Rozzi’s first experience in public office, he assures voters, “I know a lot about the structure of government and how it works, having obtained a B.A. in Political Science from Stockton University.”
Not only this, but Rozzi is a regular at Lacey Township Committee meetings. He has also served on the school district’s technology leadership committee in 2012, appointed by the superintendent to help shape technology upgrades for the district.
In line with other candidates, Rozzi’s main concern for the Lacey School District is the cuts to state aid “and other outside threats to school funding.”
“I would like to advocate at a state level to push the state Department of Education to publish the math behind the current school funding formula, which has been requested by neighboring districts,” Rozzi told Jersey Shore Online.
Rozzi has also expressed concern over the way that current board members manage the district’s finances.
“For example, the school district’s solar panel project was investigated by the state for mismanagement and left the district with significant debt. Along that vein, I am concerned about the 2015 credit rating downgrade from Standard & Poor’s,” said Rozzi.
Similar to his endeavor with the OPRAmachine site, Rozzi is aiming to make those in charge more accountable and increase transparency between public officials and the community.
“I would also like to increase citizen involvement and participation by creating a Citizen’s Budget Advisory Council to solicit feedback from members of the community on the annual school budget,” he added. “I would also like to use my knowledge of technology to help steer the district’s pursuit of technology upgrades and prioritize cyber security in order to protect the district from ransomware and online security threats.”
Sonia Marchitello
Campaigning alongside Rozzi, Sonia Marchitello is one-third of the self-proclaimed “Team for the Taxpayers.”
Marchitello is both a mother and a nurse who is looking to increase transparency between the board and local parents, while also creating the best possible experience for the student.
“The plan is to focus on hidden areas of costs and expenses, stabilize taxes, and maximize education for each student,” Marchitello told Jersey Shore Online.
With the massive cuts to state aid, as well as decreasing enrollment in the district, Marchitello is calling for a fresh start.
“Enrollment has dropped by over 1,000 students in the last 10 years,” she explained. “In 2009, the District had approximately 5,100 students. Today, the number is in the 4,000 range.
“This catastrophic demise must be stopped by fresh, honest, fearless, objective stakeholders to stand up to the nepotism, poor decision making, and ensuring accountability of administration,” she added.
Marchitello’s plan of attack also targets student pride, saying that moral must be restored in order for students to succeed.
Sal Armato
Sal Armato is running alongside Rozzi and Marchitello on the “Team for the Taxpayers.” Armato did not respond to Jersey Shore Online’s inquires by press time.
On the Marchitello, Rozzi & Armato for Lacey Board of Education Facebook page, the following post defines what the three are planning to change: “More of the same is not going to fix the problems confronting our district. The Department of Education has rated performance at Lacey Township High School, and found that students were performing below average on both English and math assessments.
“Raising student achievement will be one of our top priorities when elected. Our children deserve a quality education and we cannot afford to allow the decline of our schools to continue.”
Ashley Larsen
Ashley Larsen is an ambitious 20-year-old teacher’s aide at a local Forked River preschool looking to join in the fight for change in Lacey schools.
Larsen’s professional experience also includes her position as workshop instructor at Ocean County College; former editor-in-chief of Seascape Literary Magazine at Ocean County College; and a volunteer Project Coordinator for the nonprofit Jersey Cares.
“I personally enjoy leading the clean-up events in Island Beach State Park, a wonderful event for anyone who loves the beach,” Larsen added.
Should Larsen nab a seat on the board, this would be her first experience holding public office.
“As one of the only independent candidates running in Lacey, I have been ambitious in my journey into politics. I look forward to my continuing effort to fight for change in Lacey Schools,” she told Jersey Shore Online.
Larsen identified proficiency as a significant issue that Lacey students face.
“With a 90% graduation rate, students are entering college/military/a vocation with only 50% proficiency in reading/writing and 36% proficiency in mathematics. Blatantly, students in Lacey Township are not succeeding to their fullest extent, and despite most students being enrolled in “college prep” courses, the majority are not entering college prepared,” she explained.
While Larsen does not place the blame on the educators themselves, she does assert that poor proficiency can lead to decreased academic success.
“Increased standardized testing, taking weeks off students’ and teachers’ schedules, leaves a lot of pressure on everyone involved. Placement has taken priority over a true, meaningful education,” said Larsen.
Also on the top of her list: mental health.
“A new law signed by Governor Murphy will be implemented in 2020, requiring all K-12 public schools across New Jersey to have mental health education. As a candidate, I want to ensure this program is implemented in the most seamless fashion, taking into account each school and its age group,” Larsen added. “I want to develop an individualized approach to mental health in Lacey Schools, ensuring each student has access to crucial mental health resources.”
