This Year's Board of Education Election
April 15, 2010 Filed in: Schools
The six candidates for the Board of Education in this
year’s election, scheduled for April 20, have
campaigned as two separate slates: Brown, Diaz and
Garrison are running as the "SEEK" candidates, while
Santiago-Babb, Cureton and Meltzer are calling
themselves "the Blue Ribbon Team." Brown, Garrison
and Meltzer are incumbents, and the split largely
reflects the intense personal animosity on the Board
which arose during the extended superintendent
selection process in 2008-2009, with Brown and
Garrison on one side and Meltzer on the other.
In our opinion, this animosity reflects badly on all of them, but the superintendent choice has now been made, and appears to be working well. The focus should thus be on the best interests of the district, or as school board candidates are often fond of saying, "being there for the kids."
Statements submitted to us by the candidates follow:
Statement from Enrique Diaz
As parents, my wife and I have learned to set high expectations for our children – whether in their school work, their chores or in how they behave as young citizens. In these difficult times, we, like many of our neighbors, have had to sacrifice to live within our means. But we know, no matter how difficult the times, we cannot lower our expectations for our children.
Our children attend the Englewood Public Schools. I have volunteered there and as a Little League Coach and in the Jr. Football program. I have seen first-hand how all children need coaching, mentoring, and high expectations.
The current recession has had a devastating effect on Englewood’s schools. Taxpayers are suffering. State funding is disappearing, and the District can no longer operate under the pretense of "business as usual". Compounding the problem is that some Board members seem more concerned with lowering standards than with addressing the schools’ economic crisis.
I am running for the Englewood Board of Education because I believe my education and professional experience in finance give me the skills needed to tackle the financial challenges ahead. My experiences as a parent have taught me that we must keep expectations high for all our children.
Moving forward, the district must examine each program from the ground up and understand how every dollar is spent. Tough decisions will have to be made. We must invest in success, keep our standards high, and learn to live within our means.
I hope you will join me in this fight. On April 20th, please vote for Enrique Diaz, Ballot Position 1.
Statement from Stephen L. Brown
Six years ago I answered the call to help improve our school district and the future of all of our children in Englewood. I respectfully request another term to continue the struggle to maintain high standards while responsibly managing resources during the worst economic recession in generations. I believe I have the right mixture of experience, knowledge of the issues, and track record of action and achievement to successfully meet the challenges ahead.
The Challenges
The district has made extraordinary strides over the last several years (e.g., improvement in college readiness and significant rise in applications to college, increase in admissions to selective colleges like Columbia, Cornell, Carnegie Mellon, Harvard and Princeton, state-of-the-art academic facilities, and a new Mandarin language program for elementary school students). However, there is so much more to be done in order to meet President Obama’s challenge for the next decade to have every American child prepared for college and career by high school graduation.
This challenge will be even tougher under these very harsh economic conditions. I know that many of our neighbors are dealing with unemployment or under-employment and are struggling to take care of their families and preserve the standard of living that they deserve. Traveling down the streets of Englewood, it’s hard to move one’s eyes from the multitude of for sale signs on the lawns of many of the houses in the neighborhood. This economic recession has been deep and recovery from the same will unfortunately take a while.
That said, we still must work hard to maintain the high educational standards and keep our eyes on the prize of ensuring a thorough and efficient education for every child in our public schools. The district must do so while also respecting the significant burdens being placed on taxpayers. Most of our citizens in Englewood have been extremely generous with their support for our public schools. The city should expect that the school district turn over every stone to look for ways to cut costs and conduct its operations more efficiently before simply demanding more tax money during a time when people are struggling – even people who are firm supporters of public education. That’s only fair.
In order to maintain the high standards and the progress made over the last several years, the district will have to work to do even more with fewer resources. I have had considerable experience in the private sector in cutting costs and doing more with less and believe I can assist the district during this fiscal crisis.
