Home Cinnaminson News Board of education: Four vie for three seats

Board of education: Four vie for three seats

Four candidates, including two incumbents and a former board member, will vie for three-year terms on the board of education in the general election on Nov. 7

Board member Daniel Evans is running uncontested for the one-year unexpired seat.

Name: Christine Trampe

Age:  46

How many years have you lived in Cinnaminson Township? 19

Married? Children? Grandchildren? I am married to Ron Trampe, who is a principal in Edgewater Park School District. Our son, RJ, is 17 years old and a senior at Cinnaminson High School. Our oldest daughter, Carly, is 15 years old and a sophomore at Cinnaminson High School. Our youngest daughter, Delaney, is an 8th grader at Cinnaminson Middle School. 

School and degree: Associates degree from Gloucester County Community College, two bachelor’s degrees (elementary education and psychology) from Rowan University, and a master’s degree in school leadership from Wilmington University.

Profession: I am the superintendent of Mantua Township Schools in Gloucester County. Before that, I was the principal of West Deptford Middle School for about 10 years, the assistant principal of Gloucester City High School, and teacher in Gloucester City and Bridgeton.

Elected Office: Previously served on the Cinnaminson BOE for two full terms from 2016 to 2022. 

Community involvement: I served on the Cinnaminson BOE for six years. I have also volunteered to assist the Pomona Swim Team, served on board of the Cinnaminson Soccer Club, and organized events to assist the Jane B. Weilenbeck Needy Family Fund.  

Why are you running for an elected seat?

I am running for the Cinnaminson Board of Education as I am a mom of three and this is my way of giving back to the community we love. Not only am I the product of public education, all three of my children attend Cinnaminson Schools. Public education isn’t just my “job.” it is my passion. I have dedicated my life over the past 24 years. I bring preschool to 12th grade experience as having been a teacher, assistant principal, principal, and now a superintendent. I am running alongside John Meeker and incumbent, Ed Kenney, who share the goal of “Continuing Excellent Education.”

What is one area you would like to concentrate on if elected?

I serve as the Reunification Specialist for Gloucester County public schools and lead school security initiatives in Gloucester County. Last year, I created the Gloucester County Reunification Response Team and ensured all public schools in Gloucester County follow the same standard response protocol and reunification method for consistency. I serve on the prosecutor’s School Safety Task Force as well as present best practices for the New Jersey Association of School Administrators. I come with extensive experience in New Jersey public schools and passion for school security. I believe my commitment will not only benefit our board of education but also our school district.

Name: Ed Kenney

Age: 52

How many years have you lived in Cinnaminson Township? 15

Married? Children? Grandchildren? My wife Joelle is a supervisor with the state of New Jersey, working for the JJC. We have two sons. Andrew is 13 and Matthew is 11. They both currently attend Cinnaminson Middle School as an 8th grader and a 6th grader, respectively.

School and degree: Bachelor’s degree in English from Rutgers University and a master’s degree in educational leadership from the College of New Jersey.

Profession: I am a teacher. A high school English teacher at the Burlington County Institute of Technology (BCIT) in Westampton. I’ve been in the classroom for 24 years, the last 16 at BCIT. I’ve also coached high school varsity baseball, basketball and cross country.

Elected Office: I’ve been on the BOE for six years. This will be my third time running. I was elected in 2017 and again in 2020.

Community involvement:

  • Coached baseball in town for the past eight years
  • Serve as secretary and league director on the Cinnaminson Baseball Executive Board.
  • Coached over 100 teams over the past 30 years, several on the baseball fields here in town over the past eight years. Most recently, I coached the Cinnaminson 12-year old travel team that went to Cooperstown in July. In raising money for that trip, we hosted a Breakfast with Santa and held a Cinnaminson Baseball 5K.
  • Coached basketball teams for Cinnaminson Youth Basketball Association and St. Charles CYO.
  • Teach Religious Education (CCD) at Resurrection Parish in Delran for the past five years.
  • Chair the Bob Kenney Scholarship Foundation, which has awarded 105 scholarships to local high school seniors over the past eight years. Money is raised for the foundation with a softball tournament I organize and host every August. 

Cinnaminson is a great place to live and my family and I cherish the thought of giving back to the community as much as possible.

Why are you running for an elected seat?

I am once again running for a seat on the board because I feel like I still have more to offer. I think our current board has done a great job of keeping this school district running effectively and smoothly. I feel like there is still work to be done and I’m not finished yet.

