SEEK, a citizen organization formed in 2003 to recruit qualified candidates for the Englewood Board of Education, has announced its recommendations for the April 2008 School election.  They are George C. Garrison III, Dr. Jerry D. Lamb and Margaret Mora. Mora is running for a second term, while Garrison and Lamb are first-time candidates. This is the fifth year in which SEEK (an acronym for Supporters of Education for Englewood’s Kids) has selected candidates using its standard format, which includes a formal application, an extensive interview with each applicant, and a secret ballot of SEEK members when it is necessary to choose among multiple applicants.

Garrison is an insurance consultant employed by Health Plans of New York and Group Health Insurance Plans. A fourteen year resident of Englewood, he has four children currently attending the public schools. He has been an active PTO member and a frequent attendee at Board of Education meetings. If elected, he expects to contribute his business experience and interpersonal skills, as well as his commitment, to the Board. He thinks the schools "are on the right track" but still have the major challenge of "fully motivating the Englewood students to believe in themselves."

Lamb is an Englewood native and product of the Englewood Public Schools, graduating from Dwight Morrow High School in 1986. After obtaining a criminal justice degree and spending several years in the court system, he became so "disheartened by so many African American and Latino males going through the criminal justice system" that he decided to go into teaching. Today, he has a Masters Degree in Special Education, a Masters Degree in Administrative Supervision, a Doctorate Degree in Educational Leadership, and 15 years of educational experience mentoring at all grade levels in an inner-city school system. In Englewood he started the Wilson Mentoring Program at Dwight Morrow High School, and has been an active member of SEEK since its inception.

Mora is a teacher of students with disabilities. She is Chair of the Board’s Support Services Committee. Concerned with the high cost of special education, she is working with the administration to reduce costs by bringing students now sent elsewhere back into the district. She has also focused on increasing parents’ involvement in their children’s education, working tirelessly on parental outreach, and establishing a drop-in parental resource center.

In the last five years, the Englewood public schools have made major strides forward under the leadership of Board members selected and backed by SEEK. The system has received public recognition from State education officials for significant curriculum improvements, enhanced student achievement, and the integration of the highly regarded Academies@Englewood into Dwight Morrow High School. The sizable school construction program authorized in the 2004 Referendum is progressing well. The 2008 SEEK candidates are committed to continuing this forward progress.

The Board of Education has unanimously appointed Dr. Richard Segall as interim Superintendent. A 22-year veteran of our public school system, Dr. Segall will take over the duties of former Superintendent Carol Lisa while the Board conducts a search for her permanent replacement. Dr. Segall has put his name forward as an applicant for the Superintendent position.

The Englewood Report takes this opportunity to interview Dr. Segall and ask him about the state of our schools and his plan of action as interim Superintendent.

ER: Dr. Segall, what positions have you held in the Englewood School District over your 22 years?

RS: I've been the principal of every one of Englewood's schools, the interim director of special education, served as the main grant writer, and lead the creation of the AVID program. Most recently, I was the assistant superintendent for school operations.

ER: What is the state of our school district?

RS: The district has come very far in the last 5 years. We have made major strides in fostering unity on our high school campus while raising academic quality. Students are interacting more and sharing more classes together. The honors program serves all Dwight Morrow and Academies students who meet eligibility standards. We have one set of teams and higher academic standards for participation in all teams. So, we are working hard for continued improvement in both perception and reality of unity and excellence on campus. This year there are six small learning communities at the high school that offer specialized programs that will rival those in the Academies.

The middle school has made substantial progress in meeting NCLB standards for all students and creating a learning environment that works. It is real pleasure to walk though that school and see learning taking place with very interested students.

At the elementary schools we have one of the top rated Reading First Programs in the state that builds on the wonderful work begun in the Pre-Kindergarten Program.

ER: As Superintendent, what is your "wish list"?

RS: First, I would like to see the district make the same strides it has in Reading and Writing in the area of Mathematics. Math skills are critically important for competitive colleges and high paying jobs.

Second, I would like to see students actively engaged in learning in every classroom and every grade. Passive learners are not prepared for college or the workplace. Engaged learning means more student projects, student conversation, student writing, and student presentations. It requires teachers to work differently. They need to stop "delivering" information to the students and teach the students how to acquire it. When this happens the students will remember it longer and be able to use it in new situations. Best of all, engaged students develop a passion for learning.

ER: What are the problems you face?

RS: State funding is a major concern, and not just the new State Aid formula. The district's renewal has been funded in many ways and we need these to continue. Another issue is the ending of the management relationship with Bergen Tech. We have learned a lot from them, especially their optimistic approach to school improvement and expectation for reasonable funding. We believe we are ready for the change.

The major issue, however, is the challenge of making high academic success a reality for all children. The district now has high quality programs Pre-K through 12 for student ready to participate in them. We have the AVID program grades 6-12 to help the next level of students to aspire to and succeed in honors and AP classes. Our special education program has increased the academic rigor expected of the students and they are rising to the challenge. We cannot be satisfied until the improvements appear across the board and in every program.

