Letter To The Editor From Point Pleasant School Board Candidate Cheryl Salway

A Letter to the Editor From Point Pleasant Board of Education candidate Cheryl Salway.

As the most controversial presidential election in recent history looms closer, it is important for voters to remember that when they head to the polls on November 8, there are other positions on the ballot that the electorate should be informed about.

Many of those positions have direct impact on voters, particularly municipal and Board of Education elections. I, Cheryl Salway, am asking you to elect me to continue my service on the Point Pleasant Borough Board of Education.

I am an 11-year resident of Point Pleasant, residing on Beach Boulevard with my daughter Cassidy, a fourth- grader at Nellie Bennett School, and our most recent addition, our two-month-old puppy, Fin. I am a member of Bay Head Shores Property Owners Association and the Nellie Bennett PTO, as well as a parishioner at Sacred Heart Church.

I am a veteran educator and have taught middle school English for the past 18 years with certifications as an elementary teacher, social studies teacher, supervisor, and principal. For the past 10 years, I have taught sixth through eighth grade at H.W. Mountz Elementary School in Spring Lake, a Nationally Recognized Blue Ribbon School of Excellence. I am rated a highly effective teacher and serve as the middle school team leader and softball coach.

Within the realm of education, my experience and passion lie in the area of curriculum, which lead me to obtain my masters degree from Teachers College, Columbia University. I believe students must be offered a rigorous curriculum aligned across grade levels that meets the needs of all learners and prepares them for twenty-first century college and career readiness. Furthermore, our superb teachers must have the best professional development, including collaboration time with other teachers to allow our curriculum to take shape.

It is important to remember that there are many stakeholders who are part of our greater school community: parents, taxpayers, business owners, community service organizations, teachers, administrators, parents, and our children.

I believe a Board of Education member is a linchpin of communication between all the stakeholders. If elected, I hope to broaden communication between the various stakeholders and the Board of Education. An open dialogue that celebrates accomplishments and honestly addresses concerns is hallmark to a successful school district. Together, the larger school community must work together to ensure the success of our greatest asset: our children.

During my one year of service on the Board of Education, I have been able to see firsthand that when all stakeholders are dedicated to students, they achieve academically, emotionally, and socially. Our children and their future success are cornerstone to my decision to run for the Board of Education. I hope to continue to use my experience as an educator, mother, and community member to inform our public schools.

On November 8, vote line 3 for Cheryl Salway for Board of Education. A vote for Cheryl Salway is a vote for Point Pleasant Borough.

Cheryl Salway, candidate for Board of Education
Beach Boulevard, Point Pleasant Borough