What is one area you would like to concentrate on if elected?

One area I’d like to concentrate on is the continual improvement of our facilities. We are at a crucial time as we need to assure all five schools are running properly and long-term projects are continually being tended to. We have worked extremely hard in the areas of school security and curriculum and technology, while also filling several administrative positions during my six years on the board. I just think it’s important to remember maintenance is required on all of our facilities.

Name: John Meeker

Age: 40 

How many years have you lived in Cinnaminson Township? 8 years

Married? Children? Grandchildren? Married to Cinnaminson alum Caitlin (Rooney) Meeker. We have three Children: Teddy (10, 6th grade), Jovie (9, 5th grade) and Griffin (5 months). 

School and degree: Pennsylvania State University, bachelor’s and master’s degree in engineering mechanics.

Profession: Director of Engineering for MSC

Elected Office: First time running for board.

Community involvement: Our kids keep us busy with their after school activities including piano, theater, karate, and horseback riding. I have enjoyed opportunities to be a guest reader in my children’s classes at school and have chaperoned their field trips. My wife has served on the board for the Cinnaminson Elementary Home and School Association (CEHASA) for the past four years.

Why are you running for an elected seat? 

As our kids have gotten older and progressed through New Albany, Rush, and now on to the middle school, I have tried to find a way to get involved in a meaningful way to help make Cinnaminson the best possible place for families to raise and educate their children. I started attending the Board of Education meetings in the last year or two and believe that I have the skills, interest, and dedication to fulfill the duties of a member of the Cinnaminson Board of Education.

What is one area you would like to concentrate on if elected?

Technical advancements are changing our world rapidly.  As a leader in cutting edge engineering advancements, I see these changes first hand. I want our children to be prepared for that world. I would like to ensure the district continues and expands their focus on STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics) education. The arts are equally as important as the obvious classes in science and math. My most successful colleagues create art: either by playing an instrument or are members of the maker community. The skills learned from those activities are fundamental in succeeding in many emerging career fields. 

Name:  Jeremiah “JJ” Horigan

Age: 36

How many years have you lived in Cinnaminson Township? 7

Married? Children? Grandchildren? Married to a lifelong Cinnaminson resident. Two boys, ages 11 and 7

School and degree: Master’s degree in technical communication, Northeastern University.

Profession: Director of Operations.

Elected Office: First time running for board

Community involvement: Involved with my children’s various township sports teams.

Why are you running for an elected seat? 

As a parent of two children, who each have different educational needs, my goal is to create a more accessible and progressive environment for special education students. I believe that resource constraints restrict the availability of these services. My goal is to improve and expand the district’s infrastructure to support access for all students and appropriate tools to support a more progressive and accessible environment. I believe that to ensure those resources are deployed and managed appropriately the district needs to provide more transparent and proactive access to budget allocations as well as the district’s overall financial health and stability. 

What is one area you would like to concentrate on if elected?

Support and resources should be made available for all students regardless of academic abilities and those resources should be discharged with full parental participation, engagement, and consent. Parents and the administration should work in collaboration. I believe that our entire education staff should be equipped with the appropriate tools to support a more accessible environment. Accountability, communication, and transparency are the three key principles I lead with. As a parent, I believe this district can change and should change to support the growth and well-being of all students.

Name: Daniel Evans

Age: 50

How many years have you lived in Cinnaminson Township? I’ve lived in Cinnaminson since 2021, but I’ve lived in the area since 2007.

Married? Children? Grandchildren? Two children, 16 and 14.

School and degree: I graduated from Kutztown University with a bachelor’s degree in telecommunications (now called Electronic Media)

Profession: Freelance Video Producer/Editor/Copywriter

Elected Office: First time running for an elected seat. I joined the board a little over a year ago, after interviewing to fill a vacated seat.  

Community involvement: Since moving here, I’ve been involved in the community as a flag football coach and currently as a board member.

Why are you running for an elected seat? 

I feel it is important to have parents of students, currently in the district, as board members. I feel that it helps to have that insight into how the district is performing and what measures need to be recommended moving forward to provide the best education possible for all of our students.

What is one area you would like to concentrate on if elected? 

One area that I would like to concentrate on, if elected, is the budget.  I feel it is important to see how our district directs our resources and how we can make the most of those resources for the betterment of our students.

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