On Tuesday, April 17, Hoboken residents will have the opportunity to choose their representatives for four seats on the nine-member, all-volunteer Board of Education.
They also will have the chance to approve or vote down the $52 million budget that the board approved last week.
This year, eight candidates are vying for three open three-year terms, while two people will vie to fill out one year of an unexpired term.
The incumbents running again are James Farina, Theresa Burns, Wanda Santana-Alicea, and (running for the one-year term) Magdalena Porrata.
Polls will be open from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m.
The candidates were asked about their background, their reasons for running, and their visions for Hoboken’s educational future.
The following are their replies in their own words.
The independents
This is the first year that Nicholas Burke and Felicia Rubino-Drasheff have run for the Board of Education. Both have children in the public school system and have been active members of Wallace Elementary School’s Parent Teacher Team.
Nicholas Burke
Burke, 39, was born and raised in Hoboken and has served on the Hoboken police force for the past 12 years. He and his wife have three children in the public school system. His uncle, Walter Fine, was a past Superintendent of Hoboken Public Schools. Burke graduated from Hoboken High School and attended Jersey City State College.
“My experience as a school safety officer and D.A.R.E. officer allowed me to interact with students and teachers on a full-time basis,” he said. “I was able to broaden my knowledge of what students’ abilities and needs were.
Like most parents, the most important issue to my family is the quality of the education that our children receive. We must insist on academic successes that are appropriate for each individual child. We must remember that parents’ relationships with their children are powerful influences in a child’s life.”
“The safety of our schools is extremely important to all parents and children in Hoboken. I would take a proactive approach to increase the school security staff and police presence in our schools. I will also take steps to implement an after-school Safe Haven program for our middle school children,” he added.
He also said that one of his priorities is to make sure high school students are better prepared.
“Our high school has educated and produced some of the most outstanding athletes in the state. I am tired of hearing people say, ‘Imagine if this kid ever went to college.’ One of my desires and goals is to make it mandatory for all senior athletes to attend after-school tutoring, as well as college prep courses. This would be to ensure that no child will finish his or her high school career without a fair chance of attending college and competing on the national college level.”
Felicia Rubino-Drasheff
Drasheff, 46, is a Hoboken native with two children in Wallace elementary school. She has been involved in the Hoboken public school system for several years, serving as president of the Parent Teacher Organization at Wallace for the past five years. She also serves on boards for the Mile Square Early Learning Center, the School Leadership Committee for Wallace School, and the Elementary Committee for the Hoboken Board of Education. Prior to raising her daughters, she worked for Citigroup as an executive assistant to the managing director of the Private Bank.
For the past 25 years, she has been judging cheerleading and dance competitions on the national, state, and local levels.
“Being independent of all current political groups, being a strong and consistent advocate for our children, serving as president of Wallace School’s Parent Teacher Team, and encouraging parents to become more actively involved in developing innovative strategies needed to improve our schools truly makes me deserving of a position on the school board,” she said.
She cited her efforts to bring back a kindergarten through eighth grade school system and her experience on the Wallace Parent-Teacher Team as an example of her efforts.
“I look forward to the privilege of working with the superintendent, our teachers, taxpayers, parents, community members, and students in developing a course of action which always places the concerns of Hoboken’s children first. If given the opportunity to serve on the Hoboken Board of Education, I plan to introduce a character education curriculum from kindergarten through 12th grade that will provide our children with the skills needed for success in their future careers, and, most importantly, in life. In addition, I will bring the experience of my tenure as president of the Wallace Parent Teacher Team to empower and encourage active parental participation in all aspects of our children’s education. As a homeowner and taxpayer, I will be diligent in ensuring that our tax dollars will be spent wisely and prudently – always placing the needs of our children first.”
The Kids First slate
Carrie Gilliard, Rose Marie Markle, Willliam Tobias, and Tricia Snyder are running on a slate called Kids First 2007. Their platform is “accountability, leadership, teamwork, and school success.” The ticket is sponsored by current board member Theresa Minutillo, who ran on the slate in 2006.
All of them have run or held posts on the board before, except for Snyder.
Carrie Gilliard
In 1996, Gilliard won a seat on the Board of Education, becoming Hoboken’s first African-American woman to hold elected office. A Hoboken resident of 30 years, she is the mother of three sons who graduated from Hoboken High School.
