Meet the Candidates: That’s a wrap

For our last week of Meet the Candidates, we asked your Medford BOE hopefuls to give you one last pitch — why should you elect them to the Medford K-8 Board of Education?

Here’s what they said.

Salvatore Cocivera:

The Medford Board of Education oversees a $45 million business that does not simply meet its mandate to educate our children, but which produces well-educated and well-rounded young men and women who are prepared to enter the next level. For this, Medford is known, and I do believe that our school system is backbone of our community.

Most of our students go on to attend, and graduate, college. Some will obtain advanced degrees, but many will probably want to come back to our area to raise their own families. Of course, this begs the question: Why do people move to Medford? Simple, our schools. It is actually the main reason people chose a home location when they have children of school age. It is very important to continue to improve and grow our educational system for those us with children in the district (we want a great education for our children), as well as those who had their children graduate long ago (maintain and increase property value).

Of course, with improvement and growth comes a need for resources. I very much understand the strain on the household budget today. As a representative to several hundred families, I know too well how families are stretched to the max, say nothing of senior citizens who have not see much of an increase in their income for years, while expenses grow at alarming rates. Therefore, I believe we have to do our best to increase alternative sources of revenue that have a direct impact to the wallets of our community, but at the same time, understand like any good business, if we want to maintain our position at the top, we must continue to invest in our resources: the teachers, administrators, and staff of our schools.

As a member of the school board, my top priority would be to work with members of the board, administration, and community to continue developing additional sources of revenue. Currently, Medford residents contribute, via property taxes, more than 85 percent of the current school budget, while the state contributes only 8.64 percent Although I would like to believe that future state funding levels will increase to equal what other districts receive, the reality is that this will not happen as long as Abbott funding rules exist. Therefore, if we want to maintain (and improve) our high level of education, it is up to the residents of Medford to devise ways to negate decreases in state education funding levels going forward.

My experience as a business owner, Certified Financial Planner, and involved parent, will add value to the board as decisions approach on the north an south development project, outsourcing, advertising, budgets, and alternative sources of revenue.

Katherine Santamore:

I have represented the public on the Medford Township School Board for six terms, but the myriad of educational achievements during that time are the results of a team effort. The accomplishments are the result of a concerted effort on the part of our teachers and assistants, bus drivers and support staff.

A taxpayer myself, I am always mindful of the citizens of this town, my friends and neighbors, and the daunting economic issues that are facing us all. For this reason, I am especially grateful to our Home and School Association and the Medford Education Fund, one of the first in our state. Medford School District is a recognized leader in energy conservation, and our various energy saving projects, some nationally recognized, have rewarded and will continue to reward the district with substantiation financial savings.

A big part of my life and heart belongs to the Medford schools and I have been blessed to part of a board that has helped create one of the finest school districts in the area.

But now we face our toughest challenges. How do we provide a top-notch education for all our children without further burdening an overwhelmed taxpayer? How do we do the most with what we have and find alternative revenue sources? I have put too many years into my work to stop now. I refuse to let anything hamper out upward momentum and that is why I am running again. I have years of experience not only in complex budget matters, but also in curriculum and pedagogy. My children received the very best education and today’s kids deserve the same.

Ann Davidson:

I hold a strong conviction that public service should be a part of every citizen’s life. I have the desire as well as the time and energy to devote to the important work that our Board does. I am a lifelong Medford resident and very proud that my roots are in this community. I was a student at Allen and Memorial Schools and graduated from Shawnee High School. I chose to stay in this town and raise my two children here due to the excellent public schools we have always had. In fact, my parents and extended family also continue to reside in Medford because it is such a great place to live. I hold a BA in Political Science from Susquehanna University and received my Masters in Educational Administration from Rider University. I have performed at a high level in the field of education as a principal of a private school in South Jersey, with extensive experience of managing staff and being responsible for students. I have significant and relevant expertise in most matters of education, with a particular concentration in budgeting and school operations.

I served a two-year term as president of the Board and also completed a two-year term as vice president. In my leadership positions on various committees over the years, I have displayed a crisp vision and understanding of our mission as a Board. As current chairperson of the educational programs committee, the range and depth of my knowledge and experience helps to create educational opportunities that better serve our students. I have the ability to see the big picture and identify the point we are at along the path to our goals. Additionally, I can assess emerging problems, and am flexible enough to adapt and think outside the box to develop workable solutions. The decisions we as a Board make can sometimes be complex and at times frustrating. However, I always bear in mind that the educational standards we establish and the financial decisions we make have a profound impact on our students and the community. My primary obligation is to be a good steward for our students, the Board and our community.

I believe that I have an excellent understanding of the needs of our students and the economic constraints that we currently face. Fiscal challenges impact our ability to plan, develop, and implement the strategic goals that we have developed as an educational institution. Continuity on the Board will be important as we strive to collaborate with the administration, staff and community to work through the issues and deliver the best possible education for our students. With all our district’s achievements to date, and despite the difficulties we face, I firmly believe that if we rally around, rather than alienate one another, we can look forward to even better, more productive days ahead.