Top: Celetano, Hewitson and Kelly. Bottom: McKelvey, Schultz and Thornton.
Six candidates are running for three seats on the Hamilton Township Board of Education. All three seats come with three-year terms. Incumbents Jeffrey S. Hewitson and Dina Thorton have chosen to defend their seats, and will face four challengers. Candidates Tony Celentano, Vince McKelvey and Greg Schulz all have prior, unsuccessful runs for the school board. (Celentano did serve on the BOE in the 1990s.) This is candidate Pamela Kelly’s first run for office.
Tony Celentano
Age: 71
Years lived in Hamilton: 47
Previous elected office: Board of Education, 1991 and 1994
Community involvement: Ancient Order of Hibernians, Elks, Knights of Columbus, Friends Making a Difference and Hamilton Little Lads
Occupation: Retired from technology and business management
Connections to school district: Daughter went through the district
Jeffrey S. Hewitson (Incumbent)
Age: 70
Years lived in Hamilton: 7
Previous elected office: School board, 2010
Community involvement: Hibernians, International Association of Approved Basketball Officials Board No. 193
Occupation: Retired from NJDOT Supervising Engineer
Connections to school district: Six grandchildren attending and one daughter teaching
Pamela Kelly
Age: 51
Years lived in Hamilton: 47
Previous elected office: None
Community involvement: Trenton Area Soup Kitchen Board of Directors and former board member and president, vice president, and treasurer of Mercer County Interfaith Hospitality Network
Occupation: Principal at Haines Harker-Wylie Elementary School in Pemberton
Connections to school district: Friends and family teach in and have attended Hamilton schools
Vince McKelvey
Age: 71
Years lived in Hamilton: 33
Previous elected office: None
Community involvement: Hibernian Club president and former president of both Mercer County Umpires and International Association of Approved Basketball Officials
Occupation: Retired chief investigator in the Division of Law with the New Jersey Attorney General. Served in the Air Force for four years and is a Vietnam veteran.
Connections to the school district: Daughter went through the district
Greg Schultz
Age: 45
Years lived in Hamilton: 13
Previous elected office: None
Community involvement: Nottingham Fire Company (President), Nottingham Ambulance (former president), HTRSA coach, HSGA coach, Sayen Elementary School PTS, and New Jersey State First Aid Council 9th District Chairman
Occupation: Facilities manager
Connections to school district: 8-year-old twins at Sayen Elementary
Dina Thornton (Incumbent)
Age: 42
Years lived in Hamilton: 8
Previous elected office: Currently serving a one-year term on the school board
Occupation: Hair stylist at Salon Cusato in Mercerville.
Community involvement: PTA President at Mercerville Elementary School and PTA Vice President at Crockett Middle School
Connections to school district: Three children attending Mercerville and Crockett
