I just received this message from Shelley Skinner, founder of Jersey City Families for Better Schools. I wish the organization could make an endorsement, but I think holding back a year to understand the political as well as educational landscape of these multi-layered issues is definitely wise. Building trust through thoughtful and informative debate is essential at this point.

Althea
Jersey City Family Initiative

ANNOUNCEMENT

Jersey City Families For Better Schools (JCFBS) has made the very difficult decision not to endorse any candidates this year. Our organization is very new and we wish to provide our members and the wider Jersey City community with the best and most complete information.

Therefore, we believe at this time it would be premature and a disservice for JCFBS to endorse any one particular candidate. The Forum on April 5th was an opportunity for the community to learn more about each candidate, and we hope this helped the voting public to make an informed decision come election day.

The Forum was a very successful learning experience for our young organization and was a spring board for many things, including future projects, community forums and town hall meetings on education. We will be spending this next term working with the Board of Education to build an informative resource based website for the community. We also anticipate not only endorsing candidates next year, but also to run our own slate of candidates as well.

We welcome any and all Jersey City residents to help in this endeavor.

If you have any ideas or want to become involved in our growing organization please contact me at 201-876-8470.

Sincerely,

Shelley Skinner
Founder
JC Families for Better Schools

Quote:

Well, that's an odd group, since Ben Lopez works for the County....very interesting.

I would love to hear who Sue Mack is endorsing, I'm a Sue Mack fan!

There was an ad in today's Jersey Journal with Mayor Healy and County Executive DeGise endorsing the JCEA slate of Valentin, Garcia and DeHere.

Ballon's statement

Moses M. Ballon Jr.

? Is a life-time resident of Jersey City. Loving husband of Saundra L. Ballon for over thirty years and the proud father of five children, LaKesha, Faarah, Syiedah, Shawn, and Tonya (deceased); and eight grandchildren.

? Elected President of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employee (AFSCME) Local 2254 in 1996. He worked endlessly to secure better wages and working conditions for the Jersey City Medical Center employees.

? Community Activist; involved with and member of several committees, either currently or past. The African-American Leadership Council, the Administrative Council of New Jersey, the Jersey City Million Man March Coalition. Member of the Martin Luther King Drive Redevelopment Plan Steering Committee, Vice Chair of Jersey City Brownfields Redevelopment Committee. Former member of the NJ AFL-CIO Health Affairs Advisory Committee and the Executive Board of Council 52.

? Former Program Coordinator for the Jersey City Construction Trades Training Program for Women & Minorities; funded By the New Jersey Department of Labor and School Construction Corporation (SCC).

? Currently employed as a Project Monitor for the City of Jersey City, the Department of Administration, Division of Economic Opportunity; there we monitor tax abated project to see if they are in compliance with the City wishes to assure employment opportunities for City residents.


Achievements

? NJ AFL-CIO Health Affairs Advisory Committee, instrumental in the plan to bring indigent Care funding to the State of New Jersey, resulting in Jersey City Medical Center/Greenville Hospital receiving over $25,000,000 dollars annually in indigent care funding.

? Successfully secured approximately $250,000 annually for Brownfield information and training for Jersey City residents.

? Active in the preparation and implementation of the Jersey City Construction Trades Training Program for Women & Minorities, under the Abbott vs. Burke decision; from this decision Jersey City was Awarder $1,500,000,000 of these dollars the training program should receive $7,500,000 for outreach and training.

? He was Campaign Headquarters? Office Manager, for the late Senator/Mayor Glen D. Cunningham. In the November 8, 2005 election he served as a field coordinator, in which Governor elect Jon Corzine and his entire democratic team were elected to office.




ON APRIL 17, 2007 VOTE A2

Jenny Garcia's statment:

Jenny Garcia has long been an advocate and dedicated parent not only for the benefit of
her own children, but those in her neighborhood as well. She is the mother of five children
who all attend public school in Jersey City. In fact four of her children have learning disabilities,
which is one of the reasons why she is committed, to ensuring the safety of our more vulnerable
students. Those with special needs who rely on the system to provide them with the best education
possible. Jenny and her husband a dedicated worker, father, and husband, who is a member of his
local union have been married for seventeen years.

