Dear Editor:
Kids First candidates, Jean Marie Mitchell, Clifford Godfrey and Steve Feinstein share ideals, values and characteristics necessary to be effective and committed members of the Hoboken Board of Education. They share a passion for giving back to their community and are confident that the life skills they bring to the district will support the good work that has already begun with current Kids First members Board President Rose Markle, Board Vice President Theresa Munitillo, Irene Sobolov, Leon Gold and Ruth McCallister.
Being a member of the Hoboken Board of Education requires an individual to wear many different hats, commit substantial amounts of personal time to working on Board committees and read everything from curriculum plans to financial agreements. Steve Feinstein spent four years on the Elysian Charter School Board of Trustees and has much experience with the business side of what it takes to keep a school running smoothly. He is a lawyer in private practice, the program coordinator for the Consortium for Worker Education and volunteers at the Liberty Humane Society shelter. Steve’s breadth of knowledge and experience lends itself to being a competent and capable member of the Hoboken Board of Education.
Board members set school policy, hire the district superintendent, review curriculum and focus on the school budget. Like Jean Marie Mitchell, they have to be present at meetings to know what is going on and to vote on resolutions. During Jean Marie’s first year as a board member she did not miss a meeting. She is a person who is accountable and takes ownership for her actions and beliefs.
A successful and effective Board of Education in Hoboken needs individuals knowledgeable of and committed to public schools with education at the forefront of the agenda. Clifford Godfrey strikes me as an individual of this caliber. While studying at Stevens Institute of Technology he joined the National Society of Black Engineers and served as the Pre-College Initiative Chairman. He has worked with children coaching basketball, continues his community involvement as a Project Manager for the NDCRC (a subsidiary if the Newark Housing Authority) and is currently an assistant coach for the South Orange Middle School Basketball Team.
These three individuals will further the progress Kids First has set out to accomplish; to make a positive difference in the lives of the children who attend the Hoboken Public Schools. After all, continuing to make a positive difference is what this election is about.
Vote Kids First Candidates Clifford Godfrey 3A, Jean Marie Mitchell 4A and Steve Feinstein 5A on April 27!
Respectfully,
Patricia Kelly