Dear Editor:
I am writing to explain why I am supporting Irene Sobolov for election to Hoboken Board of Education. While stories in the press describe a woman with business experience and a decade of impressive contributions as a volunteer including her recent Citizen of the Year award from the Hoboken Elks, I’d like to provide a more personal view. Irene has been instrumental in encouraging parents to seriously consider the Hoboken public school system as an option for their kids. Irene encouraged me to take a close look and attend the school open houses. What I discovered surprised me: administrators, teachers and support staff that are professional and caring, well maintained schools and great kids. It was enough to overcome any anxiety I had about choosing where my child would attend school. Irene also alerted me to the Senior Prep Day at Hoboken High School (now called Career Day), an opportunity for community members to speak to high school students about career choices. Visiting the high school dispelled all the misconceptions I had about it. Finally, Irene motivated me to attend a Board of Education Meeting over a year ago and I’ve been attending regularly since then. My story is not unique; Irene has opened the eyes of many Hoboken parents with the result that parents are getting involved and the Hoboken school system is stronger for it. Until her appointment as Board trustee, Irene has served as the de facto ambassador for the Hoboken public school system. With her election to the Board I am confident she will continue to reach out to parents while working to improve the quality, visibility and perception of the Hoboken public school system.
Yours sincerely,
Gregory W. Bond