Largest HR Conference and Expo Scheduled for This October in Atlantic City
The 24th annual GSC-SHRM (Garden State Council – Society for Human Resource Management) Conference & Expo, the largest Human Resource educational and networking event for HR professionals in New Jersey, is set to take place Sunday, October 4 through Tuesday, October 6, 2015, in the Atlantic City Convention Center, Atlantic City, N.J.
Registration begins at 7:00 a.m. This year’s conference, “HR’s Transformational Power” includes mega-sessions from top local and national speakers, three keynote addresses, about 65 breakout sessions, strategic workshops, and more than 60 conference sponsors.
Keynote speakers, whose presentations range from the organizational to self-development and perspectives on personal experience include the Sunday opening session speaker, Jeff Tobe, CSP, author and certified speaking professional, “H.R. Transforms – Get ‘Em Engaged!” Steve Miranda, SPHR, GPHR, managing director at Cornell University Center for Advanced HR Studies, will present “Ten for Tomorrow – And Today” on Monday. Bonnie St. John, the closing keynote speaker on Tuesday, will present “High Performance Resilience.” St. John is a Paralympic Ski Medalist, Fortune 500 business consultant, a Rhodes Scholar, former White House Official, and best-selling author.
The Conference and Expo mega sessions, conference sponsors, and service providers are available to help attendees can gain additional knowledge and support. Areas of focus during the conference are diversity, equity and inclusion; talent management; professional development; organizational development and strategic HR; legal compliance, and total rewards.
Conference rates range from $500.00 for SHRM members to $550.00 for nonmembers. The fee for students and those in transition is $200.00. To register or for more information, visit www.gscshrmconference.org or www.gscshrm.org.
OHI Now Providing Obstetrical and Gynecological Services in Manahawkin
Ocean Health Initiatives (OHI), a federally qualified health center (FQHC), is now offering gynecological services at its Manahawkin Health Center, 333 Haywood Road, Manahawkin, N.J. OHI’s team of providers includes both doctors and women’s health nurse practitioners who work together to ensure the needs of all patients are met.
OHI’s comprehensive women’s gynecological services include annual gynecological exams; minor office procedures; and the diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic conditions that affect women’s health; and comprehensive pre-natal services to expectant mothers.
To ensure that patients receive pre-natal care very early during pregnancy, OHI gives free pregnancy testing with same day appointments to all patients who have a positive pregnancy test.
OHI is currently offering OB/GYN services at its sites at 101 Second Street, Lakewood, and 301 Lakehurst Road, Toms River. OHI will be providing OB/GYN in its Manchester site starting in September. For same day appointments, call 732-363-6655. For more information, contact Beatriz Patino, women’s health coordinator, at 732-363-6655, Ext. 8334.
About Ocean Health Initiatives
OHI is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) federally qualified health center (FQHC) with locations at 101 Second Street, Lakewood; 301 Lakehurst Road, Toms River; 333 Haywood Road, Manahawkin; Lakehurst Circle Center II, 686 Route 70 Lakehurst; a health center within the Clifton Avenue Elementary School, 625 Clifton Avenue, Lakewood; and a Mobile Medical Unit. The Lakewood and Manchester sites have pharmacies.
OHI provides comprehensive primary and preventative health care to Ocean County’s insured, uninsured and underinsured populations. A sliding-fee scale is available, based on an individual’s or family’s ability to pay. Services include pediatrics, maternal and child health, prenatal, WIC, universal immunizations, behavioral health, dental, family medicine, internal medicine, OB/GYN, podiatry and social services.
OHI has a bilingual staff available to assist patients and callers. To become a patient of OHI, call 732-363-6655. Visit www.ohinj.org for further information.
Anthony D’Amato Named Producing Artistic Director of the Strand Theater, Lakewood
The Board of Directors of the Strand Center for the Arts, 400 Clifton Avenue, Lakewood, New Jersey, has named Anthony D’Amato, known by the stage name Remember Jones, producing artistic director of the Strand. D’Amato’s responsibilities include working closely with management in project and performance evaluations, giving input in production choices, and producing his own theatrical and music events, among others.
