Three incumbents and three challengers are running for three seats on the Hamilton Township Board of Education. The incumbents are Anthony Celentano, Pamela Kelly and Dina Thornton. The challengers are Girard Casale, John Kroschwitz and Jessica Young. The winners will each receive a three-year term.
The Hamilton Post sent each candidate a questionnaire with three questions:
1. What do you think Hamilton Township needs in a superintendent?
2. Some local schools have come under fire because of poor physical condition. How would you improve the physical condition of the schools?
3. Why do you feel that you are the right person to serve on the Board of Education?
What follows is the candidates’ responses preceded by a short biography.
Girard Casale
Casale, 52, attended Saint Anthony’s and Mercer County Community College, where he studied culinary arts. By trade, he is an executive chef. Casale has a godson, a nephew and a niece currently in the Hamilton Township school district. He is a lifelong Hamilton resident, and has never held elected office.
1. Hamilton needs a superintendent who cares. Yes, a superintendent of the school district sets the direction and the tone while responding to the often heard complications. He is the top executive. He implements the school board’s vision by making day to day decisions about education programs, spending, staff and the facilities. He also hires, supervises and manages the central staff and the principals.
This is an important time. The board already blew the first superintendent search after Neil Bencivengo retired. He was a true leader, and then the homegrown personnel ran out of the district when the board hired Mr. Parla, who was a step backwards for Hamilton.
2. We really have to start looking at the schools’ problem. Instead, we wait and wait until the problem is so big and costs us way more. If I am elected, I am going to walk through every school in Hamilton and start cleaning them up and getting to the real problems. We have a great maintenance crew that does an outstanding job. It starts at the top, and that is with the board members, to give them the tools they need and the support. I will be there for all of them. We have too many problems in the schools and our conditions. I also think we need to build another two more schools, as we should have many years ago.
3. I will be an effective board member, like a watchdog role, in keeping our schools in Hamilton on track and setting policies that affect our children and the schools. The board has to set a vision and goals for the district and hold the district accountable for the results. I cannot do it alone, but my voice will be heard loud and clear. We need to work together. Everyone has their own unique talents, but on this board [I] have my doubts, they are out for self-gain. I will be a board member for all the people. Children’s lives matter. For the teachers, parents, staff, maintenance workers, custodians, crossing guards. Everyone, I will help.
Anthony Celentano (incumbent)
Celentano, 74, has lived in Hamilton for 48 years. He studied business administration at LaSalle University and is a retired project manager and consultant for technology and business related solutions. He is the current school board president. Celentano’s youngest daughter graduated from Steinert, and his oldest daughter has taught in the school district for 12 years.
1. Someone who is familiar with the Hamilton community. A person willing to live here and be a part of the community, not some “passerby” to satisfy “the sky is falling” dissidents. A person who has proven experience and successful leadership, someone that is willing to challenge our curriculum with an open mind towards a S.T.E.A.M. school venue. I would prefer a candidate from this community/region that would have the respect of their staff and community.
2. After an appropriate analysis that confirms the conditions, I would encourage the board to have the annual budget reflect reasonable appropriations to meet the everyday challenges. I would support, and do support, the referendum to meet the challenges that an annual budget appropriation would not be able to accomplish.
3. By continuing with the district’s improvement and expanding the initiatives that impact students, staff and all the districts stakeholders. My experience of being able to make tough and complex decisions that have an effect on students, teachers, and support staff personnel is an advantage. The heart and soul of every community is its school system and without a credible one the community will also fail; I will continue to safeguard these interests.
Pamela Kelly (incumbent)
Kelly, 54, was first elected to the school board in November 2013. She is the director of human resources for the Pemberton Township school district. She previously taught special education for 20 years, was a special education supervisor for three years and was an elementary school principal for nine years. A 50-year Hamilton resident, Kelly attended Yardville Elementary, Reynolds Middle and Steinert High schools. She earned her bachelor’s, master’s and supervisory certification from The College of New Jersey, and is certified by NJ-Excel as a principal and school administrator.
1. The superintendent should recognize that the district has many good things going on—the families and dedicated staff members who put students first—but that we still have much room for growth. Central office experience is a must. Hamilton is too big to be a “starter” position. The superintendent should work with stakeholders throughout the community to create an ambitious yet realistic strategic plan to help move the district forward, and should have some experience with referendums.
