UPPER TOWNSHIP — Four women are seeking three seats on the Upper Township Board of Education.
The nine-member panel oversees a primary, elementary and intermediate school. The district, which educates students from preschool through eighth grade in three schools, has an enrollment of about 1,300 students. A sending-receiving relationship allows students to attend Ocean City High School, but some choose other options such as private and parochial schools.
Two candidates, Kelly Pratt-Johnson and Anna Nistorenko, are running together under the Education Not Indoctrination ticket. Johnson ran unsuccessfully last fall.
Meghan Miller is running with an Empower Every Student slogan, while Elsie Jamison is the fourth candidate.
Miller was appointed to the board in April to fill the seat vacated by Rebecca Holden, and is the only incumbent running as both Thomas McQuillen and Kelly Emberger chose not to seek re-election.
The election is Nov. 3.
There has been a lot of competition for seats over the past several years.
Seven candidates contested three seats in 2022, five people vied for three seats in 2023, when Holden, McQuillen and Emberger were elected, and five candidates sought three seats in 2024.
Last year, Logan Bird joined the board along with longtime incumbents Michelle Barbieri and Christine Lentz.
Lentz and Barbieri ran with Brian Teeney on the “Students First” ticket, while Bird, Miller and Kristi Lancaster ran on the “Kids First” slate.
Voters split the tickets, with Lentz and Barbieri securing re-election and Bird joining them. Lentz received the most votes, 2,861, followed by Barbieri, the longtime board president, with 2,804 and Bird with 2,786.
Teeney, a former member trying to get back on the board, received 2,765 votes. Miller was fifth with 2,602 and Lancaster sixth with 2,518.
Township Committee
One seat is up for grabs on Township Committee, and Mayor Curtis Corson is running unopposed after defeating Nathalie Neiss in the Republican primary, collecting 794 votes, or 80.5 percent, to 188, or 19 percent.
Corson, a farmer and business owner who was sworn in to his latest term in January 2024, has been a member of Township Committee for more than a quarter-century.
The 62-year-old served on Township Committee from 1996 to 2014 before losing re-election. He then was appointed in 2016 to fill an unexpired term and won re-election in 2017, 2020 and 2023.
STORY and PROFILES by CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff
Elsie Jamison
UPPER TOWNSHIP – Elsie Jamison, 34, has five children, ages 6, 5, 4 and twin 2-year-olds. The real estate agent was born and raised in Upper Township, where her parents still live in her childhood home on Tyler Road.
“My childhood memories are mostly playing outside with my sisters, fishing down at Cedar Swamp Creek or splitting wood with my dad,” Jamison said.
After graduating from Ocean City High School in 2010, she moved to Newtown, Pa., to work as a live-in nanny for three young children while taking classes at Bucks County Community College.
“When I moved back home, I got right to work and never went back to finish school. Today, I am grateful I never graduated because I know what I’m actually interested in now and am looking forward to eventually getting a degree,” she said.
Jamison has been a frequent attendee of Upper Township Committee meetings, where she has “made important relationships and voiced my opinion and given ideas on several issues in Upper Township.”
She said her main focus is fiscal responsibility in a district that has struggled mightily under the Student Funding Reform Act of 2018. Since 2017-18, the tax levy has risen $8.6 million to $32,665,274 while the district has lost $5,986,469 in state aid, down from more than $10 million to less than $4 million.
“I have ideas and enthusiasm for improving our fiscal situation,” Jamison said.
She believes her life and work experience lend themselves to serving on the board.
“I am an amazing multitasker with a positive attitude and thoughtful ideas,” Jamison said.
“I am a get-it-done kind of person who is solution-oriented.”
She said she loves the school district and has an immense trust in the staff, but would like to see board members and the administration work as substitute teachers to get a feel of what it’s like in the classroom.
“This wouldn’t be to asses the teacher but to assess a teacher’s daily challenges, connecting policy to practice, building relationships and trust,” Jamison said. “I hear from teachers that they wish there was more connection between teachers and administration, and I want to bridge the gap. I think connecting teachers to administration will benefit the kids the most.”
She believes sharing services and personnel is the answer.
“The schools need money, but we also have to consider sharing administrative and other services with our neighboring districts,” Jamison said. “Our parents want the schools to improve and be the best they can be while respecting taxpayers and looking at every opportunity for savings.”
She also believes it may be time for consolidation.
“My main goal is to do a feasibility study with Ocean City,” Jamison said, noting she attended the presentation of a study regarding combining Cape May and West Cape May schools. “I have been looking into this for some time and I believe it is the only way we can move forward with purpose. We need to collect the data and we need to make proactive and smart fiscal decisions moving forward.”
Kelly Johnson
UPPER TOWNSHIP – Kelly Johnson, a 46-year-old mother of five children, was born and raised in Cape May County.
“I had the unique experience of attending public school, being homeschooled for a period of time and ultimately attending a Christian school,” she said. “Having experienced these different educational settings firsthand has given me a broad perspective on the strengths and challenges families can encounter when choosing an educational path for their children.”
After graduating from Cape Christian Academy, Johnson served as creative director for the Peer Challenge Program, an after-school program that operated in several school districts throughout the county. She subsequently worked as general manager for Beachtree Properties.
“I am currently a stay-at-home mother, where I have devoted significant time to raising and educating my children and being actively involved in my community,” Johnson said.
Johnson has experience working with children and families through serving as a children’s Sunday school teacher for many years. In addition, she has volunteered in community outreach efforts, including serving the homeless community, visiting nursing homes and participating in Christmas programs such as Angel Tree, Operation Christmas Child and Matt’s Stocking.
“These experiences have strengthened my commitment to serving others and to being a dependable member of my community.
