VILLAS — Five candidates are seeking three seats on the Lower Township Elementary School Board of Education.
The board consists of nine members serving three-year terms. Incumbents Cynthia “Cindy” Baldacchini, Gary Douglass Sr. and Lauren Cox are running to retain their seats, while JoAnn McLaughlin and Joseph Thomas are challenging.
Baldacchini was sworn in in 2024, Cox appointed in 2026 to fill a board vacancy and Douglass was first elected in 2016.
The Cape May Star & Wave sent the same questions to all five candidates, but Douglass and Cox ignored the requests for comments. Thomas declined to provide information.
Responses have been edited for length and clarity.
Baldacchini
Baldacchini, 59, grew up in New Jersey and moved to the area in 2002. She raised her three sons in Lower Township and now has two grandsons. A retired teacher, Baldacchini now works at D-Tech International.
She was elected to the school board in 2023 and is running for re-election.
“I want to continue serving the families of Lower Township Elementary School,” she said. “I believe in education and supporting our families makes the township stronger.”
Baldacchini wants strongly believes in education.
“Supporting the children and teachers [helps] continue to make LTES a great place to learn,” Baldacchini said, adding that she has experience as a teacher and parent, as well as working in a range of jobs in Cape May County.
One of the biggest challenges in the area is the lack of affordable housing, Baldacchini noted.
“It is becoming harder for families to own or rent homes here, which impacts the school,” she said. “Facing this challenge means having experienced board members, and that is why I am running again.”
McLaughlin
McLaughlin, 34, calls Lower Township her home after moving from Philadelphia.
She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in middle school education from Kutztown University, where she played four years on the NCAA Division II women’s lacrosse team and served as team captain. McLaughlin obtained her master’s degree in school administration from Rowan University.
She spent nine years teaching sixth grade in the LTES district before recently accepting a position teaching eighth grade language arts at Lower Cape May Regional High School.
“Lower Township has become home to me, from my years as a student and athlete to my career in education and coaching; this community has played an important role in my life,” McLaughlin said.
She is currently the head girls lacrosse coach and co-head field hockey coach at LCMR. McLaughlin also serves as secretary of the Lower Township Recreation Advisory Board.
“Throughout my career, I have held various leadership positions in education and athletics,” McLaughlin said. “Being involved in our schools and community has always been important to me and I enjoy working with students and families both inside and outside the classroom.”
One of the biggest reasons she wants to serve on the Board of Education is that she believes teachers need a voice in the decisions being made.
“Whether those decisions involve curriculum, staffing, pay scales, policies or programs, I think it is extremely important to hear from the people working directly with students every day,” she said. “I also believe board members should be present in our school buildings; there is so much value in visiting classrooms, seeing students learning and talking with staff.”
On her skills, McLaughlin said her biggest strength is her more than 10 years in the classroom.
“I understand the challenges teachers face, the importance of supporting students with different learning needs and how decisions made outside the classroom directly affect what happens inside it,” she said. “I have also served in multiple leadership positions through teaching, coaching and community involvement.”
McLaughlin believes one of the biggest challenges facing the district is balancing the budget while dealing with declining enrollment.
“These are difficult situations because financial decisions can directly impact students, staff and the programs available in our schools,” she said. “Another concern of mine is teacher compensation; having worked in the district for nine years, I believe the current teacher pay scale needs to be addressed. Our teachers work extremely hard and deserve to be compensated fairly for the work they do every day.”
She said board members need to be willing to look at new ideas and strategies, while learning from other districts facing similar challenges.
“It is important to explore all available options, including grants, partnerships and long-term solutions, while keeping the needs of our students in mind,” she said. “I also think it is important to take a closer look at our teacher salary guide and how it compares to surrounding districts. While understanding the financial challenges we face, we need to continue looking for ways to make teacher compensation a priority.”
McLaughlin added that she believes in open communication with teachers, administrators, families and community members.
“I believe being a board member is about more than attending meetings and voting on decisions. It is about being involved, asking questions, listening and truly understanding what is happening in our schools,” she said. “I would love the opportunity to continue giving back to a district and community that have given me so much.”
– By RACHEL SHUBIN/For the Cape May Star and Wave