Ms. Garcia currently serves on the Special Education Parent Advisory Council, for the Jersey City school system. She is the voice of concern for our children, also volunteering and representing children with special needs from the WIN and ACCESS program at McNair Academic, and Christa McAuliffe #28 school. She is the Vice president of the Parents Council at Christa McAuliffe. Her community activities also encompass her serving as a volunteer Sunday school teacher for the past twelve years at St. Paul of the Cross church. She has worked diligently to involve children with special needs in these activities.

She also serves as children's choir director for special events, at her church. Jenny also
serves as Vice president of the St. Paul of the Cross Rosary Society, and is a member of
the St. Anne's Rosary Society. She was previously employed as a vocal instructor at the
Kennedy Dancers Repertory Center.

Jenny is currently undergoing volunteer training from the Statewide Parent Advocacy Network (SPAN). As well as volunteer along with her daughter, for a new pilot program sponsored by the Jersey City
public schools Department of Special Education, through The Statewide Parent Advocacy Network. A
Transition Camp for five Saturdays at New Jersey City University for students with disabilities and their parents. The experience seeks to empower students with disabilities to become strong self-advocates for their personal success. Students will be taught essential skills of self-advocacy, and the rewards of self determination.

this is Angel Valentin's background and statement:

Angel L. Valentin
8-7-56

I was born and raised in Jersey City and I come from a family of 14 children. I graduated from Ferris High School in Jersey City and I have a degree from Livingston College-Rutgers University in Media Arts/Communication and Puerto Rican Studies. Additionally, I have a certification from the State of New Jersey as a Certified Social Worker and the Administrative Office of the Courts-Family Track and Mediation.

Upon graduation from Rutgers-Livingston I became an Educational Counselor with Aspira Inc. of New Jersey and later became the Center Coordinator for its Jersey City office. I have over 30 years of experience in the area of educational advocacy and social services with various non-profit organizations such as the YWCA of Hudson County, Catholic Community Services, PACO. In addition for 15 years I worked as Case Manager for the Hudson County-Juvenile Family Crisis Intervention Unit/ Family Court.

Currently I am employed as a Special Grants Manager for the Jersey City Employment and Training program and previously serve as an Aide to Jersey City Acting Mayor L. Harvey Smith.

I was a former member of the Board of Trustees at Hudson County Community College an active member of the Jersey City Puerto Rican Heritage Festival and Parade Committee, and the Pew Foundation Civic Entrepreneur Initiative a national project which consist of participants from Santa Ana, Providence, Honolulu, Greensboro, Albuquerque, Baton Rouge, Lexington, Anchorage, Shreveport and Jersey City. In 2002 I was appointed to the Jersey City Board of Education by the State Commissioner of Education William Librera and April 2005 I was elected by the voters of Jersey City to serve on the Public Schools Board of Education.

I have two children Krystal, Angel l. Valentin Jr. and nineteen nephews and nieces who attend our Jersey City Public Schools. I have always been there for the children of Jersey City with a proven performance in the delivery of services.

Mia Scanga is endorsing McCann and possibly Lopez. She has an interview with McCann nad Valentin on her site.

Tuesday, April 17th - JC Board of Ed election
The election is Tuesday, April 17th. The polls are open from 2 PM to 9PM. This is a low voter turn-out election so EVERY VOTE COUNTS.... Three seats are open.
Since the state took over the schools in 1989, the annual operating budget has skyrocketed by 244% over 19 years while the student population is only up 19% including the charter schools students.

Being a parent is not enough of a qualification to be on the Board with a school district whose spending is out of control and still has poor test scores. The issues are more complex and we need people to challenge Dr Epps and his spending. Keep in mind the current funding by JC taxpayers is a mere 18% and the suburban school districts are clamoring for more aid from the state at our expense. Tax abated million dollar condos do not pay a dime towards the $633 million school budget! Read the Star Ledger and see plenty of press on this issue...

