Two incumbents have retained their seats on the Cinnaminson School Board and one newcomer will join the group.
In the uncontested race, incumbents James McGuckin and Dolores Woodington kept their spots and Laura Fitzwater will replace Linda Lamb, who did not seek re-election.
According to unofficial election results, McGuckin received 3,535 votes, Woodington received 3,305 votes and Fitzwater received 3,309 votes.
Fitzwater has been doing her homework. She's been attending school board meetings for the last few months "to familiarize myself with the process there," she said.
She said she's also been doing webinars and getting information from the New Jersey School Board Association's website.
Each school board member is a party of one or more committees. Fitzwater, a college professor, said her forte is the educational and instructional areas.
"I would be useful there," she said.
Fitzwater has three children, two of which are currently in the school district.
Reorganization will take place the first week of January.
Sobest of luck to Mrs. Fitzwater. I am sure she will be am asset to the school board. I hope she will just simply ignore the miserable naysayers who cannot wait for even 12 hours to throw in their ridiculous comments .
And what qualifications? She is merely a part teacher at Philly Community College – one of hundreds. Only a fellow teacher’s union member, family or friend would think that makes her a great addition to the Cinnaminson school board. Which are you that allow you to think she is a great addition? Please let Fitzwater know my comments are not to be taken personal – they are merely facts. By the way, I noticed this is your very first message at Patch. Welcome – that is unless you are known by other names. It would not be the first time. It looks like we have a Cinnaminson town council member who does that a lot at this site. If you think the school needs to adjust it priorities then there is this wonderful mechanism called cutting cost to pay for improvements. Have you hear of it? By the way, I can easily say there are a lot more schools in this state that are in far worse condition. Just drive to Newark, Willingboro, Jersey City, or Camden. Obviously you know not what you say. The embarrassment is your lack of knowledge. PS: I looked hard. I could not find any miserable naysayers – well except for you. Do not be so hard on yourself.
I still , however, am chuckling at your comparison of Cunnaminson schools to Newark and Camden. Why not have some pride and compare them to Moorestown, Eastern, cherry Hill east. Or should our high schools appearance support a poverty complex in the face of a high tax burden. How in the world do you expect our schools to cut costs any further. The most important part if any community is the school system.
By the way, you sling it so much that you forgot you said, "I can easily sat [sic] that Cinnaminson High is one of the ugliest, most decrepit schools in New Jersey. That is why I mentioned Camden, Jersey City et al. Listen, your thoughts and spelling are way off. Perhaps you are drinking too many of beer chasers like a good Philly union member. Just be glad you got a buddy on Cinnaminson’s school board that can well reward you union guys. I would be disappointed if you guys do not find lots of ways to reward her for loyal service after she completes her term. I also wonder what having her on the school board will cost us taxpayers. It already cost us the two candidates who dropped out. Wonder why.
And are we going to be trivial and point out typographical errors in order to reinforce our otherwise shallow opinions, Ric. You made several errors in your comments and I gave you the benefit of the doubt and assumed they were typos. I simply do not make spelling errors. Furthermore, I do not drink beer and rarely drink anything alcoholic. So my thoughts and opinions are crystal clear and people with common sense know the value of our educational system. I am also by no means a union member. I am self employed and have no vested interest in the field of education. I simply appreciate the importance . I also just feel that our kids deserve a nice place to go to school. We pay enough in taxes to insure this. I , for one, would have no problem paying more in taxes to ensure that our future is taken care of. And deep down, you know that all of my opinions are correct here. You just want to scuffle with words and stir the pot.
By the way, you have said nothing that shows to me how Fitzwater, a part time teacher at a big city Community College, is qualified to be on our small town school board. The challenges Philadelphia students face are not the same as the challenges Cinnaminson students face. For example, our streets are not scarred by drug turf wars.
Being on the school board does not require advanced educational degrees. It is group of people with varying backgrounds that function closely with the superintendent of schools to try to ensure that our school system functions efficiently and with the good of the students as a first priority. Mrs. Fitzwater has an educational background. However, she is also a regular citizen who has children who attend our schools, Furthermore, she was elected to the position and deserves the opportunity to do her best before we display our cynicism in her direction. Just give her a chance and she may surprise you. I am sure there have been " under qualified" Cinnaminson school board members in the past. And I am also sure that some of these people have done an adequate job. And I do not think that at the community college level Mrs.Fitzwater has spent a significant amount of her time dealing with drug turf wars. Lets give her a chance and see how she fares.
So what you are saying is: union member Laura’s qualifications are light but we are a small town, so even an idiot would be perfect on our school board. But Laura is not even a full time teacher. She is not much more than a substitute teacher. Sorry the school budget runs into many millions. I do not think the average soccer mom or soccer dad is up to negotiating a union contract. And you run from the fact that she is a union member who will negotiate a union contract for taxpayers. Talk about the fox guarding the chicken house. Honestly, I am getting bored with your lies and half-truths. Disclose your connection. Perhaps you are Laura or Geri? Anyway, since you cannot be honest, adios.
1. teacher's salaries & benefits, 2. the colleges that Cinnaminson kids go to 3 3. Fitzwater's union credential and part time teaching status 4. the teacher’s unions 5. School funding 6. The condition of the schools And then you try to claim you are not connected to the school system. Tell me this, before you got your job with the schools (or your partner) did you sell used cars? You are so full of it .Your eyes must be dark brown. Manup, stop hiding. Are you that ashamed of who you are? Maybe an expert like you will explain why the two others dropped? That smells real fishy, don't it?
As far as your buddy, I trust Fitzwater as much as I trust any big city union member with her hands on our tax money – which is just as much as I trust the CSA. She is not qualified to be on the school board. She is not even a full time teacher. For some reason that she is on the board while others stepped down – and that smells. Just like why the republicans run with no opposition. Just smells so fishy, ya know? Makes me wonder, does Cinnaminson have its own machine boss? What do you think?
I think you are having a meltdown, Ric. Time to step away from the keyboard and take a breather.