Manchester School Board Election 2021: Mike Kelliher

MANCHESTER, NJ — When voters go to the polls Nov. 2, they will be asked to choose people to serve on the Manchester Township Board of Education.

There are four people seeking two seats, which are three-year unpaid terms on the board.

Patch asked each candidate to answer questions to give voters information about who they are and their stances on various issues. We are printing their responses in full, unedited except for spelling or punctuation.

Here are the answers from Mike Kelliher, who is running under the slogan "For Our Children".

Previous elective office, if any:

none

Does anyone in your family work for the school district or in politics?

My wife, Karen, is a preschool teacher at Ridgeway

Education

BA from The College of New Jersey in History; Master's in Educational Administration from Rider University

Occupation

Teacher of Social studies- High School, Hamilton township school district, Mercer County

Why are you seeking a seat on the school board?

To make a difference in the education of both my own children and those in my community.

The single most pressing issue facing our school district is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Reaching at-risk students. I found it helpful consolidating and coordinating student learning and support like counseling services, intervention programs, and community resources that tend to be fragmented and uncoordinated at many schools. In my school I sit on the safety committee along with the principal, nurse, child study team and counselors. We discuss at-risk students and ways to meet their needs and the needs of other students in our community. We collect supplies such as toiletries and other necessities that are stored with our nurse. We also collect clothing (winter coats) and even prom dresses. In addition, let's reach out to local businesses such as ShopRite and see if they have resources that can help us. I firmly believe that we need to reach Maslow's hierarchy of needs before we look to Bloom's taxonomy or Gardner's intelligences. Our students need to feel safe before they can achieve.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking to serve on the school board seat?

I have taught social studies for 23+ years in Hamilton Township, Mercer County, where I was the department chair for social studies. In that position I was responsible to secure bids and provide my teachers with the resources they needed. In addition, I've coached both boys' and girls' sports, provided support to our students as an assistant coordinator of the Peer Leadership Program, taught history and law to various grade and academic levels and designed the graduation plan implemented each year.

In my personal life, I've lived in Manchester since 2000 with my wife Karen. We have three school-age children. I volunteer my time as an auxiliary police officer with Manchester Police. In that capacity, either working the summer concerts or responding to first aid calls, I've met many from our community.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

Out of district placements: I think that we need to give our teachers the resources and training that they want to effectively teach ALL of our students. Each of our students are unique, so improving the core of education (the teacher) gives our students the best chance to achieve in the least restrictive environment. I want to hear what our teachers need and then get them those resources.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you will be effective on the school board?

I'm a former special agent with the United States Secret Service and for the last 17 years I've worked in a leadership position as a part-time Supervisor at Six Flags Great Adventure.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I want to empower the teachers, the family, and the community to help deliver an effective, supportive and thriving learning environment.