This show is streaming on our website so you can decide for yourself. From my observations, I can only endorse Gerald McCann ( 7A ), who was on the show, and possibly Ben Lopez ( 4A ). They have knowledge of the school district, financial expertise, aren't tied to the teachers union, and won't be relunctant to demand answers. You can be sure our % contribution towards the school budget will continue to increase + the annual spending increases + the looming property tax revaluation, will bankrupt us... We must have people on the board asking the tough questions and get the spending down....
Show Schedules:
Jersey City - Comcast's public access Channel 51
Mondays at 9:30 PM
Wednesdays at 8:30 PM
Thursdays at 7:30 PM

Hoboken, North Bergen, Weehawken and Union City - Cablevision's public access Channel 19-
Thursdays at 9:30 PM
Saturdays at 8 PM

36 of our shows stream off our website! Watch them any time, any where...... this show will be up in the

This suggestion might be too late, but as there appear to be no endorsements planned by any person or group whose views I support and/or respect, here goes:

Althea, would it be possible for JCFBS to ask all 11 candidates to post on this thread (1) why they are running for the Board of Education, and (2) what they will do if elected? I think taking the time to reach out directly to concerned and motivated voters would be more beneficial than letting our local media act as a filter to get their message out. Thanks in advance for considering this.

Ed board candidate a 'mover'

Friday, April 13, 2007
By KEN THORBOURNE
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

Jersey City school board candidate Jenny Campbell now says she never left Jersey City.

But according to an investigation conducted by the county's superintendent of elections, Campbell was telling the truth last week when she told a room of 60 people that she and her family moved to East Orange in December, said a school official who did not want to be named.

According to the official, the Board of Education received a letter from the county superintendent of elections Wednesday that states Campbell - parent of four students in the district, three of them at School 16 - moved out of her Astor Place home last December.

State law requires school board candidates to have lived in the district continuously for at least a year before they file to run. Campbell filed to run in March and the election is next Tuesday .

The official said it is now up to the school district to decide if it wants to legally challenge Campbell's candidacy.

Charlotte Kitler, general counsel for the Board of Education, acknowledged the county-level investigation, but declined to comment about its findings or say what action the board might take.

Last Thursday, at a debate sponsored by the parent group Jersey City Families for Better Schools held at School 37, Campbell publicly admitted she moved to East Orange because of ongoing construction work on the foundation of her Astor Place home.

Campbell later told a reporter she and her husband own the home in East Orange, but they are likely to move back to Jersey City in September when the foundation work is likely to be complete. But yesterday, she denied ever having said she left town.

"I sleep and eat in Jersey City," Campbell said. "Yes, my primary address is on Astor Place. That's where I live."

And in a letter sent to Kitler yesterday, Campbell requested the Board of Education investigate where the current nine school board members and 10 other candidates running in next week's election eat, sleep, vote and own property.

If you can't measure performance, there is no way you can manage it.

The basic challenge of the JC BoE is holding the system, its managers, and the BoE itself, accountable for the performance they deliver or fail to deliver -- qualitatively and financially.

Without an effective system to measure performance of the school system and performance of its board (collectively and individually) against objectively established criteria, and regular report cards (a radical notion here) of performance against the criteria, publicly disclosed, there can be no accountability. (What I'm suggesting here goes far beyond the standardized performance tests students are already required to take.)

The use of performance measurement systems is standard fare in properly managed medium and large sized corporations and institutions. With a budget measured in the hundred of millions, not having such a system in place by the time full control reverts back to the JC BoE would be an omission of the greatest proportions. (Perhaps the same statement can be made also with respect to the administration of Jersey City, as well.)

All the best.

G

This was posted by GrovePath in another thread, but I thought I would post it here since this is where the main discussion is taking place.

by GrovePath on 2007/4/8 9:28:39

Their chance to stand out in the crowd
9 school board candidates talk issues at debate

Saturday, April 07, 2007
By KEN THORBOURNE
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

With two of three incumbents up for re-election dropping from the contest, the Jersey City school board election has stoked more interest than usual. And the presence of an ex-mayor and former hoops star on the ballot hasn't hurt.

Nine of the 11 candidates vying for the three seats up for grabs in the April 17 election participated Thursday night in a forum at School 37 organized by the Jersey City Families for Better Schools, a newly formed parents group.

Moderated by New York Times reporter John Holl, the two-hour event gave candidates an opportunity to score points with the roughly 60 persons who attended.

Except for former Jersey City Gerald McCann, former City Councilman Ben Lopez, and school board incumbent Angel Valentin, the hopefuls have never held elected office.