The 31-year-old D’Amato of Asbury Park has developed an impressive body of work since beginning his association with the performing arts as an usher at the Strand when he was a teenager. During his career in the arts, D’Amato has directed and produced shows, including his original concept of The Rocky Horror Show that played to sold-out audiences at the Strand in 2013.
He served as musical director for Exit 82’s production of Rock of Ages, recently performed at the Strand. He previously directed critically acclaimed sold-out performances of HAIR, heralded by HAIR’s original Broadway and film Producer Michael Butler (a mentor to Anthony), co-writer James Rado, and Tom O’Horgan, director of the original production. This led to an appearance and co-director contribution by Anthony to the documentary HAIR, Let the Sunshine In, available on DVD.
He was the first producer and director to bring the household name DEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH to the New Jersey state at the Baronet Theatre in Asbury Park in 2007. Among his honors, D’Amato was named the 2010 Asbury Park Top Vocalist Award Winner and is a past Paper Mill Playhouse Rising Star nominee.
D’Amato envisions some exciting offerings at the Strand in addition to art performances. “We share a vision for making this truly a center for all the arts, a social scene. We will not only be producing performing arts performances but also planning to have artists from the region display their work in The Gallery, a unique venue unto itself. We plan to feature local and touring musicians, piano bar, open mike nights, poetry and play readings, comedy, and more. We will also be having movie events using the full theater with theme nights, double/triple features, sing-alongs and cult film celebrations,’’ said an enthusiastic D’Amato.
D’Amato will begin his tenure as producing artistic director at the Strand with a first of its kind event. Remember Jones will perform the premier of R. Kelly’s soap-hip-hopera, Trapped in the Closet with a 16-piece orchestra at The Strand on October 31, 2015.
“Anthony D’Amato is an incredibly talented performer and evaluator of talent with a unique gift and vision that we are confident will help us make the Strand an even more important venue in the arts, education and culture of the Jersey Shore entertainment scene,” said long-time Strand board member and Lakewood Committeeman Ray Coles.
D’Amato’s upcoming events include performing with Glen Burtnik, wailing in Joe Cocker’s honor in the Summer of Love Experience. He will debut his own re-creation of Cocker’s famous “Mad Dogs and Englishmen,” era August 27 at the Axelrod Theater, Deal, N.J. His 25-piece orchestral tribute to Amy Winehouse, “back to BACK TO BLACK,” sold out Asbury Park’s beloved venue Asbury Lanes, and continues to tour.
For more information contact Anthony D’Amato at 732-278-1709 or Strand Board president Scott MacFadden at 732-778-4584.
Craig McGraw Honored by NJBiz for Business, Professional and Community Excellence
Craig McGraw, Marlboro, N.J., the national sales director for Trans American Trucking & Warehouse, South Plainfield, N.J., has been named one of the 2015 “Forty under 40” award winners by NJBIZ, a New Jersey business news publication. An independent panel of judges selected McGraw for this honor because of his outstanding contributions and commitment to business growth, professional excellence, and community.
Trans American Trucking & Warehouse established in 1976, provides customers throughout the United States and Canada with transportation, warehousing, packing and export services. The weight of the cargo ranges from 300 to 300,000 pounds.
After McGraw earned a B.A. in Criminal Justice from Seton Hall University in 2005, he started working at Trans American as a regional sales manager. In 2010, he became Trans American’s national sales director. As National Sales Director, McGraw is responsible for meeting with customers and potential customers in the lower 48 states and Canada; supervising the sales team; and keeping the website, social media and marketing materials current.
McGraw’s long-term vision for the growth of Trans American is global. “My long-term vision is to see Trans American not only work with domestic customers but international ones as well on a regular basis. In an effort to grow our business outside of the usual U.S. market, I’ve been attending conventions in major port cities across the globe.”