The district will have to reconfigure its operations and focus on programs that work and eliminate those that do not. I believe we can preserve all the programs and services that are absolutely critical for our collective success (e.g., early childhood education, AVID, courtesy busing, the Academies@Englewood, the alternative high school education program) by thinking out-of-the–box about how we deliver services. The district must focus on maintaining teachers and reduce its high administrative costs. The people who push knowledge in the classrooms are more valuable and important than the people who push paper in administrative offices. We must also look at every expense category to determine if there is a more cost effective way of doing business. For example, the administration must use the internet and electronic mail much more efficiently to deliver information rather than spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on paper communications and board materials. This would not only cut costs, but also would be more environmentally friendly. If we are really committed to protecting teaching positions from budget cuts, then we need to think differently about spending millions on purchasing a new building for administration. That is a significant amount of money that can be used to save meaningful programs and employees.
Appreciation of Public Education and Giving Back
I am a proud public school graduate and have a great appreciation of the transformative power of a great public school education. A great public school education with terrific and supportive family, teachers and community members helped to get into and graduate from Yale University and Columbia Law School. I have spent much of my adult life giving back to public schools, education initiatives and the community at large. I currently mentor several young African American college students and I have taught elementary school language arts classes in Harlem. I am an adjunct professor at Yale and have developed a new course for a legal scholars program for minority undergraduate pre-law students at City College in New York City. I volunteer as pro bono legal counsel to several community groups and public charter schools and have coached in the Englewood Little League.
I have a track record over the last six years of working extremely hard to build meaningful programs that have helped our students and community. For example, three years ago, I brought to the district the NJ SEEDS College Preparatory Program which prepares academically motivated students with limited financial means for admission to selective colleges. I also orchestrated the district’s "Give a Kid a Smile" program to provide hundreds of students with much needed dental care from local doctors. Both of these programs are funded through charitable donations. I also assisted the Greico Scholarship Fund at Dwight Morrow with its corporate paper work and federal tax exemption. I have supported and participated as a guest speaker in the Circle of Colors mentorship program at Dwight Morrow.
In conclusion, the economic crisis will put serious constraints on the district’s budgets for the next few years. It is important that we have board volunteers who not only appreciate the power of a great public education, but also understand financial management and how to create and execute shared services arrangements. I have shown the community my commitment to improving education for every child in the district. I have also shown considerable respect for improving education through responsible fiscal management.
I respectfully ask you to vote for me, Stephen L. Brown (Ballot position #5) on April 20th.
Statement from Glenn Garrison
Ballot position 4
Building on past successes for future opportunities.
Today, I ask the citizens of Englewood to re-elect me to the Board of Education. During my tenure, our schools have undergone a rebirth in academic standards, curriculum, facilities, and financial stability.
I am employed as a hospital administrator in New York. My professional experiences have given me the skills and insight to serve in key leadership roles on the Board. I was twice elected Board President and chaired the Construction Committee for five years and the Finance and Operations Committee for three.
When first elected to the Board, I was asked to oversee the $49 million District-wide referendum program. Despite materials shortages caused by Hurricane Katrina and disputes among the various contractors, we completed all phases of the construction program within the financial constraints of the District. Today, the citizens of Englewood can boast of world-class educational facilities for children of all ages. By carefully investing our referendum dollars, we were able to upgrade windows, doors, and our heating systems, reducing energy costs by 40 percent.
As we moved forward, my focus changed to integrating successful practices throughout the District. We developed the Academy Prep and Ivy programs and expanded the AVID and dual language programs to prepare more of our students for the highly acclaimed Academies @ Englewood. Our high school seniors benefit from a robust, campus-wide internship program. The "EAGLE" (alternative) program provides students with "real life" experiences and career training opportunities. Academic rigor and a positive learning environment can be found in every school. Students must perform in the classroom to participate in extracurricular activities – we now have the highest standards in the State. These initiatives have raised expectations and enhanced the education of all our children.
Currently, our high school graduation requirements (which are higher than state minimums) are at risk. Rather than challenge our children with high expectations, some of my fellow Board members favor lowering our standards and moving children out. In recent years, we have made progress in student achievement at most grade levels. Now is not the time to turn back!