Three of the candidates - Valentin, Jenny Garcia and Jenny Campbell - have children enrolled in Jersey City public schools.

Garcia - a mother of four students with learning disabilities - offered the most heartfelt "I don't know" of the evening when she was asked what she'd cut to save money in the district's $600 million school budget.

"How do you tell a parent we're going to cut this and that?" Garcia said. "If you don't have a child in the system, you can't make an informed decision."

Campbell admitted she hasn't lived in the district since December, but says she'll move back as soon as work is completed on the foundation of her Astor Place home. She says she expects the work to be done by September.

Former NBA star and St. Anthony High School standout Lennox "Terry" Dehere offered up the novel idea of hiring more employees to save money.

Reacting to stories in The Jersey Journal about excessive overtime payments to custodians and painters in the district, Dehere argued if the district had more employees there'd be less need to pay overtime.

Seeking vindication, Michael Esposito, president of the Hudson Gardens Council, claimed he was "robbed" last year when he ran for the board and lost by 40 votes. "We need to take politics out of education," he said.

McCann elicited the night's biggest chuckle when a Jersey City resident who teaches in Bergen County asked what the candidates would do about bad administrators.

"I've fired more people in Jersey City than everybody here," McCann said. "I've fired cops, so I can easily fire teachers."

Moses Ballon, a project monitor with the city's Division of Economic Opportunity, promised if elected to create "focus groups" to determine remedies for the school system.

Lopez, who runs the county's Department of Family Services, said the board needed to act as an "Inspector General" to identify "efficiencies" and root out waste.

Arnold Williams, a former city employee, had the most Oprah-ish moment of the evening when he revealed he's a former crack addict and was a victim of sexual abuse. Now addiction-free, he can relate to "on the brink" students, he said.

Quote:

How come Fulop is not endorsing any of the candidates? I remember he did endorse three candidates last year -- but I don't think any of them won. I agree with alb that it would be great to have endorsements from JCFBS. Re Althea's question, I don't think it's useful for an organization to endorse more candidates than it's possible to vote for -- most people will use the endorsement because they don't have time/energy to do the research themselves; if several candidates were endorsed, the voter would still have to decide amongst them.

Theoretical question:

Say in the coming years JCFBS comes up with their own candidates... not just endorsing candidates, but fully running candidates, should JCFBS only endorse and/or run three candidates?

I have been thinking and it seems to me that the public would want to know and have endorsed by JCFBS any and all candidates that meet the JCFBS criteria (whatever that may be). This might be 2 candidtes or 5... It just seems completely unfair for anyone to endorse just three or always three.

Does this make sense?

Althea

That is really sweet. However, i would be in the category of "passionate and well intentioned, but knows nothing!" That's not what we need right now. We need candidates who can hit the ground running. We need a candidate that can say, "the last superintendent had 9 administrative staff and this one has 34, let me see the books!"

Too bad I can't be in some clerical position where I can have access information, legally public information that is and get a better sense of how things work. Now that would be useful. We need informational booklets for parents. Hopefully this will be one of the next steps.

Althea



Quote:

Just to be clear here. JC Family Intiative is a wonderful, but non-profit (meaning non-political) parenting group for families living in Jersey City. They will never endorse or run candidates for the elected positions as per their tax status.

Jersey City Families for Better Schools (JCFBS) is a newly formed group with the sole purpose of creating an excellent schooling system in JC. This organization was founded and run by Shelly Skinner and JC Family offers this organization any and all support possible. JCFBS is able to go way beyond JC Family's limitations and focus on one goal.

Alb- When I asked about Fulop and putting all our eggs in his basket, he's not running or endorsing a slate of candidates either. I'd like to think that since Fulop is a representative that is genuinely interested and willing to help, that he is more of one of the partners in this fight for a better school system.

Why don't you run, Althea? You have certainly shown more commitment and initiative than any of the candidates currently running.

If I know my vote wouldn't be wasted, I would put you in the "personal choice" vote.

I remember the first time I voted in JC for the BOE elections. Voting was held in a school and I made the mistake of getting there just as school was about to let out. I thought I would have to wait in a long line of parents. After all, this was staged in a school!

