Dear Editor:
My name is Vera Sirota and I have a daughter in the Hoboken Public Schools Early Childhood Education Program. I am writing to share my thoughts about the upcoming Board of Education (BOE) election on November 3rd.
With great delight and joy, I have seen my daughter blossom over the last year as she entered the Joseph F. Brandt School as a preschool student. She has been nurtured by a caring and dedicated team of educators and administrators. She has grown in innumerable ways as a student and person. I am immensely grateful to the staff members who have invested their time, patience, and energy in helping my daughter.
As I evaluate the two slates of candidates who are running for the coveted school Board positions, I would like to share my thought process about how I will evaluate them and ultimately cast my vote.
First and foremost, I will be interested in learning how the candidates have demonstrated their commitment to the students and teachers in Hoboken’s public schools. Have they volunteered their time or efforts in any capacity? Have they tried to make a difference by offering up their talents and expertise in service of Hoboken’s learners?
Second, I am looking for the candidates who offer up a positive vision for moving Hoboken public schools forward. Do they use an approach that honors the best interests of our scholars? Do they think creatively and act collaboratively in accomplishing goals?
Based on these criteria, the choice to me is plainly obvious. I will be voting for the Reach Higher Hoboken slate: Tom Kluepfel, Sheillah Dallara, and Addys Velez. They are two local moms and one dad with children who have graduated, or are currently enrolled, in the Hoboken public schools. They will look out for Hoboken’s children, including my own.
Many people, including some of my own friends, may wonder: why bother? Why care? How is this relevant to my life? What difference does it make?
This is my answer. In the United States, real estate and public schools are intimately intertwined. For resident homeowners, regardless of where your children are enrolled in school, you have a vested interest in upholding thriving public schools. The value of your home depends on it.
Finally, the Board of Education trustees will be making crucial decisions and setting the direction of our schools. Who do you want in charge? Personally, I always seek out positive, proactive candidates who are already engaged with the public school system and have an understanding of the beauty of our school communities and the unique challenges that they face. I also seek the candidates who will look out for all of Hoboken’s children: whether they live on Bloomfield Street, to Jackson Street, from Garden Street, to Monroe. I want the candidates who will advocate for our students with great vigor, with passion, and with all of their hearts.
Please cast your vote 2 4 6 on November 3rd. I will be doing the same.
Vera Sirota