A class of AP Government students at Haddonfield Memorial High School recently had the chance to engage in a question and answer session with Gov. Chris Christie.
Christie visited Haddonfield, just months after holding a town hall meeting, on Monday, Sept. 10 to make an example to the state of a district with high performance.
Giving the students advice for a future in politics, Christie suggested they become involved with candidates that they believe in and take any job they can.
When running for office, “don’t run just to win,” he said, but believe in something first.
At a later press conference, Christie said that the students had carefully constructed their questions in preparation for the day.
“I commend the faculty here,” he said. “The teachers and administration.”
If students from the borough are the future of America, the country is in good shape, he added.
Haddonfield Schools are one of the best in the nation, said Superintendent Richard Perry.
“Haddonfield is a unique place,” said Perry.
Mayor Tish Colombi was also present at the school.
During the conference, Christie spoke of the Department of Education’s teacher evaluation pilot program, calling it an “absolute centerpiece.”
The district is one of ten selected to participate in the program, according to a governor’s office statement, and has received $86,000 in funding to launch the program.
Every step must be taken to ensure a great education is provided to each student in the state, he said, and tenure reform law changes will help in that venture.
Teachers will be evaluated on their effectiveness, and there will be a cost cap on removing ineffective teachers. The reform will give better options for improvement and take the mystery out of the process, he said, explaining the need to have teachers understand what is expected of them to make education better.
In addition, borough schools have received a 32 percent increase in aid above last year, Christie said.
Haddonfield emanates “what is possible” in schools, he said.
View photographs from the visit below.