This year, our District, like most others, is in the midst of an economic crisis. Our taxpayers are hurting. But with crisis comes opportunity. These times demand that we invest dwindling resources wisely – ever mindful of our obligations to our children and to the taxpayers who support our mission.
I believe I have the education, experience, and courage to take on the challenges we face and make the most of the opportunities before us. I have a record of fiscal conservatism and questioning the status quo. I am proud to have been commended by my fellow Board members for my work in guiding our construction program and for my record of service to the Board. I ask for your continued support as we navigate these difficult times. On April 20th, please vote for Glenn Garrison (#4), Enrique Diaz (#1), and Stephen Brown (#5).
Statement from Anthony Cureton
LIFE LONG ENGLEWOOD RESIDENT – THIRD GENERATION
GRADUATE ENGLEWOOD PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM
EMPLOYEE ENGLEWOOD POLICE DEPARTMENT – SUPERVISOR
COACH ENGLEWOOD RECREATIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM
MEMBER ENGLEWOOD BOARD OF EDUCATION PARENT ADVISORY
DEACON ENGLEWOOD MOUNT CALVARY BAPTIST CHURCH
MEMBER ENGLEWOOD SHILOH LODGE NO. 53, F. & A.M.
PARENT ENGLEWOOD PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS
Recently, the following question was asked of me: "Anthony, what can or what will you bring to the Englewood Board of Education?"... My response was that I will bring Ideas... IDEAS!!!
Integrity ·Diplomacy · Efficiency ·Administration · Synergy
Experience in Management, Leadership, Public Administration, Budgeting, and Information Technology qualifies me for dealing with the Professional and Business Responsibilities of the Board. However, Being a Parent, A Taxpayer, A Coach, A Mentor, A Civic Minded, Community Minded, "Good Neighbor" is the Strong Motivation Guiding My Candidacy. It’s Time To "C"….. To Connect, Create, Change, Communicate, Collaborate, Challenge, Cultivate, Compliment, Celebrate
For the past 21 years I have proudly served the City of Englewood as a Police Officer and Supervisor. Some of my former and present duties and responsibilities include: Design/Development/Set-Up and Managing various Information Technology Systems and Communication Projects currently in use today. These "I T" systems interface and connect Englewood to other Police and Emergency Systems and Personnel throughout Bergen County and State, and Federal Agencies. An additional administrative function that I have performed during the past 8 years has been to assist the Office of the Chief (E.P.D.) to compile, prepare and present the Fiscal Reports and Budget for the E.P.D. in a coordinated effort with the Englewood City Manager, and, on occasion, to personally present the Department’s Budget Report and Request to the Englewood City Council. Additionally, on many occasions, I have developed written and submitted proposals for Special Grants and Funding Programs on behalf of the E.P.D.
My experience and knowledge in areas associated with government matters and my "Grass Roots" Resource Outreach has frequently been called upon in matters of Civic and Community Affairs.
I earned my Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice at New Jersey City University and I received the Degree of Masters of Administrative Science from Fairleigh Dickinson University. I have also been awarded a Certificate in Public Management by the Public Administration Institute of Fairleigh Dickinson.
I want to be a member of the Englewood Board of Education because our children are our future. Our schools must provide the environment and opportunity for our students to achieve and excel. Our schools must reflect and highlight the "Quality of Life" cares and concerns of our community for all our residents. Children today must have the literacy, communication, and technological skills to be productive and successful. As a Parent and as a member of the Englewood Board of Education I will encourage and vigorously promote policies and programs that strive for and support high academic achievement in a balance with positive social, cultural, and personal individual development goals. Realizing that tax increases is a concern when preparing the yearly budget, it will be my position as a board member to explore alternatives to increase taxes. I will initiate an assessment on the usage of resources/services in the district, and study if shared services with surrounding districts and the City of Englewood would be a viable option. The consolidation of services could result in cost savings for the district, which can be allocated to programs that perhaps, are subject to budget cuts.
