Vote Column 4, Because you Deserve More

Englewood Students, Parents and Administrators need Board Members who will never give up the fight for Educational Excellence for all students regardless of race, class, where they live or the economic status of their parents. I am confident that Bill Feinstein is the man for the job.

We need Board members with the intestinal fortitude to stand their ground for the sake of the children.

We need Board Members who will turn the Narrative back to the subject of the children and what is best for them.

We need Board Members who think of the whole child and do not spend the entire meeting speaking on subjects that do not impact the Education of children.

We need Board Members who will insure that school buildings are maintained in a way that makes a safe and clean environment to learn.

We need Board Members who are willing to get the training necessary to create policy and who understand that they do not run the District.

We need Board Members who do not hesitate to involve students, teachers, administrators and Community in the Goal setting that become the District Goals on which the Superintendent bases his Goals for the District.

We need Board Members who are not afraid to say no to the Superintendent and can recognize when the School Leader is micromanaging the District are willing to ask questions about process.

We need Board Members who understand that the Superintendent manages the District and trusts the teachers and Administrators to impart the information that nurtures a safe environment that encourages students, parents, teachers, staff and administrators to do their very best.

We need School Board Members who hold 

"high expectations of achievement" 

for ALL students 

and not just one group.

What is the Zone?

My open letter to EPSD about The Zone. 

Please share.

I am writing to urge you to take decisive action, to lead--and find a way to support The Zone for the 2020-2021 school year. Now is not a time to reduce the mental health and community supports for students and faculty.

I understand that Trenton is in crisis and has no good choices to make. However, Trenton does not know what we know, which is that Englewood Public Schools were in crisis before the pandemic. I know this because through the leadership of Mariam Gerges and Liz Corsini, along with Sanetta Ponton, I helped lead hours of workshops for DMHS faculty and administrators last year.

We heard first hand how difficult the conditions in the school were, their struggles in reaching students, and their desire to lead their colleagues in creating a better climate in which students, regardless of their traumas, could learn and thrive. We were having these conversations and workshops in August, September, January and February. What will those discussions sound like over Zoom this year?

I can assure you that the kind of professional development and coaching that your faculty and administrators received last year through these workshops would have cost EPSD thousands of dollars--but you got it "free" from Bergen Family Center, The Zone and the community members like Sanetta, Flat Rock Brook and me--who will do almost anything for Englewood's children. Most importantly, EPSD got all this expertise for "free" because the community knows the value that Bergen Family Center brings--and when called upon by them, we show up.

Now it is time for EPSD to show up for The Zone. I assure you that your students and faculty cannot survive, let alone thrive, without the support that The Zone and its committed staff provide. They pivoted seamlessly to the virtual world, and connected with students in a matter of days. In fact, there were moments on the weekly community calls that Sanetta organized, when it became obvious that Bergen Family Center knew more about some of EPSD students than the district did itself. You need The Zone, we all know you do.

Find the money--in the paper clip and toner budget, in the snacks for professional development budget--find the money. 

Step up and lead. The times demand it.

Sincerely,

Lynne Algrant

Former Council at Large and former President of the Englewood City Council