2. We’re hoping to get a referendum passed to address essential repairs and renovation. We want to get ahead of safety-related repairs so we don’t have to close playgrounds or auditoriums again. The funds would also be used to increase the level of security and accessibility at our buildings. If the referendum doesn’t pass, certain safety repairs still need to happen. Without additional funds, we’d have to take a hard look at our existing budget to see how we can cover those maintenance costs.
3. I have actively participated in district-level strategic planning, building-based improvement teams and equity plans as a teacher and administrator. I have been a member of many community-based and nonprofit boards, like the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen. On the school board, I have been involved with the Curriculum and Instruction and Equity committees, which have worked to determine where we are and where we’d like to be. We are making positive strides in both areas, and I’d like to continue to assist in this progress.
John Kroschwitz
Kroschwitz, 57, is a lifelong Hamilton resident who graduated from Hamilton West in 1977. He studied political science and history as an undergraduate at The College of New Jersey, and he earned a masters in education. He is currently a semi-retired educational administrator and an adjunct professor. Kroschwitz previously served on the school board from 2002 to 2005. All three of his children graduated from Hamilton West.
1. We need a superintendent who will provide dynamic leadership to maximize opportunities for students. We need a superintendent well-versed in curriculums that teach critical thinking skills, enabling students to be well-rounded adults, rather than just teach to the test, the consequence of reliance on state-mandated testing. We need a superintendent who leads by example. We need a superintendent who knows the district, or who would make every effort to explore Hamilton’s history and listen to anyone interested in improving the educational performance of our students.
2. Facility issues have been kicked down the road far too long in the school district, as evidenced by the playground fiasco last year. Some schools are over 100 years old and are inadequate for today’s educational needs. I would advocate trying to obtain state grants and private philanthropy to offset the cost to taxpayers if it comes down to floating a bond for new school construction.
3. Hamilton has been very good to me. I want to give back and serve my community again. My entire professional life has been devoted to education. During my previous term on the board, I introduced initiatives to strengthen residency enforcement, which increased tuition collection and saved taxpayer dollars. I introduced an initiative that brought gang recognition training to secondary school staff. As Negotiations Chair, I settled a teachers’ contract in a timely fashion and was fair to both staff and to the taxpayers.
Dina Thornton (incumbent)
Thornton, 45, has lived in Hamilton for 11 years and is a hairstylist at Salon Cusato and a sales associate with Weidel Real Estate. She has three children, all attending Hamilton Township schools. Thornton has served on the school board for four years.
1. An individual with strong leadership skills, as well as excellent communication throughout the district and the community.
2. Our aging infrastructure is a challenge for our district. We need to create a long-term plan for addressing the needs of our infrastructure. This includes identifying priority projects and continuing to implement a maintenance plan for our buildings.
3. I am dedicated to making a difference in our school district. I believe that our children’s education is the first priority. As a parent and community member, I am familiar with our school district, and I am committed to making a positive change.
Jessica Young
Young, 34, graduated from Nottingham High School in 2000. She earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s in counseling services, both from Rider University. She has worked as a school counselor in the Manalapan Englishtown Regional School District since 2009, and has never held elected office. Young has one daughter currently attending Sayen Elementary School and another two children who will attend in the future. All three of her siblings also went through the Hamilton school system.
1. Hamilton is a diverse, large district with many different needs. As we look for a permanent superintendent, there are a few things I’d like to see from a candidate. He or she should have experience in a diverse district. The next superintendent needs to understand the unique challenges the district faces. The district needs someone who understands that working here is a labor of love, one that requires time, commitment to the process and transparency. The ideal candidate would be open-minded, personable, passionate and innovative.
2. The board has been exploring options to improve the safety, security and infrastructure, no small task given the age and large number of schools that require maintenance. The board outlined a $54 million referendum to address these concerns and make all schools ADA compliant. I think it is important to be proactive and fiscally responsible. Ideally, we would have brand new buildings, but the taxpayers cannot afford that undertaking. We need to be mindful of safety, and this will require making decisions in that best interest.
3. I am an educator, parent, community member and stakeholder in the future of the district. I am an elementary school counselor, and my experience gives me a view from the inside. I know the education system and the obstacles that educators face. I understand the dynamics of the classroom, CST, HIB, 504, special education, curriculum and instruction. Discussion of details is very different from experience. It allows me to see what is successful and what can be improved. You build on what works.
Pamela Kelly,
Jessica Young,