I feel the Englewood Public School System is striving to become better and I support Flagship programs such as: Dual language immersion, The Avid Program, and the Academies at Englewood. These innovative and challenging new ideas established a positive, new basis and foundation on which to build. We must now focus on challenging "all" students to perform at levels comparable to those students in our "Flagship" programs. Our ultimate goal should be to have the Englewood Public School System achieve the distinction of being a state wide and national "Blue Ribbon School System".
Statement from Joan Meltzer
I’m running for reelection to the school board with The Blue Ribbon Team - Esther Santiago-Babb and Anthony Cureton. I have a long commitment to education, from my children’s K-12 years through my 10 years as Director of the In-School Volunteer Program. At the post-graduate level, I’ve been involved in the study of child development as well as statistics.
My priorities are to:
1. Educate our children to high expectations and standards
2. Keep quality teachers in the classroom
3. Control the tax burden on Englewood residents
Education is not a one-size fits all process. I am ombudswoman for all children: those in the academies and academies-prep, striving achievers and those needing extra help. Young children are "wired" to learn: curious, active, open. Early childhood education is essential for brain development and later academic success. We must pick up children when they totter, before the vicious cycle of failure and remediation begins.
Over two budget years the state has reduced aid to Englewood by $6.9 million. In addition the Governor expropriated approximately $755,600 this school year. The bulk of our expenditures are salaries, health benefits, utilities, maintenance and repairs. Little discretionary monies are left for athletics, libraries and summer and after-school programs which benefit our children.
The district is going to cap under the rules the state established. The cap is 4% with an automatic adjustment for enrollment increases. This year the enrollment increased by over 125 students. The superintendent’s budget included local tax levy on known and documented increases that do drive costs. Just like Tenafly’s superintendent and so many others, our superintendent asked for not one dollar more than the cap.
Given the Governor’s edict and even going to cap, the cuts are drastic, with a tremendous negative effect on students’ education, classroom sizes, teachers and assistants, administrators, secretaries and other staff. I have heard nothing about the Governor’s personal cuts - in his salary and benefits! There is no doubt that the cuts he made are at the expense of all schoolchildren. If we go to 0% tax rise, we would come close to annihilating our schools.
Our on-going challenge as responsible board members is to balance fiscal restraint with our mission to keep improving student achievement.
In our opinion, this animosity reflects badly on all of them, but the superintendent choice has now been made, and appears to be working well. The focus should thus be on the best interests of the district, or as school board candidates are often fond of saying, "being there for the kids."
Statements submitted to us by the candidates follow:
Statement from Enrique Diaz
As parents, my wife and I have learned to set high expectations for our children – whether in their school work, their chores or in how they behave as young citizens. In these difficult times, we, like many of our neighbors, have had to sacrifice to live within our means. But we know, no matter how difficult the times, we cannot lower our expectations for our children.
Our children attend the Englewood Public Schools. I have volunteered there and as a Little League Coach and in the Jr. Football program. I have seen first-hand how all children need coaching, mentoring, and high expectations.
The current recession has had a devastating effect on Englewood’s schools. Taxpayers are suffering. State funding is disappearing, and the District can no longer operate under the pretense of "business as usual". Compounding the problem is that some Board members seem more concerned with lowering standards than with addressing the schools’ economic crisis.
I am running for the Englewood Board of Education because I believe my education and professional experience in finance give me the skills needed to tackle the financial challenges ahead. My experiences as a parent have taught me that we must keep expectations high for all our children.
Moving forward, the district must examine each program from the ground up and understand how every dollar is spent. Tough decisions will have to be made. We must invest in success, keep our standards high, and learn to live within our means.
I hope you will join me in this fight. On April 20th, please vote for Enrique Diaz, Ballot Position 1.
Statement from Stephen L. Brown
Six years ago I answered the call to help improve our school district and the future of all of our children in Englewood. I respectfully request another term to continue the struggle to maintain high standards while responsibly managing resources during the worst economic recession in generations. I believe I have the right mixture of experience, knowledge of the issues, and track record of action and achievement to successfully meet the challenges ahead.
