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News about the candidates running for school board; and the annual election for Toms River Regional Schools.In a hotly contested race haunted by the Ritacco scandal, two Toms River Regional School Board incumbents fell to challengers campaigning as reformers under the "Clean Slate" banner. Joseph Torrone and Ginny Rhine, who campaigned together as the "Clean Slate" team, had the most votes, defeating incumbents Jack Reuther and Gus Kakavas and challenger Charlotte Ford Spillane. Rhine and Torrone would serve three-year terms. The unoffical results, with 96 percent of Toms River districts reporting: Charlotte Ford Spillane, 7,820 votes, 18.48% Gus Kakavas 8,840 votes, 20.89% Ginny Rhine 9,918, 23.44…
South Toms River voters chose challenger Gigi Esparza over longtime incumbent Jamie Jubert for the Toms River Regional school board seat. One seat on the Toms River Regional School board was up for grabs, and 57 votes separated the challenger and incumbent. Longtime incumbent Jamie Jubert lost by 57 votes. Challenger Gidalty "Gigi" Esparza took the one seat representing South Toms River. Gigi Esparza, 458 votes, 53.26 percentJamie Jubert, 401 votes, 46.63 percentWrite-in: 1 vote860 votes total. The school board, a regional one, has a seat for South Toms River, Pine Beach and Beachwood. …
John “Jack” Reuther, 63, Arizona Avenue in Toms River. Retired- Special Education Teacher 1971-2004 Seeking second, three-year term on Toms River Regional School Board. Experience, background: Graduate of St. Rose High School 1967, Trenton State College 1971 B.A. Education, Kean College 1975 M.A. Education. Current Volunteer Experiences: Silverton Homeowners Association-President- 15 years Toms River Planning Board- 10 years Toms River Recreation Committee- 10 years Toms River Youth Advisory Council- 15…
Charlotte Ford Spillane, age 83, North Bay Avenue, Retired educator. Seeking three-year term for Toms River Regional School Board Professional and civic/volunteer experience See attached Bio from campaign literature. Key concerns about the Toms River Schools? The school system appears to have lost its former reputation as one of the top ranking district in New Jersey. In 1983, Supt. Al Dietrich created the Alcohol and Substance Abuse Program (ASAP) making certified ASAP professionals available to students in every district school . At the time we were the only district to have such a …
Gus Kakavas, 59, Smokerise Lane, Toms River Transportation Consultant (LLC) Husband, Father and Grandfather to five Granddaughters Seeking second, three-year term to Toms River Regional School Board. Please briefly explain what professional and civic/volunteer experience you have. Feel free to include job experience, awards, or schooling. In have been a lifelong resident of Toms River. I attended Washington St. Elementary School, Toms River Intermediate School (now Int East), Toms River High School South (President of my Class), Ocean County College and Rutgers University. I worked for 26…
Ginny Rhine, 32, Grand Avenue Seeking three-year term on Toms River Regional School Board. My name is Ginny (Smith) Rhine. I am 32 years old and I live on Grand Ave in Toms River. I am a homemaker and mother of three small children. My oldest attends Washington Street Elementary School. Please briefly explain what professional and civic/volunteer experience you have. Feel free to include job experience, awards, or schooling. I am a former teacher of math and AP Computer Science at Toms River High School North. (I voluntarily left teaching in 2005, when my son was born.) I …
Joseph G. Torrone, Stone Hedge Drive, Retired educator. Seeking three-year term to Toms River Regional School Board Experience: My career in education included being a teacher for seventeen years, an administrator for almost twenty-three years, including twelve as a superintendent of schools. In the past I have worked countless hours volunteering for the NJ Special Olympics while working in the Howell Township School System. What are your key concerns about the Toms River schools? My key concerns about the Toms River Schools are as follows: a. The budget preparation process is inadequate…
A contested race for Toms River School Board will see candidates explain their positions on issues affecting taxpapers and the regional school district, at a candidates' forum Oct. 25. The League of Women Voters of Ocean County is hosting the forum, held on 7 p.m. Thursday Oct. 25 in the Ocean County Freeholders Meeting Room, 119 Hooper Avenue, Toms River in Room 119 on the first floor. The forum is expected to take place 7 to 9 p.m. Sheila McVeigh, President of the League of Women Voters of Ocean County, said the format is similar to last year's forum, in that it will be moderated and …
An individual who decried the distribution of a campaign flyer on school employee bulletin boards has yet to respond to the Toms River schools superintendent, who said a thorough investigation resulted that all came to the conclusion that the flyer was OK and not a breach of campaign ethics. The flyer, posted on several employee bulletin boards, advertised a campaign fundraiser and "meet the candidates" night for incumbents Gus Kakavas, Jack Reuther and Jamie Jubert in September. Toms River Regional Superintendent Frank Roselli said he received an email from Gina Thrace about the flyer, but …
Toms River Regional School Board called a special meeting to discuss the consequences of 64 district email addresses being sent school board political messages, and then adjourned after candidates confirmed no district email addresses would be recipients in the future. At Friday's meeting, the possible misuse of the district email server to send a message from the "Clean Slate" team of candidates seeking election to several thousand addresses included sending the political message to 64 school employees' district email. School Board Attorney Thomas Monahan said this is an action in violation …
