Meet the Candidates

Even though the school board race this year is uncontested, Cinnaminson Patch knows it's important to meet your candidates.

Jacqueline Plunkett and James Herschel, both incumbents, are running to retain their seats on the board of education this year. Newcomer Stephen Kenney is running for a third seat. Current school board president Harry Shea is not seeking re-election.

The school budget was approved earlier this month and calls for a spending plan of about $42 million that would raise taxes about $98 for the average homeowner. You can read the story .

Monday, we featured for our first school board candidate. Here is James Herschel:

Name: James Herschel

Education: AB from St Lawrence University, 1962; MA in English from Syracuse University, 1968, Masters Thesis on William Blake; PhD. in English from Syracuse University, 1970, Dissertation on 14th Century Scottish Poetry

Job: Retired; Taught English at Rutgers University in Camden; Specialties: Chaucer, Old and Middle English Lit, the History of the English Language

Family: Moved to Cinnaminson in 1980 from Palmyra "for the schools;" two daughters, both CHS graduates who went on to Brown University. "This, I think, speaks volumes for the quality of education available in Cinnaminson. My wife of 45 years is currently in the process of retiring from a law partnership in center city Philadelphia."

Volunteer experience: Assistant coach to Cinnaminson High School boys' and girls' tennis teams in the late '80s and early '90s.

Elected positions held: Served on board of education for a total of 12 years (five-year break in the 2000s). "Even during my time off the board, however, I have continuously edited the BOE newsletter."

Why did you decide to run?: "I serve on the Cinnaminson BOE because I believe strongly in public education, I think I have some strengths to contribute, and I believe in giving back to the community."

Top issues facing Cinnaminson schools: "In a word, the biggest issue facing Cinnaminson schools is money, the decline of it from state and federal sources and the forced increase of local property taxes.

"I serve on the Finance and Personnel Committee and do my level best to keep costs down while keeping academic opportunities up. I am also a longtime member of the Curriculum and Student Activities Committee, where my strength in curricular matters, I hope, serves the community well. I urge all the citizens of Cinnaminson to support the schools in any way they can. The children are the future."