Gilliard is an active member of Mt. Olive Baptist Church and president of the Hoboken Chapter of the NAACP, from which she is currently on a leave of absence. She is a graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology’s Adelphi Business School, and works as a realtor and owner of a fashion accessories business.
“I have the experience and determination to make the Hoboken school district a model that we can all be proud of,” she said.
“As a school board trustee, I would make education a priority – as it should be. I pledge to work to help restore integrity at the Board of Education. I will advocate for fiscal accountability and transparency to ensure that the budget of $52 million is spent to enrich all the students in the district education.”
She added, “I will be a champion for [Demarest alternative high school], ensuring that those students also receive equal opportunity for a good education. I will fight favoritism in awarding ‘No-bid’ contracts. I will not be a rubber stamp. In the past I have proven my independence and leadership abilities by taking a stand on issues that were not in the best interest of the students – even when I had to stand alone.”
She also said, “Fiscal accountability and transparency are important issues affecting the success of the Hoboken public schools. Recent political shenanigans confirm that political patronage has no place in the Board of Education. Our students’ education is too paramount to allow a few political individuals to determine their success. The board should not be used as a springboard to build a resume for personal agenda and political platform.”
“If I am elected, I would always put the student’s education first, advocating for the students while reaching out to the parents, encouraging them to get involved in their child’s education. Parental involvement is a key component for the potential future success of Hoboken School District. As an independent, effective voice for student success, I will bring my professional skills as a negotiator and a mediator to realize equal opportunity education in all schools in the district. Presently, the alternative school is very problematic for me to embrace. Equal opportunity in education is the law. We cannot re-visit ‘separate but equal.’ The platform I stand on exhibits a common sense approach: leadership, accountability, teamwork, student success.”
Rose Marie Markle
For the past 16 years, Markle, 46, has been involved in the Hoboken schools as president of the Parent Teacher Organization at Calabro, Brandt, and Hoboken High School, as well as a member of the school planning committees for all three schools. She also worked at the high school for two years as the parent liaison.
“I have always been an advocate and supporter for all children in the district both academically and athletically,” she said.
“I am outspoken and I will speak my piece. Being a permanent fixture at board meetings for the past 16 years, I have seen my share of changes in the district – some good, and some not so good. My voice always was for the best interests of all the students. Parents and students know that I will speak up for their rights and concerns.”
“I feel that we need to challenge all students within the district. We need to have consistency among the primary school programs. Why should one school have the IB program [an advanced program for high-achieving students] and the Johns Hopkins University program, but not the other two primary schools? Shouldn’t all of the students be given the same opportunities?
“At the high school we would be able to raise the level of student achievement by offering more then just the IB program. We need to expand the curriculum to include AP, business, honors and vocational courses – something for everyone. More money needs to be spent on curriculum and classrooms.”
She added, “To help our children achieve higher goals, we need to have the help of the parents. This can only be reached if the parents feel welcome. The board needs to be more accessible, to listen to the parents’ and students’ concerns and help them in every possible way. With a budget of $52 million dollars, all of the above can be achieved through leadership, teamwork, and accountability.”
Tricia Snyder
Snyder is a professor of economics at William Paterson University. She has a PhD. in Economics from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and a B.S. in Marketing and International Business with a minor in economics from Florida State University. She and her husband Doug have a 2-and-a-half-year-old son. She has lived in Hoboken since 2000.
“As a mother, educator, and economist, I would provide a fresh and unique perspective to the school board,” she said. “As a teacher, I understand what is needed to give our students the opportunities they deserve. I teach many of the students who graduate from Hoboken High School at William Paterson University, and know what is needed to prepare our students for the challenges of college.”
“As a professor, I appreciate the importance of a solid and diverse education. As an economist, I will bring my knowledge and skills of budgeting to better plan for the future of Hoboken schools. I am fully aware that it is imperative to spend our money wisely to get the most we can for our students.”
She added, “As a mother whose child will be starting in the Hoboken school system soon, I have a vested interest in making our school system better for all of our students.”
“If Hoboken is to enhance on its long history, build stronger institutions, and create a sustainable school system it needs to build a foundation of growth and development while enhancing the structure that exists today. We have the financial ability to provide an excellent education for the students of Hoboken, but need better execution to bring the resources to our great teachers to help our schools better succeed.”