ER: What would you like the citizens and students of Englewood to know about their schools?

RS: Excellence should be available to every child. It is the job of each student, the schools and the community to make it a reality. Minimum skills are not good enough.

ER: Thank you, Dr. Segall. We plan to come back to you in June to see how things are going.

In February, we noted a report received from State education officials commending the Englewood Public School District for progress in achieving the goals of desegregation and educational improvement. In April, we noted evidence that State officials view Englewood as a "laboratory of sorts, in that successes achieved here may be replicated elsewhere." The State is in fact monitoring progress in the District on a six-month schedule, and its August report, recently released, remains complimentary.

The new report, 17 pages long, focuses on the steps which have been taken to integrate Dwight Morrow High School with the Academies@Englewood. The combined schools (referred to in the report as DMAE) now have one principal, Jim Smith. They held on June 22, 2007, a unified graduation ceremony, attended by local, county and state leaders, with a "sense of making history and contributing to a brighter future for the community and the students served." As of this fall all incoming ninth graders are enrolled in one of a number of "learning community specializations," several of which have direct links with colleges or other outside institutions.

In addition to a more rigorous curriculum in the combined high school, the report lists steps which have been taken to better prepare middle school students for the new challenges, extensive programs in the area of staff development, and special measures to meet the needs of Spanish-speaking families. It concludes "The Englewood Public School District is positioned to emerge as a state and national model for school reform."

With regard to the report Englewood Schools Superintendent Carol Lisa has commented at our request as follows:

This is an important educational event in the City of Englewood. The October 3 report by Commissioner Lucille Davy strengthens our resolve that partnerships between experienced educators who understand the challenges of whole school reform is a win-win for the children.

The District's comprehensive reform effort was designed in February 2002. My administrative team, in partnership with the NJDOE and strong committed Board members, have kept pace with a sequential educational plan that we believe would garner the kind of changes that now serve the District and will continue to do so in the future. Residents of Englewood and choice families now have, in the Englewood Public School District, educational options that they have not had in the past. New residents need not seek educational alternatives beyond what our school district can offer. When the Commissioner states that other learning communities can take the lead from us, she is correct.

We are challenged in meeting Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) benchmarks. Last year, 100% of the senior class applied to colleges by December. We want every student to be expertly prepared to perform at the highest levels in the secondary and post-secondary arenas. We are not there yet, but we are determined to get there.

The District recently partnered with Bergenfield, Teaneck, Hackensack and Fairleigh Dickinson to seek ways and means to share services and expertise. This direction is supported and encouraged by the Commissioner and our collective Board of Educations.

I am grateful to the Board for supporting the educational agenda my administrative team set forth and for having the fortitude, the foresight and the commitment to have the Englewood Public Schools become an educational force second to none in Bergen County.

On Sunday, September 16, SEEK held its first meeting of the 2007-08 school year, to start early planning for the April, 2008, Board of Education election. The three-year terms of Board members David Matthews, Shirley Smith and Margaret Mora will be expiring, and they are potential candidates for reelection. Of the three incumbents, only Mora was originally endorsed by SEEK three years ago, so this may represent a good opportunity for new candidates to receive SEEK endorsement.

SEEK (an acronym for Supporters of Education for Englewood’s Kids) was formed in 2003 in reaction to the threat by tax-minimizing activists to block necessary physical investment in the public schools. Following approval by the voters of the school construction bond referendum in 2004, the voters elected SEEK-endorsed candidates committed to implementing the improvements which had been approved, as well as other continuing reforms. As a result of subsequent elections, all of the currently serving Board members except Matthews and Smith are persons endorsed by SEEK.

From its beginning, SEEK has conducted open interviews with persons interested in service on the Board, using a standard format, and has chosen those it will support by secret ballot of its members. Currently serving Board members participate. Following selection of a slate, SEEK has raised funds and conducted a city-wide campaign for its chosen candidates in each of the last four April Board elections.

The co-chairs of SEEK are Kathe Baird, an involved parent, and Lionel Garrison, a former Board member. They welcome any assistance in identifying qualified and interested persons who would like to serve the community on our Board of Education. Kathe can be reached at 201-816-9156.

Last weekend, The Bergen Record carried a front-page story entitled "Trustees’ Rift to Cost Taxpayers," reporting:

The [Englewood] Board of Education voted on Thursday to hire an attorney to represent it in an ethics complaint against board member David Matthews, for what it said is a history of inappropriate and intimidating conduct at public meetings and with staff.

The original charges, now officially adopted and to be funded by the Board, were brought independent of the Board in March by Superintendent Carol Lisa, Board President Glenn Garrison and previous Board President Stephen Brown. There are 74 individual charges listed. The matter will be heard by a state panel and decided on by the Commissioner of Education.