Toms River Regional Schools has called a special meeting 6 p.m. tonight, Oct. 12, at High School North to decide whether to sue a candidate group. The "Clean Slate Team" had distributed campaign materials via email to school district employee's work emails, according to the district, and the board will vote on whether to sue the individuals who make up the political team. "Potential litigation to enjoin the 'Clean Slate Team' from using the Toms River Regional School District email system for political purposes," is the only item on tonight's meeting agenda. The "Clean Slate Team" was first …
A race of nine candidates vying for two spots has shrunk to five candidates for Toms River Regional's November election for school board. There are now three residents challenging two school board incumbents. Two seats representing Toms River are up for grabs. Incumbents Gus Kakavas of Smokerise Lane and Jack Reuther of Arizona Avenue are seeking re-election for the three year terms. They are each seeking a second term, having been elected in 2009. Reuther is the current vice-president of the school board. Kakavas and Reuther now face three challengers: Charlotte Ford Spillane of North Bay …
The employment contracts for Toms River Regional's three assistant superintendents may be decided Tuesday. The Toms River Regional School Board will meet in public session at 7:30 p.m. at Toms River High School North. The board will begin in executive session at 6:15 p.m. The annual contracts of assistant superintendents Debra McKenna and James Hauenstein and interim assistant Superintendent Joseph Pizza expired on June 30. The contracts were originally on the June regular board meeting agenda, but were removed after the board emerged from executive session, with Board President Ed Gearity …
The contracts of two top administrators of Toms River Regional were approved last night, but the three assistant superintendents’ contracts warrant further discussion, board members said. Superintendent Frank Roselli and Business Administrator William Doering had their respective contracts approved unanimously. Toms River salary level capped, but up in Seaside Park, for Roselli In a contract lasting four years and five months, Roselli’s salary is at the state cap for superintendents, at $177,500 annually, the same he earned last year from Toms River Regional. There are changes in compensation…
Eleven candidates filed to run for three seats on Toms River Regional school board, according to the county clerk's office. Two seats representing Toms River are up for grabs. Incumbents Gus Kakavas of Smokerise Lane and Jack Reuther of Arizona Avenue are seeking re-election for the three year terms. They are each seeking a second term, having been elected in 2009. Reuther is the current vice-president of the school board. Kakavas and Reuther face seven challengers: Lisa P. Neumann of Susan Street, Charlotte Ford Spillane of North Bay Avenue, Sergio Fossa of Bricksburg Court, Ginny Rhine of …
June 5 will decide the November ballot for several races. It's not just the primary, but also the deadline for independent candidates to make it onto the ballot for the Toms River council race. And June 5 is also the filing deadline for candidates in this year's Toms River Regional Board of Education race. June 5 Deadline for Independent Candidates To File Petition filing deadline for independent candidates for the general election is June 5. While that could add an independent candidate to any election on the November ballot — county freeholder, county sheriff, U.S. Senator, for example — …
This time last year, the Toms River Regional School Board was holding its annual reorganization meeting, appointing professional contracts that expire each June and swearing in a board president after an April election day. This month's school board meeting will have some of those annual chores, while other votes on contracts and appointments will come in January, now that school board elections were moved to November. Professional appointments operate on an annual contract and will come to an end this month unless the school board votes to extend the contract or decide who will fill it until…
Toms River’s Regional School District Board of Education approved its proposed $204.362 million budget for the 2012-13 school year at a public hearing Wednesday night, held in the auditorium of Toms River High School North. The total budget amount has increased nearly $4 million over the 2011-12 school year, which was in excess of $200 million. This year’s budget, according to the district, accounts for increases in the areas of contractual/salary costs, special education tuition, plus an increase in anticipated fuel costs — and is offset by a reduction in budgeted health care costs. The …
The Toms River Regional School District’s Board of Education approved its $204.362 million budget for the 2012-13 school year at a public hearing Wednesday night in the auditorium of Toms River High School North — but not without open and vocal dissension from both board members and residents. It is also the first year the budget did not go to the voters at the polls, due to recently-passed statewide legislation. Superintendent of Schools & Business Administrator Hold Presentation The night began with a slideshow presentation, co-headed by Superintendent of Schools Frank Roselli and Business …
Toms River Regional Schools’ Board of Education will hold a budget presentation on March 28 at 7:30 p.m., in the Toms River High School North auditorium — to outline a $204.362 million operating budget, with a possible tax rate of $0.7785 per $100 for property owners in Toms River. The $0.7785 tax rate would be for Toms River residents, as separate tax rates are paid by the other towns that make up the Toms River regional district: South Toms River, Pine Beach and Beachwood. The anticipated total operating budget for Toms River Regional is up $4 million over 2011-2012, climbing to $204.362 …
