Third BOE seat up for grabs in Millstone Twp.
Winecoff, Qutub and Morrone decide not to run again
BY JANE MEGGITT
Staff Writer

"There is so much that goes into the educational system and the community needs to be educated in this regard." - Margaret Gordon BOE candidate

MILLSTONE - Only two candidates have filed to run for the three available seats on the Millstone Township Board of Education.

When asked how the third slot would be filled, Superintendent of Schools Mary Anne Donahue explained that the write-in candidate with the most votes in the April 17 Board of Education election would be placed on the board.

"If there are no write-in candidates, the Board of Education would advertise and then interview and select a candidate," she said.

If the board is unable to come to an agreement on whom to select to serve, the Monmouth County Superintendent's Office would offer assistance in placing a resident on the board, according to Donahue.

Current board members Kathy Winecoff, Sami Qutub and Gina Morrone decided not to run for another term.

Doreen Beaumont, 55, and Margaret Gordon, 44, registered to run for two of the open seats.

Beaumont, a homemaker, is married with four adult children and two grandchildren.

She has an associate degree in data processing and previously worked in the school district as a secretary for former Superintendent of Schools William Setaro.

"I gained new insight and interest in how the schools were being run," Beaumont said of her prior work experience in the district. "Based on this experience, I feel I can make intelligent, informed decisions for the future of our children as well as the taxpayers of this wonderful town."

Beaumont believes Millstone Township needs caring and responsible individuals to step up and devote their time and energy to the school board.

"I am prepared to meet that challenge," she said. "I reflect on the outstanding dedication of the board members who preceded me, setting high standards both for themselves and for our district, and hope that I can be equally successful in achieving those goals."

When asked about what she thinks are the most important issues facing the school district, she said that the curriculum needs to be updated and better presented. She said the curriculum needs to keep up with today's information and technology and should be rigorous enough to meet the federal government's No Child Left Behind (NCLB) standards.

Noting that New Jersey has the highest property taxes in the nation, Beaumont said the community needs to work diligently to discover the resources necessary to maintain its outstanding school district while ensuring that it is not overburdening its taxpayers.

"With enough diligence and perseverance, we can pressure our legislators to come up with a fair and equitable funding formula to help with this," Beaumont said.

Beaumont said the most important tools in the education process are teachers. She feels the district should continue to recruit the best and brightest teachers and administrators and should do its best to retain them.

"With the right professionals in place, we are paving the road to a successful future both for our children and for our community," she said.

Beaumont serves as the vice president of the St. Vincent de Paul Society at Nativity of Our Lord Parish and as secretary of the Millstone Township Hospital Auxiliary of CentraState Medical Center. She is the former two-term president of the Ladies of St. Joseph Church, as well as a former member and secretary of the Millstone Township Women's Organization (MTWO).

Gordon, the executive director of safety and security for the New York City Department of Transportation's Staten Island Ferry Division, is married with two children. She has a bachelor of science degree from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.

Gordon said she is running for the Board of Education because she hopes to assist in ensuring continuous improvement in the schools' curriculum. She wants each child to have a well-rounded opportunity for educational success. She also wants the district to keep as much focus on planning 10 to 15 years from now as it has on planning for the next school year.

Gordon said the school district faces residents' lack of knowledge about the educational needs of students. She said there has been poor turnout over the past several years for the school budget vote.

"There is so much that goes into the educational system, and the community needs to be educated in this regard," she said.

Gordon said the community must recognize that kids' growth and opportunities are not free, nor are they entitlements.

"We all must give to get," she said.

Gordon also said it is important for the community to take the opportunity provided to make sure building the new middle school is a success.