The BreakBulk Asia Conference in Shanghai, China, gave McGraw a firsthand look at the Asian market and an opportunity to discuss transportation issues with other attendees. He has also regularly attends the BreakBulk Europe convention in Antwerp, Belgium, with an eye to starting a transportation partnerships with customers in Europe.
McGraw is devoted to several community and charitable programs. He is a member of the National Police Defense Foundation (NPDF), Manalapan, N.J. Operation Kids, the Foundation’s charitable program sponsors little league teams; helps fund underprivileged children’s surgery’s for a variety of ailments; and, most recently, was the sponsor for Bubbles for Babies, the official charity of the Newark Beth Israel Medical Center. NPDF’s donation was geared to neonatal intensive care unit there that provides specialized treatment for seriously ill newborns.
McGraw is also a financial donor to the Team Walker Charity, Jersey City. Team Walkers learning center, Communipaw Avenue, Jersey City, gives community children a safe and secure environment to study and participate in athletics, surrounded by positive role models.
The awards reception and ceremony is Monday, September 28, 2015, from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. at The Palace, Somerset Park, 333 Davidson Avenue, Somerset, N.J. To view the complete list of honorees, please visit www.njbiz.com/fortyunder40.
About Trans American Trucking & Warehouse: Trans American, 115 St. Nicholas Avenue, South Plainfield, N.J., ships within the contiguous United States and Canada. The company was one of the first Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) and Free and Secure Trade (FAST) certified carriers. Trans American workers hold the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC). The company is a member in good standing of the Railway Industrial Clearance Association (RICA), the Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association (SC&RA) and the NY/NJ Foreign Freight Forwarders and Brokers Association.
Storytelling: Communicating for Impact – September HR Meeting
Leaders who can tell a good story have tremendous impact on the productivity and profits in their companies. Kevin Pitts, an executive coach, will explain how to make use of storytelling in his presentation “Storytelling: Communicating for Impact” Thursday, September 10, 2015, from 8:00 to 10:00 during the monthly meeting of JSAHR (The Jersey Shore Association for Human Resources), at Jumping Brook Country Club, 210 Jumping Brook Road, Neptune, N.J.
It is through storytelling, a powerful business tool, that businesses, workers, and leaders have opportunities to stand out, spread messages, and make change through the use of stories. This presentation asks leaders to consider the set of life stories that shape their approach to leadership. Each participant will examine and share transformational moments from their business lives, moments of incredible impact and learning, success and failure that have shaped who they are as leaders.
The registration fee, including a full buffet breakfast, is $30.00 for JSAHR members; $40.00 for nonmembers; $25.00 for those in-transition, and $10.00 for full-time students. To register, email jsahr.shrm@gmail.com or call Christine Higgins, JSAHR chapter administrator, at 732-701-7155.
JSAHR, a SHRM affiliated chapter, is a Gold Excel award winner of SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management.) This program has been approved for 1.0 recertification credit hour (241889) toward PHR and SPHR recertification through the Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI). www.hrci.org
About Kevin Pitts:
Mr. Kevin Pitts is an adjunct at Drexel University, moderator with Harvard Business Publishing, executive coach, motivational speaker and facilitator. He has taught classes, conducted seminars and coached executives around the globe. He has more than 20 years’ experience as a consultant working with organizations to develop organizational strategies and sales strategies. Mr. Pitts has also worked with senior leaders to facilitate the management of budgets, identify and develop leadership talent, improve performance, manage change, and transform teams.
Authentic Communication and Spiritual Growth Lead to New Teaching Model and Memoir: When Two Rivers Meet
In the finale of “Mad Men,” viewers saw a previously conflicted Don Draper sitting serenely on a cliff in California with others in what seemed a moment of supreme enlightenment and transcendence. Learning to listen with your heart has been the lifelong quest of author Richard Gahr, Lakewood, probably before Matthew Wiener ever conceived of the television series “Mad Men.”