“Through greater leadership and teamwork, we can improve the Hoboken school system from the entry level Abbott programs all the way to the alternative school and high school students. As a board member, I would provide outlets to help develop well rounded students by further developing the music and art program, the IB and gifted and talented programs at all schools and at all levels, provide better vocational training for the alternative school, create dual enrollment partnerships with local vocational schools and colleges, and offer advance placement courses to expand our students’ education and better prepare them for life.”
“We need to provide all our students with the best opportunities possible. We have the resources to do so if we use those resources wisely.”
William Tobias
Tobias is an accountant at a stock trading firm in Jersey City. He has lived in Hoboken for the past seven years and ran for the Board of Education in 2006. He is a board member of the Hoboken Historical Museum & Quality of Life Coalition
“Working in the financial sector for the last 10 years, I’ve seen investment fads come and go. The lesson has been to go back to the old truth – ignore the fads and think long-term.”
“Education certainly requires thinking long-term. The students in kindergarten today will be getting ready to graduate from high school 12 years from now. They will face a job market with greater international competition. They will need to continually learn for whatever profession they’re in. When they’re 37, I’ll be 67 collecting Social Security. If they get a good education, I’ll be able to rest easier in my retirement. My focus on the board will be to prepare them for that world. So much of what is good in my life exists because my parents and teachers were thinking long-term for me. Now it is time for me to do that for others.”
“The issues facing Hoboken’s schools are not insurmountable. The schools need additional space for athletic fields and playgrounds, and that is achievable. There are many people in town ready to help reach that goal. New facilities may or may not be built by the state, but maintaining and properly using our current facilities can be done if we budget carefully.”
“Students will rise to the expectations we set for them if they’re supported. It is very common to hear someone look back at her school years and say, ‘Mrs. Smith demanded more from me. She showed me I was capable of more than I thought.’ Raising expectations – for students and staff – starts with the board. They’ve got to set the tone. We have the resources in the budget to offer all of our students what they need to succeed in life.”
“The school system cannot take anything for granted. It has to earn the trust of parents and taxpayers. The board is the starting point for that. If the board demonstrates good fiscal judgment, parents will be more likely to trust the schools. As the board works with parents and teachers to improve academics, taxpayers will have the confidence that their money is well spent.”
The four incumbents
Between the four of them, the incumbents in the election have over three decades of experience in serving the Hoboken public schools.
Theresa Burns
Burns has served on the board for the past nine years. A teacher in the Caldwell-West Caldwell School District, she has two teenage sons. Burns holds a B.A. in linguistics and an M.A. from Montclair State University. Born and raised in Jersey City, she has lived in Hoboken for the past 17 years.
“I am an experienced member of the Hoboken Board of Education who has continually advocated substantial reform within our public school system,” she said. “Ten years ago we were a district with a budget shortfall of more than a million dollars, school buildings with health and safety violations and, worst of all, too many classes where instruction centered on coloring and isolated skill and drill worksheets.”
“As an educator myself, I knew that improving classroom instruction was the key to improving the system overall. I am proud of the progress that has been made during my tenure on the board. We have attracted many highly qualified new teachers, fixed the safety issues in our schools, and improved and expanded curriculum at every grade level. Our success, while incomplete, has begun to attract new families into our schools. My experience, knowledge and dedication are all reasons why I should continue to serve on the Hoboken Board of Education.”
“We must make the Hoboken Public Schools a viable educational option for all our families. Our children deserve the best education our community can support. From a practical standpoint, good schools stabilize property values and neighborhoods. Hoboken loses far too many families to the suburbs. While backyards are nice, there are tremendous benefits to being a ‘city kid’ raised in a safe, close-knit urban community such as ours. Our schools need to become attractive to a broader range of families. The solution is to continue our progress by re-electing those members who have brought substantial change to the district and to recognize and support those who work within our schools.”
“The new superintendent has made community involvement and communication with various segments of the community a priority, and will need a board willing to work in concert with him.”
“As we continue the improvements to our facilities and the reconfiguration of our schools to better serve the educational needs of our students, we must remain sensitive to the needs and desires of individual families.” “We have already made changes to bring efficiency and accountability to our business office. Working with the new superintendent, we will be better able to align long-term district goals with expected revenue.”
James Farina
Born and raised in Hoboken, Farina, who also serves as Hoboken’s city clerk, has served on the board for over 24 years. He is currently board president. He has also served as past president of the Hoboken Little League, and the Hoboken Young Democrats.
“As a parent, coach and school board member, my lifetime goal has been to improve the lives of those we are charged with serving,” he said.
“Being a trustee means more than attending a few meetings each month. It is a full-time commitment to improving the quality of life and educational opportunities for all students. I have spent my years on the board supporting the expansion of the athletic department, infusing technology into the classrooms, increasing funding for music and art programs, an IB program that extends into the primary schools, and equality in funding for girls’ athletic programs. This year I was instrumental in reviving the school band program, and I will fight to deliver the funding required to make sure all of our students achieve high levels in standardized testing. I believe I have earned the trust of this community and I am seeking the opportunity to continue to serve.”
“We are an urban district with the same problems as other urban districts and many of the same challenges. Each year our teachers, staff and administrators struggle with the issues of unfunded mandates, outdated facilities, and the need to provide a second home for many of our students. Hoboken is an Abbott District and I will fight to make sure that the funding ordered for school improvements is delivered. Currently, two schools are under rehabilitation plans, and I intend to see a new school built during my next term.”
He also expressed his pride in the district’s Early Childhood Program.
“I am proud of our Early Childhood Program. It has been praised as among the best in the state. I will support expanded funding so that Hoboken families will be able to begin a pleasant school experience in our district and have the confidence to remain in the system.”
Magdalena Porrata
Magdalena Porrata was elected to the board in 2004. She has lived in Hoboken for the past 16 years, serving for four years on the board of the Elysian Charter School, which her daughter attends. She is a board member of the Mile Square Theatre, and serves on the scholarship committee of the Hoboken Puerto Rican Cultural Committee. She earned a B.A. in economics at Fordham University and a J.D. from New York University School of Law. She has worked as Counsel for The Equitable and the American Express Company. She currently assists in managing family-owned businesses, which include real estate properties.
“I am a believer in parent participation in the educational process,” she said. “This is evidenced by my active involvement in my daughter’s and grandchildren’s education, public service, and community involvement. I am running for re-election because I am committed to our children, our community, and to educational excellence for all students. As a product of a public school system, I am aware of the challenges faced in providing educational opportunities that address the needs of all students.”
“I will continue to use my skills and experience to advocate for programs that serve and address the needs of the ‘whole’ student for all public school students and instill a love and desire to learn. Ensuring that we have necessary state-of-the-art facilities and open space to meet the educational needs of our students are challenges facing the district. I will continue to advocate for funding from state to support our school construction plans and ensure that we explore options for land acquisition.”
“I will advocate that we collaborate and form an affiliation with the W Hotel and its corporate parent to develop a program that would expose and prepare students to careers in the hospitality industry. I will ensure that the Vocational H.S. program has the requisite resources to provide a meaning and challenging option for our students. I will continue to support programs such as our affiliation with John Hopkins University and the proposed collaboration with Hoboken University Medical Center.”
Wanda M. Santana-Alicea
Alicea has served on board since 2001, serving as a past president and vice president. She was born in Jersey City and lived there for 26 years before moving to Hoboken. Of Puerto Rican descent, she is fluent in both Spanish and English.
She is married to Angel Alicea II, a detective in the Union City Police Department. She has two sons who attend Wallace Primary School. She is executive director of the CFCS Friendship Corner Day Care I & II in Paterson, and has a master’s in Early Childhood Education and Supervision.
“The most important issue facing our schools is to provide educational opportunities to all children at different levels,” she said. “I am a strong supporter of general academics and that all children can learn. I am also very realistic in the goals I set for myself as a board member. I know the district is moving forward and we have raised the bar, but we cannot forget those that are not traditional learners. We must provide all children options and guidance that will assist in their success as a student. Providing the district with opportunities to seek out non-traditional funds and grants will allow us to expand our current Alternative School’s curriculum and programs.”
“I would also support the expansion of the John Hopkins Program to other elementary schools as well as the district’s Gifted and Talented program with an expansion and emphasis on the ‘talented’ side of the program. I would like an assessment of the Special Education program and see how we can implement changes and improvements where necessary.”
“It is no secret that we are beginning to grow out of space, and have the need to improve and update many of our labs and learning areas. I would like to begin this endeavor at the start of the 2007-2008 school year with the support of the new superintendent, facilities director, and board members. Discussion will afford all of us the opportunity to develop a plan on how we will be accommodating these areas and what we will need to provide our students with state-of-the-art science, computer, music and math labs.”