Somers Point School Superintendent Ted Pugliese, left, accepts the donation from Shore Medical Center President and CEO David Hughes. (Photo courtesy of Shore Medical Center)
Somers Point schools will retain a security officer courtesy of Shore Medical Center.
A $35,000 to the district will pay for the position that would have been cut due to budget constraints, Superintendent Ted Pugliese explained.
“We’ve had to make some difficult decisions this year, including cutting 15 positions to balance our budget,” Pugliese said. “Thanks to the generosity of Shore Medical Center, we are now able to retain one of our most critical positions — a school security officer at Jordan Road School, our middle school where the need is greatest.”
The position being retained is not only a school security officer but also serves in the official state designated role of school safety specialist, overseeing safety protocols and coordination across the entire district.
Without the donation, that responsibility would have had to be absorbed by other personnel, potentially impacting the district’s overall safety readiness.
“I’ve known Ted since his days as principal of St. Joseph Regional School, and I’ve always admired his dedication to our youth,” Shore President and CEO David Hughes said. “When he approached us about the loss of the school’s security officer, we immediately asked what was needed. We didn’t want to just help — we wanted to solve the problem entirely.”
This donation is part of Shore's longstanding commitment to the community, upholding its mission of mutual care where the community supports Shore, and Shore supports the community in return, he explained.
“We are more than just a hospital — we are neighbors, family members and friends,” Hughes said. “Supporting our schools is a natural extension of our mission of caring for our community.”
The Somers Point School District serves students from pre-K through eighth grade. The restored security officer position will be in place for the upcoming 2025–2026 school year.
Pugliese added that the district continues to work closely with the local police department, the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office, and other partners to maximize all available resources and programs that promote school safety.
“This generous gift gives us peace of mind and allows us to focus on providing a strong, safe educational environment for our students,” he said. “We are blown away by Shore Medical Center’s generosity.”