Larsen plans to approach the duties of a board member with the issues that students care about in her mind. This also includes: making sure the bathrooms are available, emphasizing the inconsistencies in discipline that has led to the violation of students’ rights previously, ensuring students are comfortable in their environments, and implementing more creativity in our schools.
“And perhaps most importantly, special education in Lacey Township needs to be fiscally defended. All students are entitled to equal opportunities towards academic success,” said Larsen.
While the following candidates did not respond to Jersey Shore Online’s inquiries as of press time, the following information has been provided via the Downing, Giordano, McAvoy & Peters for Lacey Township Board of Education Facebook page.
Shawn Giordano
Incumbent Shawn Giordano has been a resident of Lacey Township for nearly 49 years, graduating from Lacey Township High School in 1988.
For the past 25 years, Giordano has worked in the technology industry, serving in sales, leadership, and executive management positions at both large and small technology organizations.
Giordano currently serves as president of the Lacey Board of Education, having served as vice president and Finance Committee chair in the past. He is now seeking reelection for a third term on the board.
“You have a sense of “Lions Pride” when you grow up here, and for me, that is the driving force why I chose to run and serve on the Board of Education. To be able to give back to the community where I had such a great school experience is a humbling opportunity,” wrote Giordano on the Facebook page.
According to the team’s campaign page, Giordano’s vision for the future of Lacey schools includes:
- Expansion of preschool programs and the creation of an early childhood learning center
- Better preparation of graduating students for success after high school
- Increased focus on financial life skills in curriculum
- Better SAT preparation and study habits
- Continued focus on infrastructure and financial management
Linda Downing
Incumbent Linda Downing has been a resident of Lacey Township for over 35 years and now has three grandchildren presently attending Lacey schools.
Downing currently serves as a member of the board and is seeking reelection for her 10th term. A member of the board since 1992, Downing has worn many hats, serving as president, vice president, as well as on numerous committees. She also served as President and Vice President of the Ocean County School Board Association in 1995-1999.
Downing is now retired, but previously worked for 44 years as an educator in the Toms River Regional School System. She taught first grade for 25 years before moving into administration as a Supervisor of Instruction, Assistant Principal and finishing her career as a Principal for 16 years.
Downing currently serves as an Interim Supervisor in Special Services.
Downing’s vision for the future of Lacey schools includes:
- Re-institution of Developmental Kindergarten and/or Transitional First
- Improvement of the Gifted and Talented program
- Continue to work towards implementation of a Foreign Exchange Program at Lacey High School to generate revenue and to educate students to understand different cultures
- Continue to expand the Humanities Academy, STEM, and the Ocean County College Academy
- Continue to be proactive in improving and implementing safety procedures in our schools to keep our children SAFE.
Donna McAvoy
Donna McAvoy is also a longtime resident of Lacey Township, former educator, and former board member. McAvoy served as an educator for the Galloway Township Public School District for 29 years. She also served on the Lacey Board of Education from 2014-2017.
She did not seek reelection when her parents fell ill. She is now running again.
As an educator: “In my district, I was a member of the Technology Committee, Curriculum Committee, and served as a Team Leader in my school. I am proud that I was elected Teacher of the Year and recognized for making an exceptional contribution to the school and the local community by creating relevant, appropriate, innovative and challenging opportunities that helped students learn. Two years ago, I chaired a committee that won my school the prestigious Silver Certification from Sustainable Jersey for Schools,” wrote McAvoy to the campaign page.
In addition, McAvoy is an active member of the Lacey community, serving 23 years as president of the PTA/PTSA on both the elementary and high school levels, as well as several terms as PTA/PTSA Vice President and Secretary.
“With three very active children, I have served on the executive boards of several local sports organizations. Among them Lacey Lightning Travel Baseball, Lacey Pride Lacrosse Club, and Lacey Roller Hockey, besides coaching for the Lacey Soccer Club when my boys were young,” wrote McAvoy.
She also serves as chairperson for the Lacey Food Bank Saturday Volunteers, is an active member of the Lacey Township Task Force, is an active volunteer with Hope Sheds Light, and serves as a member of the Rotary of Forked River and Lacey Elks.
“I believe in the value of quality public education in a safe environment for all children, and in these challenging times, communication, leadership and above all, accountability need to be the hallmarks of the Lacey Township Board of Education. I want to bring a new energy to the Board, an energy that encourages educational goals, listens to resident’s concerns, works with parent organizations, researches issues and supports full disclosure as allowed by law,” McAvoy added.
McAvoy’s vision for the future of Lacey schools includes:
- Brining ROTC to our district
- Offering more Work Readiness & Employability classes to high school students
- Researching successful districts and their best practices to generate income
- Implementing School-Based Programs to educate and prevent substance and alcohol abuse beginning in 5th grade
- Less time spent on testing in the elementary grades
