Lenape Regional High School District BOE member honored for years of service
Shamong representative Ted Shinske, first elected in 1997, decided not to run for another term in November.
At its Dec. 19 regular meeting, the Lenape Regional High School District Board of Education thanked Ted Shinske, a long-serving member representing Shamong, for his service. Shinske, who was elected to the board in April 1997, decided not to run for another term in the November election.
“I have enjoyed working with my fellow board members and the district’s administration and staff to support the welfare of our students and make the Lenape Regional High School District one of the top districts in the state,” Shinske said. “I have served for more than two decades, and I am happy to step aside and welcome to the board the newly elected Sam Green. He brings new energy and ideas that will help the district continue to thrive.”
LRHSD Superintendent Carol Birnbohm expressed gratitude for Shinske’s service over the past two decades.
“A member of our school board for more than 20 years, Ted has demonstrated a great commitment to our community, and through his service, he has set a strong example for our students about the importance of volunteers,” Birnbohm said. “He has also exemplified the character traits we aim to instill in our graduates through his leadership of several board committees. Ted is always kind, smart, engaged, forward thinking and confident. We will miss all of those traits, his sense of humor, his positive outlook and, of course, we will miss him.”
Also during the meeting, LRHSD BOE member Linda Eckenhoff read a resolution to recognize Shinske’s service to the board and presented him with a plaque.
Seneca High School Principal Jeff Spector also made a presentation on behalf of the high school that Shinske played a role in helping to build.
“We are grateful for his instrumental role in providing a great place for the students from our four communities,” Spector said. “Ted’s attendance at many Seneca events further showed his dedication and support for our students and staff.”
As a Shamong native — an original ‘Piney’ as Shinske calls himself — he considers the development of Seneca High School a standout memory from his tenure on the LRHSD board.
“It took a long time, a lot of people worked very hard to make it happen, and in the end, the high school turned out to be something very special,” Shinske said.
Shinske graduated from Rancocas Valley Regional High School and is in the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame for baseball.
His sons, John and Jim, graduated from Shawnee High School in 1983 and 1986, respectively.
He also saw three grandchildren graduate from Shawnee: Tommy, ’18; Mike, ’17; and Caroline, ’14. He has two grandchildren, JD and Jessica, who attend school in Hammonton.
Shinske had a long career as an entrepreneur, owning and operating a series of hair styling businesses in the area, and an automobile transmission business in Vineland.
He retired in 1994, when he sold The Locks Shop in Lake Pine. His career is reflective of his love of learning as he attended trade school and took other courses to ensure the success of each of his business endeavors.
He also took lessons to earn a private pilot license so that he could pursue flying as a hobby in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Shinske currently enjoys retirement on his Shamong farm with his wife, Bette, and his newly adopted dog.
