Dear Editor:
It was with great pride and excitement that I was sworn in as a new Trustee to the Hoboken Board of Education on Tuesday, Dec. 15. The appointment was to fulfill the remainder of the recently vacated term until the next election in April, 2010. There were many wonderful candidates, a true testament to the value Hoboken citizens place on community service.
I applied for the vacated position because I believe that I can be of service. I believe that my education, professional background, volunteer experiences and passion for the Hoboken Public School District made me a unique candidate.
I am a proud public school parent of three sons who attend Wallace School, the same school I attended many years ago. My post secondary education includes a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from NJCU and a Masters in Urban Planning from Hunter College.
After earning my Masters in Urban Planning, my career focused mainly in the fields of Economic and Community Development. I have worked on smaller Downtown Revitalization projects to the massive Times Square Redevelopment Project. My most recent position was a Facilities Planner for NJ Transit. All of these positions involved funding from various sources, including state and federal dollars, and required a strong commitment to the taxpayer as well as adherence to a variety of complicated guidelines.
About 12 years ago, when my oldest was an infant, I was one of the original, founding members of the Hoboken Family Alliance. I created the position of HFA Community Liaison, which I held for six years.
When my son entered the Abbott Program, I was given a seat on the Early Childhood Advisory Council. I then served on the Calabro PTO and currently sit on the Wallace PTO and the Wallace School Leadership Committee, where I have participated for five years.
In my ongoing efforts to promote the positive works of the District, about two years ago I reached out to the principal of Hoboken High School and offered to organize community tours. We have completed 12 tours to date and the community response has been overwhelmingly positive.
It has always been my hope that by reaching out to District parents, students and the entire community in a positive way, the hard working students and teachers will get the credit they deserve and the District enrollment will continue to rise. This will also assist in lowering the cost per student and increase the efficiency of existing programs.
Not only have I volunteered in almost every aspect of the District for the past ten years, I have attended every BOE meeting for the past five years. I have consistently advocated for fiscal responsibility and fairness, equality and excellence for every child in the District.
I am truly grateful and humbled by the unanimous vote on Tuesday night. I look forward to a continued positive relationship with the Board of Education and working together to move the District forward!
Yours truly,
Irene Korman Sobolov