Home Care In Manchester Township, NJ

Patch is publishing information on candidates for the Board of Education in Manchester.

Patch Staff

MANCHESTER, NJ — Election Day 2023 is near, and Manchester Township voters will be going to the polls to cast their ballots for candidates at the local, county and state levels.

The three, three-year terms on the Manchester Township Board of Education are the only contested races in Manchester, and there are six candidates seeking the three seats. School board seats are volunteer positions and are supposed to be nonpartisan entities.

Patch sent a questionnaire to all of the candidates seeking their responses. Here are the replies from Gloria Adkinson.

Your Name: Gloria Adkinson

Age (as of Election Day): 74

Find out what's happening in Manchesterwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Campaign Website: Putting Kids First — Manchester Township

Family: I live in the Renaissance Senior Community, Manchester, with my husband Elton E. Adkinson (retired NJ state corrections officer). We have 4 children, Addie Moore, Manchester resident; Dana Adkinson, Toms River; Curtis Dix Jr., Maryland, and DaLeyna Adkinson, L.A. California. Our 3 grandchildren graduated from Manchester High, and we have 4 great-grandchildren, 1 attending Ridgeway Elementary. We are active in the Lakewood/Toms River/Ocean NAACP and serve as leaders in our church, Macedonia Baptist Church, formerly of Lakewood and now based in Lakehurst.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government? This includes any relatives who work in the government you're running for. No.

Education: I graduated from Georgian Court University with a bachelor's degree in K-12 History.

Occupation: I worked in the Lakewood School District as a 7th grade Social Studies teacher for 33 years and retired in 2009. I served as a building representative and Senior Rep, LEA Negotiating Team, and NJEA Convention Delegate for more than 15 years.

Previous or current elected or appointed office: None

Why are you seeking elective office?

I am running because I am concerned about the continued respect and values of public education. I believe that all students and parents should be represented at the table. I'm looking to bring someone to the table who represents the melting pot of residents living in the community. I am an advocate for an all-around circle of participants who have input, are recognized, and rewarded. This includes the BOE, administrators, teachers, support staff, parents, students, families, community leaders, and taxpayers. We all have a vested interest in our educational system and should care about the success of our students. They are our future and the developmental skills the schools supply are critical to being prepared for the challenges they face beyond preschool-12. I believe that my running mates Laura Wingler and Timothy Poss and I are dedicated, vested, and will work to bring about solutions to continue and bring innovative ways to keep Manchester schools as a well-rounded, respectful, and thriving community system.

What do you see as the role of the Board of Education?

The role of the BOE is to provide the district with the best educational decisions to bring success for employees and all students. They must follow the rules, regulations, and laws established by both state and federal mandates. They are charged with understanding the impact of not only the school system but how it impacts the citizens who live in the community.

The Manchester Township Schools are predicted to see an increase in enrollment over the next 5 years. What steps do you think the district should take to prepare for that?

No answer provided.

What do you believe is the most important issue for students and families in the Manchester Township Schools?

The most important issue for students and families in the Manchester School System is safety. There seem to be several issues dealing with bullying and the feeling that nothing is being done. I would like to include mental health as an issue too. Everyone agrees the loss of time in the classroom due to Covid has added to this issue. I do not have data relevant to Manchester's problem but as a board member I would like to do research and investigate parent concerns.

Patch is publishing information on candidates for the Board of Education in Manchester.

Patch Staff

|Updated Thu, Oct 26, 2023 at 1:19 pm ET

MANCHESTER, NJ — Election Day 2023 is near, and Manchester Township voters will be going to the polls to cast their ballots for candidates at the local, county and state levels.

The three, three-year terms on the Manchester Township Board of Education are the only contested races in Manchester, and there are six candidates seeking the three seats. School board seats are volunteer positions and are supposed to be nonpartisan entities.

Patch sent a questionnaire to all of the candidates seeking their responses. Here are the replies from Gina Georgiano.

Your Name: Gina Georgiano

Age (as of Election Day): 60

Find out what's happening in Manchesterwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Campaign Website: Better for Manchester School Board Team

Family: Married for 36 years, two children.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government? This includes any relatives who work in the government you're running for. No.

Education: I have lived on my own since I was 18 years old which is when I entered the workforce and worked my way up to have a successful career through hard work and determination.

Occupation: 40 years of retail management.

Previous or current elected or appointed office: I was elected to the board of education for a 1-year unexpired term. I have also been appointed to the zoning board.