I was the second person that day and there was no line.

Seemed strange to me.... i mean, it was at a school where adults come to pick up their kids. It was right there.

Apathy.

Quote:

I will make no excuses for anyone and your concerns are very valid.
I will ask her to get in contact with you and with her permission I will post why she has been " absent" the last 2 months from anything other than O.E.M or family matters.

Pink,

Sanchez did not show up for the JCFBS forum on 4/5/07, nor did she even respond to the multiple invitations sent to asking for a written statement and if she would attend. I find this surprising given her statement in the press about connecting with parents.

I am both a core member and organizer of both Jersey City Family Initiative and Jersey City Families for Better Schools. Both groups are working tirelessly to give parents more information so they can make better decisions.

I value your opinion very highly, so if you know Aida Sanchez and believe she should be considered a viable choice, please do have her contact either group or myself so we can find out more about her. Otherwise, i'm afraid that we have very little to go on and many people won't vote for based simply on that.

Althea

Quote:


I happen to know Aida Sanchez, she's highly intelligent, (not a political hack) even though she did work for an elected official.
She has very good common sense and even though she does not have the experience in the school system, I would feel more confident with her over the other contenders, she has a mind of her own, and that would be a welcome addition vs some sock-puppet.

As far as your other choices:
I do feel Terry Dehere will make a nice addition.
I like Jenny Campbell she seems very sincere.

Not sure on that one, but he's a sleeze!

Don't tell me his friend drives a mercedes and his mom is 'at large'?

Quote:

Smart move, and one day I will tell you all a very story re: AW but for now I will say NO WAY ARNOLD WILLIAMS!

Pinky, after reading his effort the other night, it seems his 'heart' might be in it, but his 'brain' isn't. (That's why the edit)

FAB- trust me on this one~ Arnold Williams is a major NO!!

Quote:

Round 2 Contenders:

Ben Lopez - "I am a product of the Jersey City school system? That?s the worst comment I have heard, as a reason to be on the board.

Gerald McCann ? convicted fraud felon and full of siht

Aida Sanchez ? Still just an ?assistant or deputy? and needs more experience.

Angel L. Valentin ? 5 years on the school board and was well aware of the family boom and influx of new residents hitting JC and has achieved what?

Arnold Williams - "I want to deal with the issue of a school system that is run by people who do not live in Hudson County, and many of the teachers in Jersey City have kids in private schools."
Teachers? having their own kids in private schools (speaks volumes to me) and the school system run by people outside of the Hudson County area is a good option in my book! The only problem is that his previous drug addiction could haunt him by his 'associates' in those years.



FAT-ASS-BIKE'S VOTES ARE

1. JENNY CAMPBELL
2. JENNY GARCIA
3. DEHERE - ROLE MODEL APPEAL ONLY VOTE

PS, What a sad line up of contenders - most of them don't have an ideal background.

Who's running for school board - part two
Eleven candidates on ballot for April 17 election

Ricardo Kaulessar
Reporter staff writer | 04/06/2007

Last week's edition of the Jersey City Reporter profiled the first six of the 11 candidates running for the three seats on the Jersey City Board of Education.

This week's edition features the other five candidates.

One incumbent is running again, Angel Valentin. The other 10 candidates are: Moses Ballon, Jenny Campbell, Terry Dehere, Michael Esposito, William Frasca, Jenny Garcia, Ben Lopez, Gerald McCann, Aida Sanchez, and Arnold Williams. This year's elections take place on April 17 from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The board consists of nine members with three-year terms. Members take on an advisory role to state-appointed Schools Superintendent Charles Epps.

The board oversees one of the largest and most heavily funded school systems in New Jersey, with state aid of $425 million for the 2006-2007 school year, which will be decreased by over $3 million for the next school year. The total budget for the Jersey City school system is $599 million for the present year of 2006-2007. The school board approved the budget for the 2007-2008 school year at $632 million at a special board meeting on March 29, an increase of over $33 million.

The Jersey City school system is currently under state control and has been since 1989. But legislation was approved in 2005 that will start the process of moving control back into city supervision in the next couple of years.
Meet the rest of the candidates

Here are quotes from five of the candidates running for the board. They were asked why they are running, and what issue they will tackle if elected.