The Challenges
The district has made extraordinary strides over the last several years (e.g., improvement in college readiness and significant rise in applications to college, increase in admissions to selective colleges like Columbia, Cornell, Carnegie Mellon, Harvard and Princeton, state-of-the-art academic facilities, and a new Mandarin language program for elementary school students). However, there is so much more to be done in order to meet President Obama’s challenge for the next decade to have every American child prepared for college and career by high school graduation.
This challenge will be even tougher under these very harsh economic conditions. I know that many of our neighbors are dealing with unemployment or under-employment and are struggling to take care of their families and preserve the standard of living that they deserve. Traveling down the streets of Englewood, it’s hard to move one’s eyes from the multitude of for sale signs on the lawns of many of the houses in the neighborhood. This economic recession has been deep and recovery from the same will unfortunately take a while.
That said, we still must work hard to maintain the high educational standards and keep our eyes on the prize of ensuring a thorough and efficient education for every child in our public schools. The district must do so while also respecting the significant burdens being placed on taxpayers. Most of our citizens in Englewood have been extremely generous with their support for our public schools. The city should expect that the school district turn over every stone to look for ways to cut costs and conduct its operations more efficiently before simply demanding more tax money during a time when people are struggling – even people who are firm supporters of public education. That’s only fair.
In order to maintain the high standards and the progress made over the last several years, the district will have to work to do even more with fewer resources. I have had considerable experience in the private sector in cutting costs and doing more with less and believe I can assist the district during this fiscal crisis.
The district will have to reconfigure its operations and focus on programs that work and eliminate those that do not. I believe we can preserve all the programs and services that are absolutely critical for our collective success (e.g., early childhood education, AVID, courtesy busing, the Academies@Englewood, the alternative high school education program) by thinking out-of-the–box about how we deliver services. The district must focus on maintaining teachers and reduce its high administrative costs. The people who push knowledge in the classrooms are more valuable and important than the people who push paper in administrative offices. We must also look at every expense category to determine if there is a more cost effective way of doing business. For example, the administration must use the internet and electronic mail much more efficiently to deliver information rather than spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on paper communications and board materials. This would not only cut costs, but also would be more environmentally friendly. If we are really committed to protecting teaching positions from budget cuts, then we need to think differently about spending millions on purchasing a new building for administration. That is a significant amount of money that can be used to save meaningful programs and employees.
Appreciation of Public Education and Giving Back
I am a proud public school graduate and have a great appreciation of the transformative power of a great public school education. A great public school education with terrific and supportive family, teachers and community members helped to get into and graduate from Yale University and Columbia Law School. I have spent much of my adult life giving back to public schools, education initiatives and the community at large. I currently mentor several young African American college students and I have taught elementary school language arts classes in Harlem. I am an adjunct professor at Yale and have developed a new course for a legal scholars program for minority undergraduate pre-law students at City College in New York City. I volunteer as pro bono legal counsel to several community groups and public charter schools and have coached in the Englewood Little League.
I have a track record over the last six years of working extremely hard to build meaningful programs that have helped our students and community. For example, three years ago, I brought to the district the NJ SEEDS College Preparatory Program which prepares academically motivated students with limited financial means for admission to selective colleges. I also orchestrated the district’s "Give a Kid a Smile" program to provide hundreds of students with much needed dental care from local doctors. Both of these programs are funded through charitable donations. I also assisted the Greico Scholarship Fund at Dwight Morrow with its corporate paper work and federal tax exemption. I have supported and participated as a guest speaker in the Circle of Colors mentorship program at Dwight Morrow.
In conclusion, the economic crisis will put serious constraints on the district’s budgets for the next few years. It is important that we have board volunteers who not only appreciate the power of a great public education, but also understand financial management and how to create and execute shared services arrangements. I have shown the community my commitment to improving education for every child in the district. I have also shown considerable respect for improving education through responsible fiscal management.
