Dear Editor:
I am writing to express my strong support for the Kids First School Board ticket of Tom Kluepfel, Jeanne Marie Mitchell and Ruth McAllister. Tom is one of the founders of the Elysian Charter School which my two sons attend, so I know firsthand that he has the knowledge and commitment that the Hoboken School District needs. Ruth and Jeanne Marie have been crucial members of the Kids First team that has focused for three years on ensuring that our school tax dollars are spent the way they should be – on providing a challenging education for our children. Through an expanding AP program, hands on science programs with new science labs and so much more, they are ensuring that our children have the opportunity for a high quality education. In addition, since Kids First won the School Board majority in 2009, school taxes have been kept flat every year, near the minimum levels permitted by State law, and those tax dollars have been invested where they belong – in the classroom.
Positive change takes time, but Kids First has our schools on the right track. Our children are entitled to the best possible public education that we can provide, and the Kids First team will make sure that is what they receive. There have been a lot of misleading statistics bandied about during this election season spreading misinformation about the state of our schools. One newspaper story ludicrously based its unfair claims about our schools on the transient nature of some of Hoboken’s population without even considering the quality of the education our schools actually provide. The fact is, as every Hoboken resident knows, many of our residents are transient but more people than ever are choosing to stay in our great town, and Kids First is committed to continuing the progress that our schools have made these past three years.
The truth about our schools can best be found by visiting our schools, and meeting our great teachers and students. On Wednesday, October 24th Hoboken High School will be holding an open house from 6:30 – 9:00 p.m. My son will be starting High School next year (time really flies, doesn’t it?) so I’ll be there to learn more, together with other Hoboken families, about all that our High School has to offer.
I urge everyone to learn as much as they can about our schools, and to vote for Tom Kluepfel, Jeanne Marie Mitchell and Ruthie McAllister (Ballot positions KLM) on Tuesday, November 6th.
Mayor Dawn Zimmer