Jackson Educators Receive Honors Senator Switches Party, Anounces Retirement

By Bob Vosseller

JACKSON – A longtime Republican State Senator changed his party affiliation to Democrat - to the surprise of his former GOP colleagues - but then announced he won’t be running for re-election, after all. He changed his mind and is retiring.

Senator Sam Thompson has held the solidly-Republican Senate seat for over 11 years and defended his ability to run once more in a race that if successful would have kept him

─Senator Sam Thompson (Senator - See Page 9) in his position until he was 92 years old. During Super Bowl weekend, he announced that he had left the GOP and was planning to

Charging NJ For Private School Busing Narrowly Supported

By Bob Vosseller

JACKSON – Teachers and educational

During a Board of Education meeting, Board President Giuseppe Palmeri informed the public that “we have the pleasure tonight of celebrating this year’s teachers of the year (Educators - See Page 4)

─Photo courtesy Jackson Schools Teachers and educational services professionals gather during a recent Jackson Board of Education meeting where they were honored for their work. awards and thanks from members of the township Board of Education and administration recently.

Manchester Hosts Roundtable Of Early Childhood Educators

By Bob Vosseller MANCHESTER –

The youngest students.

Director of Early Childhood Education Director Lori Burns said, “the Manchester Township School District’s Early Childhood Education team and I were proud to host this event for our county colleagues.”

She explained, “(Preschool Expansion Aid) funded school districts must follow the language of the grant and the guidance of the Department of Education.

(Manchester - See Page 5)

By Bob Vosseller

JACKSON – Township Council members endorsed a bill that would take some of the burden off paying for private school buses, but it wasn’t unanimous.

Assemblyman Alex Sauickie (R-12 th ), a former councilman, drafted a bill which has been strongly supported by the Jackson Board of Education. It would establish a threeyear pilot program that would fund private school transportation with state money for certain eligible school districts in the state, including Jackson. “Assembly bill A-4461 is the not the be-all, end-all solution but it is something and it will lessen the cost on taxpayers and remove the state mandate on public schools that pay for the transportation of non-public school students in our town and in other towns,” Councilman Nino Borrelli said.

He noted that the State mandates school districts pay for non-public school busing. However, he thinks that the state should pay for it since the state requires (Busing - See Page 8)