I respectfully ask you to vote for me, Stephen L. Brown (Ballot position #5) on April 20th.
Statement from Glenn Garrison
Ballot position 4
Building on past successes for future opportunities.
Today, I ask the citizens of Englewood to re-elect me to the Board of Education. During my tenure, our schools have undergone a rebirth in academic standards, curriculum, facilities, and financial stability.
I am employed as a hospital administrator in New York. My professional experiences have given me the skills and insight to serve in key leadership roles on the Board. I was twice elected Board President and chaired the Construction Committee for five years and the Finance and Operations Committee for three.
When first elected to the Board, I was asked to oversee the $49 million District-wide referendum program. Despite materials shortages caused by Hurricane Katrina and disputes among the various contractors, we completed all phases of the construction program within the financial constraints of the District. Today, the citizens of Englewood can boast of world-class educational facilities for children of all ages. By carefully investing our referendum dollars, we were able to upgrade windows, doors, and our heating systems, reducing energy costs by 40 percent.
As we moved forward, my focus changed to integrating successful practices throughout the District. We developed the Academy Prep and Ivy programs and expanded the AVID and dual language programs to prepare more of our students for the highly acclaimed Academies @ Englewood. Our high school seniors benefit from a robust, campus-wide internship program. The "EAGLE" (alternative) program provides students with "real life" experiences and career training opportunities. Academic rigor and a positive learning environment can be found in every school. Students must perform in the classroom to participate in extracurricular activities – we now have the highest standards in the State. These initiatives have raised expectations and enhanced the education of all our children.
Currently, our high school graduation requirements (which are higher than state minimums) are at risk. Rather than challenge our children with high expectations, some of my fellow Board members favor lowering our standards and moving children out. In recent years, we have made progress in student achievement at most grade levels. Now is not the time to turn back!
This year, our District, like most others, is in the midst of an economic crisis. Our taxpayers are hurting. But with crisis comes opportunity. These times demand that we invest dwindling resources wisely – ever mindful of our obligations to our children and to the taxpayers who support our mission.
I believe I have the education, experience, and courage to take on the challenges we face and make the most of the opportunities before us. I have a record of fiscal conservatism and questioning the status quo. I am proud to have been commended by my fellow Board members for my work in guiding our construction program and for my record of service to the Board. I ask for your continued support as we navigate these difficult times. On April 20th, please vote for Glenn Garrison (#4), Enrique Diaz (#1), and Stephen Brown (#5).
Statement from Anthony Cureton
LIFE LONG ENGLEWOOD RESIDENT – THIRD GENERATION
GRADUATE ENGLEWOOD PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM
EMPLOYEE ENGLEWOOD POLICE DEPARTMENT – SUPERVISOR
COACH ENGLEWOOD RECREATIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM
MEMBER ENGLEWOOD BOARD OF EDUCATION PARENT ADVISORY
DEACON ENGLEWOOD MOUNT CALVARY BAPTIST CHURCH
MEMBER ENGLEWOOD SHILOH LODGE NO. 53, F. & A.M.
PARENT ENGLEWOOD PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS
Recently, the following question was asked of me: "Anthony, what can or what will you bring to the Englewood Board of Education?"... My response was that I will bring Ideas... IDEAS!!!
Integrity ·Diplomacy · Efficiency ·Administration · Synergy
Experience in Management, Leadership, Public Administration, Budgeting, and Information Technology qualifies me for dealing with the Professional and Business Responsibilities of the Board. However, Being a Parent, A Taxpayer, A Coach, A Mentor, A Civic Minded, Community Minded, "Good Neighbor" is the Strong Motivation Guiding My Candidacy. It’s Time To "C"….. To Connect, Create, Change, Communicate, Collaborate, Challenge, Cultivate, Compliment, Celebrate
For the past 21 years I have proudly served the City of Englewood as a Police Officer and Supervisor. Some of my former and present duties and responsibilities include: Design/Development/Set-Up and Managing various Information Technology Systems and Communication Projects currently in use today. These "I T" systems interface and connect Englewood to other Police and Emergency Systems and Personnel throughout Bergen County and State, and Federal Agencies. An additional administrative function that I have performed during the past 8 years has been to assist the Office of the Chief (E.P.D.) to compile, prepare and present the Fiscal Reports and Budget for the E.P.D. in a coordinated effort with the Englewood City Manager, and, on occasion, to personally present the Department’s Budget Report and Request to the Englewood City Council. Additionally, on many occasions, I have developed written and submitted proposals for Special Grants and Funding Programs on behalf of the E.P.D.
