PETERSBURG — The Upper Township Board of Education has three seats up for election Nov. 7 and five candidates, a mix of incumbents and newcomers, for those positions, according to the official website of the Cape May County Elections Department.
Incumbent Thomas McQuillen is seeking re-election, while incumbent Philip Schaffer did not file for re-election and Rachel Mammele dropped out.
The four others seeking seats are Kelly Ann Emberger, Rebecca Holden, Daniel Kilgallon and Jeffrey Trulli.
Kelly Ann Emberger
Emberger is a life-long resident of Cape May County who has lived in Upper Township for more than 20 years. Her daughter is a graduate of Upper Township Middle School.
Her entire family, including sister Deputy Mayor Kim Hayes, as well as her father, mother, brother, brother-in-law, two nephews and a niece, call the township home
The general education and special education teacher has worked at Margaret Mace School in North Wildwood for the past 24 years.
Emberger has served for more than 10 years as catechist in the CCD program at St. Maximillian Kolbe Church of the Resurrection Parish in Marmora, assisting sacramental preparations and religious education of children. She also as team mom for the Upper Township Cheer Association for nine years.
Highly educated, she earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Kutztown University and a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Stockton University, as well as a master’s degree in psychology from Grand Canyon University. She also studied special education at Rowan University and Rutgers University. She is a certified teacher of the handicapped.
Emberger currently is a doctoral candidate at Grand Canyon University and is preparing her thesis for publication in child psychology on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on education.
“My philosophy of education is to provide every child with the tools necessary to enjoy a happy and productive life,” she said.
Emberger believes she has the qualities required to serve on the school board.
“I am a consensus builder, not a divider. I am not afraid to speak my mind, but also willing to hear the opinions of other stakeholders,” she said. “As members of the BOE, we must remember to listen, deliberate and seek common-sense solutions for the benefit of the community we serve.”
Emberger said she has a lifelong commitment to putting children and families first.
“As parents, we are the primary educators of our children. The lessons they learn at home stay with them forever. School boards can implement math and reading programs, but it is the home and family that teaches them faith, hope and charity,” she said.
Emberger said she understands the financial challenges facing every school board in Cape May County.
“I also have more than a working knowledge of the frustration of dealing with the mandates to education and unfair budget cuts imposed by Trenton bureaucracy here in Upper Township. I understand how that impacts the entire school: from the classroom teachers to the administration,” she said. “These cuts also place an unfair burden on Upper Township taxpayers. Upper Township sends more tax dollars out than we are allowed to keep.”
Emberger said the state continues to mandate programs while reducing the funding needed to operate and improve them.
“We need to engage our entire community in the fight to stop the reallocation of state funding from schools that are performing to funding failing districts. Good behavior should be rewarded, not punished,” she said. “Our students deserve to keep their fair share of state aid.”
Emberger is an advocate for local, rather than state, control of the school system, saying the pandemic “had a devastating effect on our children and families.”
“Unfortunately, our children are still dealing with the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on their education. Hopefully, we will never be faced with another state-mandated shutdown. However, if we find ourselves in that circumstance, we cannot rely on the bureaucracy in Trenton to provide us with a working plan that keeps our students on track. We want to be able to make those decisions at the local level. Parents, teachers and students alike can help us know what works best for them,” she said.
Emberger said the district must prioritize creation of an emergency plan that keeps children on track with their educational progress.
“We need to decide what is the point at which we close our institutions,” she said.
Emberger also would like an audit of COVID relief aid to see if it is being spent effectively “to close the gaps in education left behind by the pandemic.”
She said she would like to serve on the board as a way to give back to the community.
“I try to rely on my faith to guide me in my decisions in life. I believe that we are given gifts and talents to serve others,” she said, noting that realized while writing her doctoral thesis that if she wanted to make a difference and have an effect on the education community, the best way was to seek a seat on the school board.
“Nothing is more important to the future of our society than helping to provide the community with civilized, responsible, patriotic and knowledgeable citizens,” she said. “I am excited at the prospect of serving in a new capacity. I am looking forward to new challenges in budget and policy as a decision maker.
Emberger believes voters should support her because she has worked in education for a quarter-century.