Matthews, a former board president himself, has a history of disruptive behavior as his influence on the board has declined. Board sources have alleged that he has intimidated other board members and staff members on a continuing basis. He has in particular subjected Superintendent Lisa to continued criticism for unwillingness to heed his requests. Originally appointed to the Board by Mayor Donald Aronson, he has successfully run for election three times, and may choose to run for another three-year term in April, 2008, depending, of course, on a decision by the Commissioner on his fitness to do so.

On August 16, many of us who read The New York Times were intrigued to see a story datelined Englewood, N.J., entitled "Forced to Pick a Major in High School," on the front page. The story points out that Englewood is one of "a number of school districts around the country experimenting with high school majors." Students entering Dwight Morrow High School in September will be expected to select a major in sports management, fine and performing arts, health sciences, international studies and global commerce, communications and new media, or liberal arts. The major will determine what elective courses they take in addition to the state-mandated courses required of all students. Michael Polizzi, Assistant Superintendent, was quoted as saying the district carefully researched future demand for jobs and college programs, and surveyed student interests, before settling on these areas for majors. According to the article, the district has spent about $250,000 so far on the new specialties, hiring five new teachers and setting up advisory boards for each specialty including performing artists, doctors and lawyers.

The Times article does not say so, but this initiative is only part of the comprehensive changes which are taking place in the public schools. In February, we reported on the commendation which the district had received from State education officials for its progress in integrating the Academies@Englewood with the conventional Dwight Morrow High School. Students in the Academies already work in specialized areas, so the new majors are an important step in this process.

In the April 17 election for members of the Englewood Board of Education, incumbent candidates Glenn Garrison, Joan Meltzer and Stephen Brown were overwhelmingly reelected for new three-year terms. Each of the incumbents received nearly 60% of the normally small voter turnout in school board elections. Garrison, Meltzer and Brown had been endorsed by SEEK, an organization founded in 2003 for the purpose of interviewing, selecting and endorsing candidates committed to quality public education. SEEK had previously endorsed Garrison, Meltzer and Brown during the 2004 election.

Glenn Garrison has been acting as chair of the Board committee overseeing the school district’s substantial building program following passage of the school construction bond referendum in 2004. Stephen Brown has served as Board President for two years. All three have strongly supported the extensive reforms which are in progress in the schools under the direction of Schools Superintendent Carol Lisa. These reforms received strong endorsement from New Jersey Commissioner of Education Lucille Davy in a progress report to the State Board of Education dated February 7, 2007. There has been strong support from the State for Englewood’s efforts in the last five years, not only for the Academies@Englewood, but throughout the system. There is some evidence that State officials view Englewood as a laboratory of sorts, in that successes achieved here may be replicated elsewhere.

The three losing candidates in the election were Ivory McGee and Sharon Wells, both school teachers in other districts who received the endorsement of Mayor Michael Wildes, and Pat Stinson, a former Board member. They all emphasized in their campaign literature the continuing problems in our schools, without acknowledgment that positive change was underway.

In a progress report to the State Board of Education dated February 7, 2007, the New Jersey Commissioner of Education, Lucille E. Davy, states "the board of education and the administrative team of the Englewood Public School District have demonstrated their commitment to continuous progress in effectuating desegregation and educational improvement for the students it serves, to accelerate the implementation of policies programs and practices that will dramatically close the achievement gaps and eliminate the racial isolation in the district."

"The initial signs of progress reported (previously) have not only continued, but have picked up momentum.  There is a dramatic, qualitative difference taking root in Englewood." "The focus on raising academic standards, improving student performance and creating small learning communities to prepare students for college is yielding positive results.”

The report comments approvingly on the steps which are being taken to combine the Academies @Englewood and the conventional Dwight Morrow High School into one school.  In the current school year the district has opened the School for Performing Arts in partnership with Bergen PAC, and the School for Communications and New Media.  Three additional programs are being developed for introduction this September.  The aim is to enroll all high school students in an academy program.

Englewood Schools Superintendent Carol Lisa has expressed her gratification with the report, commenting, "We are at a turning point in the district."  "It is only a matter of time when Englewood is recognized as a premier learning environment for residents and choice students."  The Bergen Record comments, "Finally, those children are getting the education they are entitled to and deserve."

SEEK (Supporters of Education for Englewood’s Kids) was formed in 2003 by advocates of public education for the purpose of interviewing and screening candidates for the Englewood Board of Education, and backing the election of those who were deemed most qualified.  Englewood switched to an elected Board by referendum in 2000, after a century during which the Board appointments were made by the Mayor.  The Board consists of nine members, each of whom serves for a three-year term.  Seven of the nine members currently serving were selected and backed by SEEK.

In the 2004 Board of Education election, SEEK successfully backed then incumbent Joan Meltzer, and new candidates Glenn Garrison and Stephen Brown.  Their terms are expiring this year and SEEK has again chosen to support them in the school election which will take place on April 17. Meltzer is a longtime Englewood resident and a former City Councilwoman.  Garrison  has supervised the substantial school building activity which followed passage of the school construction bond referendum in 2004.  Brown, a prominent lawyer, is in his second year as Board President.  The three candidates are expected to cite the previously mentioned State report as evidence why they should be reelected.