Deitz closing the book on service to education Former Manalapan resident to be honored by local foundation BY TALI ISRAELI Staff Writer Marcia Deitz With more than 30 years of dedicated service to improving education in Monmouth County, former Manalapan resident Marcia Deitz has a lot to be proud of as she steps down from most of her public positions. Deitz, 70, who now lives in Jackson, began her work in education in the early 1970s as a member of the Manalapan-Englishtown Regional School District Board of Education. “When I moved [to Man-alapan in 1967] it was just beginning to grow. I think it is a great school district,” she said. Deitz said that as the first woman to serve on the Manalapan-Englishtown board, she was not given a chance to make an impact on significant areas in the school district. Therefore, she said she concentrated on improving nutrition in the cafeterias and safety issues with the transportation department. “It’s amazing what you can do with what they think you can’t do,” she said about shining a light on two small areas of the education system. Deitz’s work continued over the next 30 years as she dedicated her time to serving on several different educational boards in Monmouth County. She is a former member of the Monmouth County Vocational-Technical School District, the Monmouth-Ocean Educational Services Commission (MOESC) and the New Jersey School Boards Association (NJSBA) board of directors. She was also a representative to the NJSBA’s Delegate Assembly, president of the Monmouth County School Boards Association and president of the state Council of Educational Services Commissions. Deitz, who lived in Manalapan for 38 years, has recently retired from the numerous positions she held in Monmouth County after moving to an adult community in Jackson. She said she will use her free time to focus on her health and her other hobbies. The spirited woman was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which involves scarring of the lungs. The disease can have symptoms including shortness of breath, chronic dry hacking, fatigue and weakness and discomfort in the chest. “It’s time to work with the disease I have because I can see the effects of it now,” she said. However, Deitz will continue to serve on the board of the Monmouth-Ocean Foundation for Children as a member and chairwoman of the fundraising committee. On March 31, the foundation will honor Deitz for her many years of service as president of the MOESC and a member of the foundation. “I feel very honored to be recognized,” Deitz said. “I felt honored that they trusted me in my leadership. That’s the nice part.” According to Tim Nogueira, superintendent of schools for the MOESC, the foundation’s mission is to improve the educational experience for children and students of all ages. Nogueira said Deitz has been a tremendous driving force in the development and success of the foundation and the commission. “It’s rare to find someone in public service who has dedicated as many years as she has,” he said. For Deitz, there are numerous accomplishments she can be proud of, including her involvement in the expansion of vocational schools in Monmouth County. According to Deitz, there are presently five full-time vocational schools in Monmouth County that have expanded their areas of focus over the years. “Am I proud of that, you bet. You just put the seed there and it germinates,” Deitz said. She is also proud of her involvement on the state level with the NJSBA, the numerous programs she developed and awareness she raised in areas including nutrition, vandalism and violence. “I generally thought out of the box. I am proud of the insight I had. You don’t have to limit thinking,” she said. Deitz believes people should be open to allowing things to expand and to seeing new horizons. “Life just presents itself, it opens up to situations and when you grab it and do it, it just evolves,” she said.