“For over 25 years, I have asked parents of my students to put their trust in me to look out for their children. Now I am asking the voters of Upper Township to do the same,” she said. “I pledge to protect their interests financially, and to keep the children safe. I promise the parents of the children of Upper Township School District to provide the best educational experience that we can offer, without prejudice or favoritism toward anyone, and to know the difference between special needs and special interest.”
Rebecca Holden
Holden is a professional artist, wife and mother of two tween girls who grew up in the township and attended Ocean City High School.
She has as an interior and graphic designer for SOSH Architects in Atlantic City, for Anthropologie in Philadelphia and now owns a small retail business called Eastward with locations in Cape May and soon Ocean City.
The 46-year-old earned a bachelor’s degree in art history and graphic design from the University of North Carolina in Greensboro with a minor in child development.
She also expanded her knowledge of child development when working for a few childhood education schools.
“I learned a lot about child behavior and how to best support their educational journey,” Holden said.
She said she is fair-minded and considers opposing opinions.
“I’m very pragmatic, seriously looking at both sides and weighing them equally,” she said
Another quality she said she would bring to the board is humor: as a proud school class clown, I hope to bring some levity and perspective to the process.”
In addition to her childhood education experience, she is very involved in the schools.
“As a parent with children in the district, I try to cultivate a wide social circle in the community where I am able to get a diverse perspective of parents’ and teachers’ opinions and concerns. I feel they can communicate with me honestly,” she said. “I am also very interested in the teachers’ perspective since they are the ones educating the children firsthand; their input is invaluable and they need to be supported and their feedback considered seriously.”
Holden said she is passionate about many topics when it comes to educating students in the community. One are she would focus on is ensuring township students are prepared for the challenges of Ocean City High School and beyond.
“I hope to promote more communication between the high school and the middle school,” she said, noting she thinks the arts and STEM subjects “should get the focus they deserve.”
Holden said she would like to ensure students are aware of career paths that do not involve college and promote options such as Cape May County Technical School.
“There are many career options open to our students if college is not in their future,” she said.
Holden would like to promote the inclusion of healthy food options in the cafeterias and discuss how what the district is offering can affect behavior and the overall health.
She also hopes to help raise awareness for marginalized and minority students in the district.
Holden said she wants to serve on the board “simply because I care truly about the education of all of our community, we all must live together in our shared spaces. I hope to set an example by promoting mutual respect and understanding through education.”
She believes voters should support her “if they simply want to have someone there who is a parent in the district. I have no other motivations other than helping to create a well-rounded student population that cares for others, is creative, interesting and prepared for the world ahead of them.”
Holden hopes to help forge generations of students who “leave Upper Township setting a good example of our community.”
“I have lived here just about my whole life and I am very proud of where we are headed, part of a progressive and kind people,” she said.
Daniel Kilgallon
Kilgallon, 45, and his wife, Susan, live in Beesleys Point with their two children.
They attend Upper Township schools and he wants the best education possible.
“We are passionate about the possibilities of quality public education and that is why we will never stop advocating for what is best for our children and for all parents to have a say in what they feel is best,” he said, noting most of his free time is dedicated to his children’s many extracurricular activities.
Kilgallon holds a graduate certificate in applied behavior analysis from Pennsylvania State University as well as state teacher certifications in elementary education and teacher of students with disabilities.
He earned a master’s degree in special education from Rowan University following a bachelor’s degree in special education from Slippery Rock University, as well as supervisor certification from Stockton University.
“Since I was an adolescent, I have always worked in the special education field. After college, I used my passion to serve at-risk youth from underserved communities in the juvenile justice field as a shift supervisor at a juvenile correctional facility,” he said, noting he later taught special education, focusing on autism spectrum disorders in multiple clinical and public school settings for more than 10 years.
Kilgallon said for the past eight years, he has worked as a board-certified behavior analyst, providing school based consultation in New Jersey and Delaware. He specializes in autism support, applied verbal behavior and developing school-wide positive behavior intervention and supports and data-based decision making.
Kilgallon believes he has the attributes required to serve on the board.