Johnson said she wants to serve on the Board of Education because she believes parents should have clear, transparent communication about what is happening in their children’s schools and should have a meaningful voice in their children’s education.
“I want to advocate for parental involvement, the safety and well-being of children, strong academic standards and an educational environment where teachers are equipped to teach and students are given the opportunity to succeed,” she said.
She also believes the district should remain focused on providing students with a strong foundation in reading, writing, mathematics, critical thinking and other essential academic skills.
“I am a hard worker who is willing to thoroughly research an issue, listen to different perspectives and follow through on commitments,” she said. “I have strong research, organizational, creative and problem-solving skills, along with experience developing and implementing programs.”
Johnson believes that as a mother of five and someone who has experienced multiple educational settings, she would bring a practical understanding of the concerns and responsibilities families face to the board.
“I would approach board service with preparation, diligence and a willingness to ask questions and seek solutions,” she said.
Johnson said one of the most important issues in the school community is ensuring students are receiving a strong academic foundation and that the district continues working to improve student performance.
“We need to make sure students are receiving effective instruction in reading, writing, mathematics, science and other core subjects. I also believe teachers need appropriate support and authority to maintain productive classrooms so that students can learn,” she said.
Johnson believes clear communication and transparency between schools and parents is essential.
“The district should regularly evaluate academic outcomes, identify areas where students are struggling and make informed decisions about programs and resources based on what is demonstrably helping students learn,” Johnson said. “We should also support teachers in maintaining orderly classrooms and ensure parents have meaningful opportunities to understand and participate in their children’s education. As a local school board, we should carefully evaluate state requirements and policies while advocating for the role of parents and the needs of our local community.”
Meghan Ludgate Miller
UPPER TOWNSHIP – Meghan Ludgate Miller, 42, was appointed to the board in April to fill the seat vacated by Rebecca Holden, and is the only incumbent running.
She has lived in the Upper Township School District for most of her life. After graduating from Ocean City High School, she earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics with an education certificate.
Miller has been a mathematics teacher at Lower Cape May Regional High School for the past 20 years and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in secondary mathematics education.
She is the mother of two daughters and is very active in the community, having coached numerous Upper Township soccer and basketball teams.
Miller said she is running because she cares deeply about the community and wants to continue helping make decisions that put students first.
She said she has gained a new perspective on the challenges facing the district during her six months serving on the board.
“My experience has reinforced the importance of listening, asking questions, looking at the facts and considering the impact of decisions on students, staff, families and taxpayers,” Miller said.
As an educator, Miller has 20 years of classroom experience and a strong understanding of how educational policies affect both teachers and students. She said her background in mathematics has also taught her the value of problem-solving, analyzing data and making thoughtful, informed decisions.
She said her experience as a coach has strengthened her belief in communication, teamwork, accountability and working toward a common goal.
Miller said some of the biggest challenges facing the district are maintaining a high-quality education while being responsible to the taxpayers, preparing students for a rapidly changing world and maintaining strong communication between the schools and community.
She believes financial decisions should be based on data and long-term planning and open communication with Ocean City, while always asking how the student benefits.
Miller said she believes technology and artificial intelligence will play an increasing role in education, and supports preparing students for that future while also carefully considering the benefits and drawbacks of relying too heavily on technology.
“Most importantly, I believe every voice in the community deserves to be heard. I hope to continue creating opportunities for open dialogue with teachers, staff, students, parents and community members and to work collaboratively to keep students at the center of every decision,” Miller said.
Anna Nistorenko
UPPER TOWNSHIP – Anna Nistorenko, 51, has three grown sons who have all gone through the Upper Township and Ocean City school systems.
Born in Poland, she legally immigrated with her family to America at the age of 7 and settled in northern New Jersey.
“The focus for the family was to assimilate, work hard and honor God,” she said.
Nistorenko went to North Point College, where she got a Bible and a teaching degree. The family moved to Upper Township 16 years ago when her husband, Walter, accepted the pastorate position at Impact Church in Ocean View, where she serves as the associate pastor.
Nistorenko has been serving the community for years, whether it was volunteering her time at the primary and elementary schools when her children attended or through her role at the church.
She said she serves by teaching, mentoring and counseling at the church, along with leading a strong children’s program on Sunday mornings, Wednesday nights and the yearly Vacation Bible School.
Nistorenko wants to serve to ensure students receive all of the elements of a basic education.
“Each child should be able to read, write, think critically and be competent in mathematics according to grade level. I would be an advocate for each student to receive the instruction needed to excel in these core educational pillars,” she said.
Nistorenko also would like to increase parental involvement.
“I would also strongly support increased transparency between the schools and parents since children have the best learning outcomes when parents are involved,” she said.
Nistorenko called herself “a reliable, hard worker with a heart for children.”
“I have worked with various types of people and have needed to value different perspectives and opinions. I have strong problem-solving skills. I am detail-oriented and have worked with budgets for decades, which would all be of benefit to the Board of Education,” she said.
Nistorenko would like to see more support for teachers.
“Some of the top issues in our community include improving the outcomes for our students in reading, writing, mathematics and other core subjects. Teachers need support in the classroom to be able to achieve that goal,” she said. “Parents need transparency to know how their child is doing in the classroom.”
One of her concerns is the growing use of artificial intelligence.
“More conversation is needed regarding AI and technology in the classroom, as studies are indicating possible negative effects,” she said.
Nistorenko also feels that annual budgets need to be reviewed and streamlined.
“The strategic plan for the school should be to focus on reading and mathematics. That should be the focus. The early grades are crucial for the foundational learning blocks to be laid properly so that the student can thrive moving forward,” she said. “Initiatives such as providing professional development for teachers, screening students for reading and math deficiencies early in their schooling and involving parents to participate in their child’s education would be extremely beneficial for our children.”