The JACKSON Times Vol. 22 - No. 17
In This Week’s Edition
MICROMEDIA PUBLICATIONS
JERSEYSHOREONLINE.COM
School Opens Environmental Learning Center And Garden
October 25, 2025
Michael Gioia Remembered After Crash
BREAKING NEWS @
Photo courtesy Jackson Schools jerseyshoreonline.com
Community News Pages 8-9
Inside The Law Page 14
Dr. Izzy’s Sound News Page 13
Classifieds Pages 15
Students/Green Team members, staff and special guests gather at the Elms Elementary School for a ribbon cutting of an outdoor Environmental Learning Center and Garden. By Bob Vosseller JACKSON – There was plenty of excitement recently at the Elms Elementary School for a very special occasion. A new Outdoor Environmental Learning Center and Garden officially opened with a ribbon cutting ceremony. Second grade teacher Shaina Brenner, a Milken Educator Award winner, described it as a “wonderful celebration. We had perfect weather that day, too!” She told The Jackson Times that former Student Green Team members (now attending school at JT 5-6) returned to join current 4th graders at Elms. Some students presented their research and trifolds while others served as greeters and helped things run smoothly. The $10,000 Sustainable Jersey for Schools grant the school received in 2023 “has allowed us, in
collaboration with many community partners, to build this learning space over the past two years. My husband, Jose Santiago (Delia Studios), documented the creation of the space and together we produced a short video that captures its development.” The Outdoor Environmental Learning Center and Garden now includes eight raised garden beds filled with native plants, a compost bin, rain barrel, dead hedge, insect hotel, bird houses and feeders, and a bat house. It also features a weather station and NJ Air Quality flag program (updated daily by students), a greenhouse and the beginnings of an oak tree nursery which was supported further by a $1,500 New Jersey Natural Gas grant that Brenner applied for and had recently received.
The subjects have been social media fodder and prompted students and parents to attend that meeting to ask what actions will be taken to address those issues. Some of the fighting was filmed by students and shared online, showing students cheering. The incidents of fighting led to the administration’s decision to put on pause the common lunch period, an hour’s time each day set aside for students to organize their time, using it for either a meeting with a club, socializing with (Student - See Page 4)
GOLD Exceeds $3500 an Ounce! OVER 20 YEARS IN BUSINESS
HIGHEST RATED CASH FOR GOLD STORE IN OCEAN COUNTY
Sixteen-year-old Michael “Mikey” Gioia of Jackson, who died on October 8, is remembered for his bright smile, kind heart, and the joy he brought to everyone around him. By Stephanie Faughnan JACKSON - The sound of laughter once echoed through the Jackson home where Michael “Mikey” Gioia lived for the last seven years. Now, the air is quieter, filled with memories and a mother’s struggle to accept the loss of her youngest child. Most days still feel surreal, as if Mikey might walk through the door at any moment. The sixteen-year-old died following a crash on October 8, only minutes from home. Though tragedy took him far too soon, Mikey’s kindness, humor, and heart left an imprint on everyone who knew him. (Remembered - See Page 7)
(Learning Center - See Page 4)
Student Fights Addressed At Jackson High School By Bob Vosseller JACKSON – School officials discussed an increase in fights at Jackson Township High School. This is now the single high school in the district following the merger of Jackson Memorial High School and Jackson Liberty High School due to financial reasons. During the latest Board of Education meeting - which ran close to three hours - the transition of that merger was noted along with some of the problems that have impacted the school during the first two months of the year.
Photo courtesy Gioia family
Ciattarelli, Sherrill Share School Funding Plans By Chris Lundy JERSEY SHORE – Many local school districts were hit hard by cuts in school funding, causing them to lose programs, eliminate positions, and one district even had to sell schools. The law that cut state aid, S-2, has reached the end of its seven-year span, but the damage is done because state aid is set, more or less, at this new lower amount. This is an issue that affects local schools
SILVER Nears $40 an Ounce!
90% SILVER • MEDALLIONS FLATWARE • SCRAP • JEWELRY TEA SETS • TRAYS • PITCHERS CANDELABRAS
more than others, so our reporter reached out to gubernatorial candidates - Republican Jack Ciattarelli and Democrat Mikie Sherrill - in separate phone interviews to discuss their plans for school funding. This is the first of three articles. The next article will be about both candidates’ plans for how to rein in energy costs. The final article will be an open forum for the candidates to discuss what’s important to them. (School Funding - See Page 11)
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