Gahr has written When Two Rivers Meet, a memoir that mostly takes place takes place in those extraordinary years of the 1960s. The book tells of his unexpected encounters with monasteries and monastic life that began when he was nine years old and continues to inform his life and work today, eventually leading to a new way of teaching, and his continued growth and development.
Among his other accomplishments, Gahr is a founding member of the Graduate Center for Human Development, Fairleigh Dickinson University, where from 1968 to 1988 he was associate professor in an innovative and ground-breaking program for future leaders in the fields of education, health care, criminal justice, social services, and business. Gahr’s way of teaching evolved in this program.
An important part of Gahr’s way of teaching is listening and responding with one’s heart. Gahr said, “Listening and responding with one’s heart is rooted in the Bible. It is the form the Bible gives to our basic religious quest as human beings. I’ve come to believe that responsive listening can make a real difference in the nature of our human relationships.”
Gahr’s memoir has two parts. The first part tells the story of how this new way of teaching evolved over many years. Gahr said, “The second part is a series of letters I wrote to a man I was mentoring who wanted to learn how to teach.”
Gahr realizes the importance of several key factors that are necessary in teaching, such a responsive listening. Gahr also believes that “it is the ‘inner work’ that brings more meaning and allows greater insight. All of these insights to one’s own self create a unique teacher that today’s students need more than ever.”
Gahr is the author of several articles and monographs focusing on innovative and pioneering programs in Education and Human Development. In recent years, he has researched and designed several education programs that promote professional and organizational renewal.
“My hope is that my memoir When Two Rivers Meet will encourage teachers everywhere to learn to see their work as a sacred calling.”
When Two Rivers Meet by Richard Kenneth Gahr can be purchased at Amazon.com for $10.00.
About Richard Gahr
Gahr has been a consultant, mentor, and speaker in both the public and private sectors. He designed an educational program for disadvantaged children, Toms River School, that received a U.S. Government Citation for Excellence, the Lilly Endowment Leadership Education Program, Monmouth University’s Governor’s School on Public Issues, and the James P. Comer School Improvement Program at Yale University.
Richard Gahr, who was graduated from Pt. Pleasant Beach High School in 1954, earned his B.S. in education from Glassboro State College (now Rowen) in 1958 and his M.A. in education from Seton Hall University. He also studied with the National Training Laboratories at the Tavistock Institute, Yale University; the Lindisfarne Association, the Depth Psychology Institute at Drew University; and the Child Study Center, Yale University.
From 1962-65, he was teacher and then principal at the Bay Head School, New Jersey; a consultant in Child Development for the State Department of Education, 1965-68; an associate professor for the Center of Human Development, Fairleigh Dickinson University, from 1968 to 1988; and an associate professor of Education and Humanities at Monmouth University from 1990-1995. At Monmouth University, he served as Education Department Chairman and director of several programs in Monmouth’s five-year campus-wide initiative in Education for Leadership and Social Responsibility. He also served as a Senior Fellow at Monmouth’s Center for the Study of Public Issues.
He is a member of the Robert K. Greenleaf Association for Servant Leadership, the Association for Process Philosophy of Education, the Association of Organizational Transformation, and Kappa Delta Pi, the national education honor society, from which he received the Celebration of Teaching Award, Monmouth University, in 1992 and 1995
Golf Outing Benefits Seriously and Terminally Ill Children – Golfers and Sponsors Needed
Get in the swing to help children with serious and terminal illnesses in need of end-of-life care as well as provide support for their parents. Golfers and sponsors are needed for the 6th Annual Circle of Life golf outing, Monday, September 28, 2015, at Basking Ridge Country Club, 185 Madisonville Ridge, Bernards Township, New Jersey 07920.
Proceeds from this golf outing will directly benefit the Circle of Life Children’s Center where all services are free.*
Lisa Gallicchio, co-chairwoman of the event and the director of community relations for Preferred Home Health Care & Nursing Services (PHHC), Eatontown, is urging golfers and sponsors to register now.
BARD Medical Products is one of the major sponsors of this event along with PHHC. Sponsorships range from $15,000 to $150. Other supporters are Circle of Life trustees Joel Markel, president and CEO of PHHC, and Todd Thiede, CPA, CFO of PHHC.
Circle of Life Children’s Center, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation located in Magnolia House, Elizabeth, less than five minutes from University Hospital in Newark where the pediatric palliative care team is located.
The fee per golfer is $300 ($1200 for a foursome) and includes lunch, cocktails and dinner at 6:30 p.m.; golf contests; awards; prizes; an auction; and a 50/50 raffle. The fee for cocktails and dinner only is $100. Registration begins at 11:00 a.m.; shotgun start is 12:30 p.m.
To register or for questions, contact Celeste Layton at 908-353-5061 or email clayton@CircleOfLifeNJ.org.
*About Free Services at Circle of Life: All services are free and include educational programs, workshops and seminars; hospital grand rounds; lunch and learn sessions for caregivers; consultation with care providers to prepare a customized plan of care for a child being cared for at home or in a long-term care or other facility; assessment of needs and preparation for moving a child from hospital to home outside a hospital catchment area (e.g., from a neighboring state); follow-up home visits to evaluate needs of the child, family and care providers; and support for caregivers following the child’s death. Last year the outing raised $47,000.
About Preferred Home Health Care & Nursing Services: Since 1987, Preferred Home Health Care & Nursing Services (PHHC), 45 Main Street, Eatontown, N.J., has provided a wide range of medical and non-medical home health care services from pediatric to geriatric care throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania. PHHC is accredited by CHAP (Community Health Accreditation Program), an accrediting organization for the home health care industry. Preferred works collaboratively with physicians, hospitals, nursing homes and facilities to ensure a smooth transition to one’s home. In-house services include skilled nursing care for infants, children, adults, and seniors; personal care services, including bathing, grooming, dressing, feeding, etc.; private duty nursing services; and at-home physical therapy, among others. All of the care can be provided in-house and is coordinated by registered nurses, with clinical supervision available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Visit PreferredCares.com for more information.
Joe Hughes and His Band Goldenseal Help Raise Money for Local Causes
Joe Hughes and his band Goldenseal are musicians on a mission, assisting area charities and worthwhile causes by using their musical talents. One of the band’s upcoming performances will be as the headliner, with special guest bassist Danny Rongo, and guitarist Art Hoffer and the Goldenhorns, at the Thursdays by the Sea concert series, Pier Village, Long Branch, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2015, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Their performance benefits the Jersey Shore Jazz and Blues Foundation (JSJBF), a nonprofit 501(c)(3) based in Red Bank. One of their charitable objectives provides scholarships to young, talented musicians who are continuing their music education in college. Hughes said the foundation will have a 50-50 raffle at the Thursday night concert series to help support the Long Branch Festival, which is coproduced by the JSJBF and the City of Long Branch.
“It’s great to be able to use music to help charitable organizations in the area,” said Joseph G. Hughes, a West Long Branch resident and a partner in the Red Bank law firm Zager Fuchs P.C., who formed the band in 1999. “Many of my clients have become fans of my band. Many of my fans have also become clients. Law and music intertwine nicely,” said Hughes.
His law firm is one of the sponsors of the scholarship program run by JSJBF called “Reckless, Steamy Nights,” held once a month at the Red Bank Women’s Club. The funds raised by these concerts go directly toward scholarships for young musicians. The JSJBF also mentors young musicians and gives them the opportunity to play at big festivals, such as the Long Branch Jazz and Blues Festival.
Goldenseal plays about 70 shows a year, and Hughes has released three original records. The band is named after an herbal supplement called goldenseal, which is believed to boost a person’s immunity to sickness. Hughes said he thought the name was appropriate because he wanted to perform music that is uplifting and leaves the listener with positive feelings.
Goldenseal band members who will be performing at the August 20th Thursdays by the Sea concert series include Art Hoffer, guitar; Pat Martucci, drums; Carole Gileski and Cyndi White, backup singers; Peter Schwartz, keyboard; Lee Sanderson, saxophone; and Dennis Eschbach, trombone, affectionately known as the “Goldenhorns.” Danny Rongo will be playing bass at several of the upcoming events besides the show on August 20.
Other upcoming Goldenseal charitable performances include providing music at a fundraising Wine Tasting and Reception at Four JG’s Vineyards, Colts Neck, on Friday, September 25, 2015, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. to benefit the Legal Aid Society of Monmouth County. Hughes and his guitar player John Bongiovanni will be performing acoustic music throughout the evening.
“It is an event for a worthwhile cause. It’s not just for lawyers; it’s open to friends, colleagues and business associates,” Hughes said his law partner Lynn Staufenberg is president of the Legal Aid Society, which provides free legal assistance help to low income clients. “On occasion, Lynn also sings with Goldenseal. She also works very hard in trying to keep the Legal Aid Society funded so that it can continue to ensure attorneys for those who can’t afford representation.”
On Thursday, October 30, 2015, at 8:00 p.m., Goldenseal will perform at the Zager Fuchs Night fundraiser, with a suggested donation of $10 for the event, held at the Women’s Club of Red Bank, 164 Broad Street, Red Bank. The proceeds will benefit the JSJBF scholarship program.
For Goldenseal’s schedule, which includes shows in Colts Neck, Brielle, and Cranford, visit http://www.goldensealtheband.com/SchedulePage/Schedule.htm
Jonathan Herman Named Business Spokesman for March of Dimes
Jonathan Herman, COO of Preferred Home Health Care & Nursing Services with headquarters in Eatontown, N.J., has been named the New Jersey business spokesman for the March of Dimes’ program “Babies, Business, and the Bottom Line.” The March of Dimes is a nonprofit organization that funds research and programs to improve the health of mothers and babies, and works to end premature birth, birth defects, and infant mortality. Herman has served on the state board for the March of Dimes since 2013.
One of Herman’s goals is to raise awareness and educate New Jersey businesses about the financial impact prematurity has on the state’s business community. “Helping to ensure their employees deliver healthy, full-term babies provides myriad benefits to employers and their companies.”
James Young, state director for the New Jersey Chapter of the March of Dimes, said, “Last year in New Jersey over 11,800 babies were born prematurely. The average medical cost for a healthy baby is $4,389; the average medical cost for a premature baby is $54,194. Preventing premature birth in New Jersey could mean an annual savings of up to $609 million.”
Herman and the March of Dimes are looking to speak with business people and the media to discuss these issues and what companies can do right now to help alleviate the financial impact of preterm birth on their bottom line. Call 973-296-8811 to set up an interview.
About Jonathan Herman
In 2014, Jonathan Herman was selected by SJBiz as one of its “Top 20 Under 40” business executives, by NJBIZ as one of its “Forty Under 40” honorees, and by South Jersey Business Magazine as one of its “Men of the Year.” Herman’s selection by NJBiz was based on his professionalism, accomplishments, leadership, vision and community service.
He and his wife Alene were honored by The Emmanuel Cancer Foundation (ECF), a charity that focuses on serving children with cancer and their families by providing emotional, material and emergency financial support. They were also the recipient of the 2014 Humanitarian of the Year Award and received a personalized, signed letter from Governor Chris Christie complimenting them on this achievement. In March of this year, Herman raised more than $34,000 for the American Melanoma Foundation by coming in first place as a team member in the investment competition Portfolios with Purpose (PwP).
Herman earned a B.A. in journalism with honors from the University of Rhode Island. Before joining Preferred in 2005, Herman worked on Wall Street for six years at Salomon Smith Barney and then at a capital management firm.
Since he began working at Preferred, Herman has helped its growth and development by expanding the company from four to eight locations in New Jersey and three in Pennsylvania. He was instrumental in the acquisition of Acelleron Medical Products, a durable medical equipment company that services most of New England; and now, through expansion, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Herman said, “I was once told, ‘Only a life lived for others is a life worth living.’ I am very lucky that Preferred Home Health Care allows me to do exactly that – living a life for others.”
About Preferred Home Health Care & Nursing Services:
Since 1987, Preferred Home Health Care & Nursing Services (PHHC), 45 Main Street, Eatontown, N.J., has provided a wide range of medical and non-medical home health care services from pediatric to geriatric care throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania. PHHC is accredited by CHAP (Community Health Accreditation Program), an accrediting organization for the home health care industry.
Preferred works collaboratively with physicians, hospitals, nursing homes and facilities to ensure a smooth transition to one’s home. In-house services include skilled nursing care for infants, children, adults, and seniors; personal care services, including bathing, grooming, dressing, feeding, etc.; private duty nursing services; and at-home physical therapy, among others. All of the care can be provided in-house and is coordinated by registered nurses, with clinical supervision available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Visit PreferredCares.com for more information.
About the March of Dimes
The March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health. For more than 75 years, moms and babies have benefited from March of Dimes’ research, education, vaccines, and breakthroughs. For the latest resources and information, visit marchofdimes.org or nacersano.org. Find the March of Dimes on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.
Township, Community, School, and State Officials Working Together Have Resolved the Busing Issue
Today Lakewood Mayor Isaac Akerman, members of the Lakewood Board of Education, and district and state officials signed an agreement to restore busing for public and private school students. According to the agreement, all regular pupils, grades K- 12 with mileage under a half-mile from school will not receive busing, the same arrangement as last year. All pupils, grade K-12 who would have to travel more than a half-mile to school will be bussed.
Mayor Akerman said, “This is a great thing for Lakewood that we could resolve this issue. If there were no agreement, it would be very taxing on the township because of the safety and traffic issues it would create, not to mention the confusion. We are trying to go in the other direction by taking traffic off the roads, keeping our children safe, and preventing the expense of hiring crossing guards. Of course, the safety of our children is our number one priority.
“I am grateful to Committeeman Lichtenstein, the schools, the district, Aaron Kotler of BMG, the Senior Action Group, Mike Azzara, and everyone who worked to make this happen.”
Isaac Zlatkin, Lakewood board of education member and former president, said, “After many months of being consumed with trying to find any possible way to ensure that the children of Lakewood will be provided with courtesy busing, the Board is relieved that an agreement has been finally reached. Like with last year’s agreement, the heroes in the deal that was struck are the nonpublic schools who are making a difficult and costly adjustment to their schedules in order that all children of Lakewood will be provided with courtesy transportation to and from school.”
Laura Winters, Superintendent of the Lakewood Schools, expressed her satisfaction with the agreement. She said, “I am both excited and proud that the district, nonpublic school administrators, state and township officials, along with the community leaders were able to come together to resolve the courtesy busing issue. The students of Lakewood deserve the best, and were the focus of all discussions. Working together, the educational and safety goals of all communities have been met, with a respect that should be commended by all.”
Township Committeeman Meir Lichtenstein said, “Now that the busing issue has been resolved for this year, we must work diligently to plan for the future of our vibrant, growing town. I am happy to report that discussions have begun in this regard.”
Zlatkin agreed. He said, “At this point, everyone recognizes that the nonpublic schools exhausted all of the operational efficiencies possible in order to make this deal work; therefore, because we will inevitably be in the same predicament next year given our growing community, it is not too early to start directing our attention to securing additional funding from the State which finally accounts for the fact that Lakewood is a unique and rapidly growing community.
“I together with other board members have had discussions with State Monitor Azzara, and I am pleased that he has committed to go to Trenton and attend budget committee meetings to raise concern about the finances of Lakewood and our dire need for additional State aid.”