“I have a steady and consistent personality. I have spoken up for what I think is best for my children, including opposing many authoritative and controversial topics,” he said. “It is not an extreme opinion that students should be in school, breathing fresh air and learning math. Because of this, our current school board leadership has attacked me and my family on multiple occasions. I am determined to do what is best and right for all families and students in our community.”
He revisited a topic that was decided last school year, saying he is against the state Board of Education Health and Physical Education standards.
“My platform is built on honesty, integrity and transparency. Although I disagree with the recent Health and PE standards that those seeking re-election voted for, I will do everything in my power to communicate to parents exactly what is being taught to all students,” Kilgallon said.
He said the current board leadership was fiscally irresponsible in contract dealings with former longtime superintendent Vince Palmieri, noting they are “paying our old superintendent over $300,000 not to work, plus pension and benefits. It has also been recently reported they owe the pension system over $1.1 million.”
“That’s a million and a half reasons to vote for me and that money would be better used for school supplies or to employ more classroom support staff,” he said. “Our current school board leadership has not given us a single reason as to why the taxpayers are on the hook for this money. I will do everything in my power to end their divisive practices and reckless spending.”
Noting he ran last year and lost, Kilgallon said he is running again “to show my kids how to persevere, stand up for your beliefs and never quit. I can do better than those that think they know better than the parents.”
He believes voters should support him because he would “make sure that all parents and taxpayers are heard and represented on our school board.”
He said the school and community have been fractured for a while now but thinks everyone wants what is best for their children.
Tom McQuillen
McQuillen is a lifelong resident of Cape May County who has lived in Upper Township for more than 15 years.
The 51-year-old and his wife, Maria, are the parents of two daughters. He said he is proud to consider himself a “girl Dad.” Both daughters are students in the Upper Township and Ocean City school districts.
McQuillen is vice president of the Upper Township school board and serves on the Upper Township Basketball Association.
McQuillen earned a bachelor’s degree in individual studies with a specialization in public administration from Fairleigh Dickinson University. He also holds certification as a hostage negotiator and field training officer instructor.
The U.S. Army veteran served and received an honorable discharge. He later served with distinction as a career law enforcement officer for more than 27 years, retiring from the Sea Isle City Police Department as chief.
He is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police and the Cape May County Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge 7.
McQuillen is a former member of the Parish Council of St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church in Sea Isle City.
“My experience with government mandates and budget cuts makes me uniquely qualified to help the BOE navigate the process of dealing successfully with the Trenton bureaucracy,” McQuillen said.
McQuillen said restricting the ability to share information with parents has decimated schools and “further contributes to the breakdown of the family.”
McQuillen said facing a $4 million loss in state funding, the district must make difficult choices to meet budget goals. He believes his time in law enforcement provided him with the experience to budget effectively.
He said children’s safety is a top priority.
“No one can stop an evil person from acting out, but we must try to do better,” he said, noting he introduced a policy for the 2023 2024 school year aimed at engaging retired law enforcement officers to be armed in schools. “Our kids and our faculty deserve the best protection we can give them.”
McQuillen said he learned patience, sharing and teamwork thorugh is law enforcement work as well as his family, being one of eight children.
He said his service in the armed forces strengthened his ability to understand the importance of serving something greater than yourself.
“But it is my foundation in my faith that continues to serve as my guide to decision-making in my family, work and community life,” he said.
McQuillen encourages stakeholders in the community to get involved.
“Our seniors and business community should share in the efforts to keep our kids mentally fit, physically safe and capable of reaching their full potential,” he said.
McQuillen believes his time on the school board has shown he can affect the lives of all district children.
“Regardless if your child is gifted academically or artistically, they need an advocate in leadership. If you have a special needs child, someone in leadership has to understand that you are fighting for that child even if you are afraid to speak up. I am not afraid to speak out in support of your child,” he said.
McQuillen said he takes his oath of office seriously.
“Whether it was the Boy Scout pledge to honor God and country, to the promise to uphold the U.S. Constitution contained in the oaths taken at the military, law enforcement or the Upper Township BOE, I have tried my best to live up to all those promises,” he said.
Jeffrey Trulli
Trulli did not respond to multiple attempts to reach him for comment.
By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff