Dear Editor:
This letter does not reflect the opinion of the Jersey City School Board or any Board Member. These are my personal statements.
Gina Verdibello has earned an opportunity to serve on the Jersey City School Board.
It is not often that someone comes along and is a blessing to so many. Gina Verdibello works very hard to make sure our public schools have safe facilities, healthy and nutritious food, and policies that support a quality education for our 28,000 students. She attends school board meetings and advocates not just locally, but on the state level. She regularly attends state Board of Education meetings and State School Development Authority meetings regarding the district’s facility issues like roof repairs and the conditions of the many school trailers that house our Pre-K and Kindergarten students.
The district has made many repairs and upgrades to our schools thanks to her advocacy. For example, there were bathrooms in PS23 with no stall doors and a broken sink for years. When Gina brought this issue to light, they were immediately repaired. She also worked to get the trash compactor at her school repaired after being inoperative for over a year. Is this not an ideal person you would want advocating for your children on the Jersey City School Board?
She works tirelessly, looking at what could be improved and offers her time and energy to make our schools better. Her involvement with the Healthy Schools Coalition helps improve the quality of the food our children are fed every day.
In my view, Gina has already proved herself to be a great education advocate and board member. We could use more help on the school board from people like Gina, a public school mom of three and parent leader who cares deeply for all of our children and wants them to succeed. Gina is also part of the Children First Team, which includes myself and Gerald Lyons who ran in 2013 and 2014 for the Jersey City school board. Gina’s election will unite the entire Children First Team on the Jersey City school board and help us make Jersey City public schools the best they can be.
I am humbly asking the nearly 12,500 people (as well as their family and friends) who voted to elect me to the Jersey City school board to also elect Gina Verdibello this Nov. 3rd and make her role official. I also ask all registered voters who did not vote, to take the time to do so this year. Our children deserve a strong fighter and advocate for public education and Gina Verdibello is that person. Her ballot position is 2D.
Lorenzo Richardson
Resident, Taxpayer and Education Advocate