My experience and knowledge in areas associated with government matters and my "Grass Roots" Resource Outreach has frequently been called upon in matters of Civic and Community Affairs.
I earned my Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice at New Jersey City University and I received the Degree of Masters of Administrative Science from Fairleigh Dickinson University. I have also been awarded a Certificate in Public Management by the Public Administration Institute of Fairleigh Dickinson.
I want to be a member of the Englewood Board of Education because our children are our future. Our schools must provide the environment and opportunity for our students to achieve and excel. Our schools must reflect and highlight the "Quality of Life" cares and concerns of our community for all our residents. Children today must have the literacy, communication, and technological skills to be productive and successful. As a Parent and as a member of the Englewood Board of Education I will encourage and vigorously promote policies and programs that strive for and support high academic achievement in a balance with positive social, cultural, and personal individual development goals. Realizing that tax increases is a concern when preparing the yearly budget, it will be my position as a board member to explore alternatives to increase taxes. I will initiate an assessment on the usage of resources/services in the district, and study if shared services with surrounding districts and the City of Englewood would be a viable option. The consolidation of services could result in cost savings for the district, which can be allocated to programs that perhaps, are subject to budget cuts.
I feel the Englewood Public School System is striving to become better and I support Flagship programs such as: Dual language immersion, The Avid Program, and the Academies at Englewood. These innovative and challenging new ideas established a positive, new basis and foundation on which to build. We must now focus on challenging "all" students to perform at levels comparable to those students in our "Flagship" programs. Our ultimate goal should be to have the Englewood Public School System achieve the distinction of being a state wide and national "Blue Ribbon School System".
Statement from Joan Meltzer
I’m running for reelection to the school board with The Blue Ribbon Team - Esther Santiago-Babb and Anthony Cureton. I have a long commitment to education, from my children’s K-12 years through my 10 years as Director of the In-School Volunteer Program. At the post-graduate level, I’ve been involved in the study of child development as well as statistics.
My priorities are to:
1. Educate our children to high expectations and standards
2. Keep quality teachers in the classroom
3. Control the tax burden on Englewood residents
Education is not a one-size fits all process. I am ombudswoman for all children: those in the academies and academies-prep, striving achievers and those needing extra help. Young children are "wired" to learn: curious, active, open. Early childhood education is essential for brain development and later academic success. We must pick up children when they totter, before the vicious cycle of failure and remediation begins.
Over two budget years the state has reduced aid to Englewood by $6.9 million. In addition the Governor expropriated approximately $755,600 this school year. The bulk of our expenditures are salaries, health benefits, utilities, maintenance and repairs. Little discretionary monies are left for athletics, libraries and summer and after-school programs which benefit our children.
The district is going to cap under the rules the state established. The cap is 4% with an automatic adjustment for enrollment increases. This year the enrollment increased by over 125 students. The superintendent’s budget included local tax levy on known and documented increases that do drive costs. Just like Tenafly’s superintendent and so many others, our superintendent asked for not one dollar more than the cap.
Given the Governor’s edict and even going to cap, the cuts are drastic, with a tremendous negative effect on students’ education, classroom sizes, teachers and assistants, administrators, secretaries and other staff. I have heard nothing about the Governor’s personal cuts - in his salary and benefits! There is no doubt that the cuts he made are at the expense of all schoolchildren. If we go to 0% tax rise, we would come close to annihilating our schools.
Our on-going challenge as responsible board members is to balance fiscal restraint with our mission to keep improving student achievement.