Why are you seeking elective office?

I feel it is important to be a voice for children and parents alike. I feel it is imperative that all children receive the absolute best education available while feeling valued, safe, and supported enabling them to become successful adults. I enjoy serving my community and want to give back in a meaningful way.

What do you see as the role of the Board of Education?

To ensure all students have a firm foundation of education that they can build on to succeed in life. To make sure the curriculum supports the basic needs of our children. We need to be transparent with our parents and include them in all decisions of their children. We must enact policies that will ensure all children are equally protected. We must also be community-minded and not spend money frivolously.

The Manchester Township Schools are predicted to see an increase in enrollment over the next 5 years. What steps do you think the district should take to prepare for that?

If the enrollment increases we should be prepared to put a plan in place to increase the staffing of teachers, paras, and transportation in a way that would not put a burden on our taxpayers.

What do you believe is the most important issue for students and families in the Manchester Township Schools?

That we stay focused on our core curriculum to provide our children the best education they deserve and to continue to raise test scores. Also that the district is transparent with the parents and ensures they have a voice in their child’s education.

MANCHESTER, NJ — Visits and pictures with Santa are treasured traditions for many Manchester area families. For them, there’s nothing quite like seeing jolly old St. Nick live and in person.

In the Manchester area, kids have several chances:

On Friday, Dec. 1, Santa will help light the Manchester Township Christmas tree at town hall, 1 Colonial Drive. There will be music and treats with Santa. The festivities begin at 7 p.m.

On Tuesday, Dec. 5, the Lakehurst Volunteer Fire Company is hosting Pizza with Santa at the Lakehurst Community Center, 207 Center St. The event is from 6 p.m.-8 p.m. and costs $7 per person, which includes a slice of pizza, chips, and a drink. Additional pizza, drinks and chips will be available for purchase.

On Saturday, Dec. 9, head over to Harry Wright Lake for Manchester's Christmas in the Pines. It's set for 2 p.m.-7 p.m. and will include a visit from Santa, a tree lighting, music, food, vendors and firepits with s'mores, sponsored by the Manchester Recreation Department.

Find out what's happening in Manchesterwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

On Saturday, Dec. 16, you can have Breakfast with Santa at The Barn on Route 70. Tickets are being sold through Eventbrite for two seatings: 9 a.m.-10:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.-noon. Enjoy a delicious breakfast buffet.

Also on Saturday, Dec. 16, Santa will be on hand at 3 Bs Bar & Bistro in Lakehurst for breakfast from 9 a.m. to noon. Reservations are required, call 732-657-4113.

(Know of other Santa visits in the Manchester and Lakehurst area? Send an email to [email protected] with date, time, location and other information.)

At the Ocean County Mall, Santa is sitting for photos through Dec. 23. There is a special session set aside on Dec. 3 for those with special needs, and you can reserve photos with Santa for your pets. There also is a cookies with Santa event. Reservations are encouraged.

Santa arrived Nov. 5 at Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Santa’s Wonderland and will hold court through Christmas Eve, including at the Atlantic City store. Reservations are encouraged.

Santa will also be at Macy’s stores in New York City, Chicago, San Francisco, Philadelphia and Orlando. Santa will be at Macy's in Philadelphia through Dec. 24. Reservations are required.

JC Penney stores, including the store at Ocean County Mall in Toms River, are offering professional portraits with Santa. The Toms River store is offering them Nov. 27 and Dec. 22. The JC Penney at Freehold Raceway Mall is offering the portraits with Santa on Dec. 15.

The school district-wide effort to fulfill the wish lists of needy kids is marking its 41st year.

Patch Staff

MANCHESTER, NJ — The annual Kevin's Kids holiday gift donation drive is underway across the Manchester Township School District, marking its 41st year of helping families in need have a memorable holiday.

The gift drive does not collect generic gifts for giving but brings the community together to fundraise and shop confidentially from specific gift wish lists submitted by Manchester families who ask Kevin’s Kids for support during the holiday season.

"Kevin’s Kids efforts go above and beyond just providing gifts to children in need," school district officials said. "By fulfilling a child’s specific gift list, we have helped them achieve."

A student who received their first computer through Kevin’s Kids in the past later went on to attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Last year, a student received driving lessons. Children have requested work boots or bicycles to ensure they can get to work and perform their jobs after school hours successfully and completely.

Every year, every child receives a warm coat.

