Years of service on the Hillsborough Township Board of Education culminated for Thomas Kinst in one final act of gratitude from his former colleagues, as district officials took time out of their recent public meeting to send him off.
During the Feb. 12 meeting, Superintendent Dr. Jorden Schiff commended Kinst for his commitment to the district.
“Over the years, Thom’s stewardship of the Hillsborough Township schools has been characterized by thoughtful and well-researched decision making, strategic planning and fiscal responsibility,” Kinst said. “By all measures, we have moved forward as an organization while Thom has been a member.”
Kinst’s time on the board began when he first elected in April 2010. Since then, he was re-elected to two three-year terms. He most recently won a re-election bid in 2016, which was slated to end on January 6, 2019.
At the time of his regisnation, Kinst said his professional life had made serving out the remainder of his latest term difficult.
Throughout his time on the board, Schiff said Kinst sat on every available committee and had served four terms as the board’s president from 2012-2013, 2013-2014, 2014-2015, and 2015-2016.
During his statement, Schiff continued to praise Kinst for his work on the board, citing his financial acumen and belief in the district as a whole.
“Thom has been an integral member and leader of the Hillsborough Board of Education. The time and energy that he has devoted during his tenure has made this a stronger board and district,” Schiff said. “He has been a firm supporter of the good work that goes on at each and every one of our schools in our district and he has led the board when it comes to prioritizing the district’s goals while balancing the need to be fiscally responsible.”
School Board President Judith Haas and Vice President Dr. Lorraine Soisson were on hand to present Kinst with a plaque to commemorate his service on the board as Schiff spoke.
After receiving praise from his former colleagues on the board, Kinst reminisced about his time on the board and how life has changed over the years.
“When I first started, my oldest was a fifth grader here – he is now in college and now my youngest is a sixth grader here. It’s been a good run and it’s been important to see all the work that we’ve done together as a full board,” Kinst said. “While this plaque is nice, really the reward is the work and the value that you’ve brought to serving not only the district but the community.”
Last month, the school board selected Christopher Pulsifer to serve the remainder of Kinst’s term.
Recognizing the amount of work that goes into serving on the school board, Schiff said he was proud of the work that takes place every year.
“The men and women who sit at this dais twice monthly do so as volunteers. They receive no payment as part of this elected position,” Schiff said. “In addition to these board meetings, they also attend monthly committee meetings, review materials, reading minutes, attend student, school and staff events and meet with community members to get an understanding of the will of the people.”