Ben Lopez
Lopez is currently the director of the Hudson County Department of Family Services, former business administrator for Jersey City, and a former city councilman. He is a graduate of Ferris High School and Princeton University.

After graduating from Princeton University, Lopez worked for the C.E.T.A. (Comprehensive Employment and Training Act Program). He also served as the executive director of the Jersey City Employment & Training Program.

"I am a product of the Jersey City school system and I am concerned with the conditions of the school system. Through my work as the director of family services, I come across many young people who graduate with an inability to progress further. Because of my direct involvement with the failings of the school system, I want to go in there and be part of the solution."

"First thing when elected is I would recommend to the state an inspector general to go with board members to identify physical plant problems that affect our children's education."

Gerald McCann
McCann was the Jersey City mayor from 1981-1985, 1989-1992; removed from the mayor's office in 1992 after being convicted in federal court on charges of fraud and tax evasion (for business activities unrelated to the office of mayor).

He was the special projects manager for the Jersey City Incinerator Authority from 2002 to 2005. He currently works in real estate development.

"I look at the other board members and I see that I have it all in one person in terms of the experience with the public school system. I have a degree in secondary education, and I taught at Ferris High School and at St. Peter's College. When I was mayor, I got two schools built, School 28 and 17."

"Obviously, [the big issue] is the budget. I went to the last Board of Education meeting where they were about to pass the budget for the next school year. But I was only one to point out that they did not have a balanced budget, as their revenues came up to $599 million but the budget had increased to $632 million, a $41 million difference."

Aida Sanchez
Sanchez worked as an officer manager/assistant for late Mayor Glenn D. Cunningham. She is employed currently as deputy coordinator with the city's Office of Emergency Management. She was born and raised in New York City and has been a Jersey City resident for 14 years. She worked as a computer support specialist for Shorter Securities in Jersey City. She is married with two children, an 8-year-old and an infant.

"Primarily, why I want to serve is I would like to be a voice for those parents and students who are lost in the system run by the state. And I am trying to be a part of the solution rather than complaining, which is the best course to take."

"First thing I would do if elected is I would like to talk to the parents one-to-one, and especially visiting and communicating with those parents who are working and don't have the time to be involved."

Angel L. Valentin
Valentin is a Jersey City native who has served on the Jersey City Board of Education since 2002. He is a graduate of Ferris High School in Jersey City and Livingston College-Rutgers University with a degree in Media Arts/Communication and Puerto Rican Studies. He currently works as a special grants manager for the Jersey City Employment and Training program. He is the father of two children who are attending Jersey City public schools.

"There is still a lot of hard work to be done in terms of a secondary school initiative that will break up the schools into small communities. Also I want to start working on an extended day program for all the city's schools especially as we have a lot of single parents working."

"First issue is the extended day program to start this coming September, and there are safety issues at our high schools, especially at Dickinson High School. We need to have a freshman academy for Dickinson as soon as possible."

Arnold Williams
Williams runs an urban marketing business, Intellectual Media Group, in Bayonne.

He was born and raised in the Greenville section of Jersey City. He received a degree in business administration from New Jersey City University. Has been a community activist for about 25 years.

"I want to deal with the issue of a school system that is run by people who do not live in Hudson County, and many of the teachers in Jersey City have kids in private schools."

"If elected, I would look at primarily less hours should be spent by teachers in the classroom and invest more time in the homework aspect. Also I would look at what resources we can commit to some of the students who are not college-bound, and help them to find out what particular study they want to pursue."

Who gets to sit on the BoE in the coming years is going to become far more important as control reverts back to the City. The BoE will wield increasing power over an annual budget, which far outstrips the City's own budget by significant millions. A thought to ponder remains:

Will there be sufficient governance procedures in place to protect against a back slide into the old Jersey City "business-as-usual" style, which brought on state control in the first place?

Quote:

From this first group of contenders, Jenny Campbell will get my vote and 'maybe' Jenny Garcia - depending on part two contenders.
The rest are either into real estate, some crap public servant position or a NBA guy who made a siht load of money and has invested in his home turf: like any half ass'd developer would.

In regards to McCann, I wouldn't urinate on him if he was on fire!

Well, I already know who will never get my vote.....GM!