By AUBRIE GEORGE | The Marlton Telegram
The race has begun for three seats opening up on the Evesham K-8 district Board of Education. Four residents have submitted their names in the race. Incumbent board members Lisa Mansfield, Barry Fitzgerald and Joseph De Julius will compete against newcomer Jay Levenson for three, 3-year seats on the board. The election is April 20.
The Telegram asked candidates about their top priorities for the district. The following are their responses:
(Mansfield, Fitzgerald and De Julius are running together and submitted a group response.)
Lisa Mansfield, Barry Fitzgerald and Joseph De Julius
As school board members, we are committed to ensuring that each child is healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged. Our top priority will be to continue to offer academically excellent programs. This priority will prove to be challenging in light of the drastic cuts in state aid. We will also continue to:
• Provide opportunities for students to use 21st century skills while mastering core content areas (math, science, social studies, and language arts).
• Evaluate the validity, implementation, and effectiveness of the curriculum.
• Recognize the needs of diverse students in all aspects of school programming.
• Advocate for legislation that is in the best interest of our students.
• Ensure funding goals are aligned with demonstrated student needs.
• Integrate technology across the curriculum.
• Support the importance of family involvement in their child’s education.
• Represent all of the stakeholders in our community by renewing our commitment to shared leadership and partnerships.
• Share accountability for results.
• Investigate green initiatives as a way to maximize fiscal responsibility.
The coming weeks will prove to be challenging for our community, as well as for school districts across the state.
Our years of experience will be of benefit in these turbulent times.
Jay Levenson
In these very challenging economic times my top priority must be to control our costs.
As I write this article, the state budget and thus the amount of state aid to our district has not been finalized.
There is however a general consensus that this will be a very austere year, and it will not be the last.
The board and the administration must work together to find every means of permanent cost reduction while continuing to provide a quality education to our children.
There will be unavoidable pain in this process. But if there is a spirit of cooperation and understanding between the board, administration teachers, and parents, we will be able to weather these tough times together.
This year will be a watershed year for our district, indeed for all school districts in New Jersey.
We will be living under a new set of rules as proposed by the governor. This is a year of change and we must change the way our district operates.
Our district must be both more efficient and effective than it has been in the past.
