I have met the Excellence candidates twice and agree they are the best slate for improving our schools.

By not voting, or voting for the "keep things the same" slate we will continue to have our tax dollars wasted with shameful results. Lets get some new blood running the Board and supporting the concept of showing up for work, and providing kids with a good, safe and clean place to learn.

Hi Folks,

Tomorrow please vote for all four (4) candidates endorsed by Parents for Progress:

Jessica Daye ? Ballot Position 1-i

Micheline Amy ? Ballot Position 3-i

Carol Lester ? Ballot Position 6-j

Ellen Simon ? Ballot Position 1-p

Under new leadership, the culture of Jersey City public schools has begun to change. Drop-out rates are finally being accurately measured (!) ? and they are down. College readiness rates ? again, finally being assessed -- are rising. Far more seniors are taking the SAT. This year we welcomed seven new principals, after extensive searches ? all committed to transforming outcomes. And in a sure sign that our community is feeling confidence, enrollment in our public schools is up, reversing a 10 year decline.

Yet make no mistake -- our new Superintendent, Dr. Marcia Lyles, was barely approved by the Board. Holdovers denigrate recent achievements and focus on distractions, hoping to drag us back to the old status quo -- when failure was accepted and ?who-you-know? favoritism prevailed.

We at Parents for Progress believe these Board candidates will work with Dr. Lyles ? not against her ? to realize their joint vision for the schools. At the same time, they will provide oversight, and appropriate checks and balances ? believe me, these women are not wall flowers! They have the vision, passion and professional experience to oversee the changes that our schools so desperately need. They will demand accountability, professionalism and student achievement at every level in our schools, which after all, belong to all of us.

To succeed, they need your support ? please vote tomorrow for Daye, Amy, Lester and Simon, and ask your friends and neighbors to do the same.

Thank you,

Don Mankoff
Parents for Progress

Quote:

She stepped down because she decided to run. Yeah, you can say that there should have been some separation of time.

But again, I don't think there is any attempt to disguise the groups. Parents for Progress was formed by a lot of the people who worked with Steve when he first endorsed. They were originally the committee that Fulop deferred to, and some of them then became their own organization. And now one of them decides to get into the game herself.

If PFP were painting itself as some neutral citizens' group that just happened to admire these splendid candidates that they stumbled upon, it would be exposed as a charade. But that's not what's happening here.

Seems off that the top recommendation of this 'independent' orgnisation happens to be their founder and president.

Robin.

Parents For Progress did screen the candidates, and I don't the announcement is designed to obscure that fact.

The campaign is a separate entity from PFP and run by different people.

And mayor Fulop now has no significant involvement. The bird left the nest a long time ago.

Jersey City Board of Education Candidates for Excellence = Parents for Progress = Steve Fulop

How the hell do you make like you are endorsing your own candidates that you recruited. Bunk.

No one will say why they are running? What will your candidate do to control spending? Fulop controls the board yet they still snuck through a tax increase based on false info. What will his new three candidates due?

You need to clean up and be honest about who you are then ask us to support you.

What will you do about out of control spending in the schools.

Parents for Progress is proud to endorse Jersey City Board of Education Candidates for Excellence: Ellen Simon, Jessica Rosero Daye, Micheline Amy, and Carol Lester. We are at a critical point for the Jersey City School District. Our Superintendent is entering her second year with a clear mission and clear plans to help our district schools better serve the children and families of our city. We need board members who are dedicated to moving Jersey City Schools forward and are willing to fight for the best interests of the children in our district. We believe these four candidates have the personal passion and professional credentials to build schools that give every child a chance at an excellent education.

Jersey City Board of Education Candidates for Excellence will be holding their campaign kick-off breakfast this Saturday September 28th from 10 AM ? 12 PM at Zeppelin Hall. Please come out to show your support for better Jersey City Schools. We encourage you to learn more about the candidates at: www.jerseycitycandidatesforexcellence.com and ?like? them of Facebook to learn about upcoming events: https://www.facebook.com/Jersey.City.Board.of.Education.

Most importantly, come out Tuesday November 5th and vote for these qualified and passionate candidates. We know they can help make the changes we need, but they need your support.

P.S. The deadline to register to vote is October 15th. If you are not currently registered, please click here to download the voter registration form or visit the Hudson County Division of Elections for more information.

Candidate Bios:

Ellen Simon is the co-founder and ex-president of Parents for Progress. Before stepping down to run for the Board of Education, Ellen worked tirelessly as an advocate for a national superintendent search to bring new leadership to the Jersey City Public Schools. She successfully fought to expand the free breakfast program and brought attention to the problem of lead tainted water. Ellen is a leader and a fierce advocate for putting children?s needs first in the public schools. Ellen is the mother of one child in the Jersey City Public schools.

Jessica Rosero Daye is an advocate for the educational rights of New York City children with disabilities. She is a Jersey City native and a proud graduate of P.S. 16 and McNair High School. She holds Master?s degrees in education and psychological counseling from Columbia?s Teachers College and has a passion for education, particularly for ensuring that all children have a right to equal educational opportunities. She lives in the West Side neighborhood and is the mother of two children in the Jersey City Public Schools.

Micheline Amy is a human resources executive with a passion for improving education in Jersey City. She works to ensure that the human resources help attain strategic business goals. She is an expert in human resource best practices and day-to-day management. She is active in JC Moms and the Hilltop Neighborhood Association where she lives with her two young children.

Carol Lester is a current member of the Board of Education. In her three years, she has served as an outspoken advocate for Jersey City students. She served as Vice President in 2011 and was chair of the Superintendent National Search Committee, which resulted in the hiring Dr. Marcia Lyles. Carol?s deep experience in school governance began as a co-founder of Learning Community Charter School where she served as the Board President for six years. Carol has one college-aged daughter. Carol is running for the one-year position.