Find out what's happening in Manchesterwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"This is one of Manchester Schools' biggest fundraising efforts and it truly shows what a great community and place Manchester is to live and raise a family," said Alex George, the district's director of student personnel services. "Kevin’s Kids is another reason that I am so proud to be a part of this school district and town. We are truly a family who works together to take care of those in our community."

Kevin's Kids not only brings the district together, it brings the community together, officials said.

Staff, families and community organizations contribute through fundraisers. The district's school bus drivers volunteer to pick up and transport gifts, and the buildings and grounds employees spend hours of their own time putting together toys and bikes. The township's senior communities are a huge part of the donation-supporting efforts and township entities and businesses provide support through donations, drives and even space where the school district can hold gifts ahead of distribution.

Staff members come on their own time with their families on the weekend before the final gift distribution to shop for any outstanding gifts, sort those gifts per family, wrap them and prepare them for the anonymous distribution that occurs at a district school on a weekend afternoon.

If you would like to support Kevin's Kids, gift cards and monetary donations can be dropped off at local businesses (see the list below).

They also are in need of wrapping paper. Wrapping paper donations can be dropped off to George at the Kevin’s Kids "North Pole" at Manchester Township Middle School, 2759 Ridgeway Road, Manchester.

Please drop any and all donations by Friday, Dec. 8, 2023.

Kevin’s Kids started 41 years ago when a first-grade teacher at Whiting Elementary School told Kevin Burger, the school’s principal at the time, about a student who informed him that Santa did not come to his house that year. Kevin Burger and the teacher learned of the child’s holiday wish list and, together with their colleagues, made Christmas happen for that student. From there Kevin’s Kids was formed and has expanded tremendously. Last year the district helped about 400 children, officials said.

The following Manchester businesses have boxes for Kevin’s Kid’s donations:

The Manchester Township schools had been discussing moving grade levels around to create a dedicated preschool space.

Patch Staff

MANCHESTER, NJ — The Manchester Township School District has shelved discussions of moving the district's fifth graders into the middle school after getting the results of a feasibility study and an enrollment demographics study.

The decision to not move forward was announced at the Sept. 27 Board of Education meeting.

Board President Gayle Mount said the demographers hired in February met with board members in September. The results led to the decision to not make changes.

"The most fiscally responsible thing to do is stay with the status quo," Mount said. "If enrollment continues to rise we will need architectural changes to accommodate more students."

The district had been exploring options for reconfiguring the schools for several months, in part after receiving a Preschool Expansion Grant from the state Department of Education.

Find out what's happening in Manchesterwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

One idea that had been explored involved turning Whiting Elementary School into an early learning center to house the district's preschool students. All of the fifth-grade classes would have been moved to Manchester Township Middle School so Ridgeway Elementary and Manchester Township Elementary could accommodate all the kindergarten through fourth grades.

Superintendent John Berenato said the feasibility study found Whiting Elementary was not workable because a number of the classrooms do not meet the square footage requirements for preschool classrooms and it would have required waivers from the state Department of Education.

The other problem was converting Whiting to an early learning center would mean transporting students from all over town to that school, which was something Berenato said was a concern for him from the start.

Manchester received its first Preschool Expansion grant from the state Department of Education in the fall of 2022, with the intent to continue to increase preschool enrollment — part of the state's requirement for those grants.

Moving the district's fifth-graders to the middle school was nixed because "it would exceed the functional capacity of the building in years to come," Berenato said.

The district's current configuration — preschool through fifth grades at the three elementary schools, sixth to eighth grades at the middle school, and ninth through 12th grades at Manchester Township High School — will remain in place through at least the 2024-25 school year, Berenato said.

The feasibility study and demographics study give future boards information as a starting point, he said.

Increases in enrollment are anticipated over the next 10 years; a 519-unit apartment complex is expected to begin construction now that sewer lines for it are being laid along Colonial Drive.

The feasibility and demographics studies also attempted to explore increasing the send-receive relationship with Lakehurst to potentially expand it to sixth through eighth grades. The Lakehurst board rejected it twice, Berenato said at the April 2023 meeting.

Berenato said the idea was it would allow Lakehurst middle school students to join Manchester students "at an organic time when all the elementary students converge for their middle school journey."

"This was an earnest attempt to enhance our existing partnership with Lakehurst and afford all students the best educational opportunities available," he said at the time. "This was never about regionalization but about unifying our communities at an earlier stage in our students’ academic career."