Bayonne Mayor Jimmy Davis endorses Dr. Thomas Howard in BOE election

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Bayonne Mayor Jimmy Davis has endorsed a second member of the “Kids First” slate running in the November 3 Board of Education election, “academic all-star” Dr. Thomas Howard, Jr., for a two-year term on the board. 

Thomas Howard

By John Heinis/Hudson County View

“Dr. Howard has a proven track record in the field of education,” Davis said in a statement. “From building teacher capacity to implementing innovative practices, Dr. Howard knows how to get things done when it comes to public education.”

Howard, who currently serves as the Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Harbor in New York City, has a B.A. from Winston-Salem State University and an M.A. from Rider University, as well as a Doctorate in Education from Nova Southeastern University.

Howard has 35 years of experience in education, as he began his career as a music teacher 1980. Since that time, he has served as an elementary school teacher in a number of school districts, including the Lawnside and South Brunswick Boards of Education.

He has also served as the principal at the Burlington City Board of Education and the Trenton Community Charter School.

“I’m passionate about education,” Howard said in the same statement. “Mayor Davis understands that and he knows that with my background and experience I’ll be able to make a difference in our community.”

Additionally, Howard just spent nearly three years of his career serving as the Associate Director for the Data-Driven Reform in Education at Johns Hopkins University, which was managed by the Success for All Foundation.

While serving in this capacity, Howard created a research-based data analysis model used to train school administrators across ten states to understand student outcomes and improve academic performance, according to a news release.

“My unique academic experience provides me with the knowledge and know-how to lead on issues pertaining to standardized testing, career and college readiness, youth development and engaging community as a way to boost student learning,” Howard added.

“Dr. Howard is an academic all-star, and we need him on our team fighting for our children,” Davis concluded.

Davis’ endorsement for Howard comes one week after he threw his support behind Denis Wilbeck. The Kids First team also includes incumbent Chris Piechocki, Nancy Solis and Barry Kushnir.


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3 COMMENTS

  1. I’m John Cupo and I’m running for the three-year term on the board of education.

    Nine people are running for the three-year term, but on election day you will have the opportunity to cast three votes among those nine candidates.

    I urge you to cast one of your votes for me – 6D – on the ballot, and cast your other two votes in this category for two other reform minded and independent thinking individuals who are not tied to the failed policies of the current school board.

    I need your vote. I need your vote to oust the current school board president with a vote of no confidence. I need your vote to call upon the four appointed school board trustees – who are not up for election this year – to resign at once … so we can have a totally new board not associated in anyway with the previous administration.

    And I need your vote so we can start fresh, and begin to provide better education to all of the students of Bayonne. After all, it is all about the kids.

    Today, our schools rank in the bottom third of all New Jersey schools. There is no excuse for that. We must do better. We must put students and teachers first and school administrators and bureaucrats last. Because improving educational standards goes hand-in-hand with improving efficiency in the school system. And as a life long business owner, who built the largest real estate company in Hudson County, I know the power of efficiency and the benefits it can bring.

    I helped create the MLS book for the real estate industry and turned it into a profitable proposition through it’s computerization – years before others in the industry even recognized the value of computers. I managed five real estate offices efficiently and was the top-selling and was top-listing broker for eight years.

    You can be sure that I will use my proven business experience to cut expenses when necessary, and strike down any contracts with vendors that are non-performing.

    For every dollar spent, I want to see a return of $1.50 in services. And I will fight each and every time to make sure we achieve this goal.

    Our school system consists of 1600 employees, 800 teachers, and over 9000 students. Half of the local tax bill you pay goes to our schools. We need a precise accounting of every dollar spent if we are to reign in Taxes and serve the community.

    I am determined to be The Watchdog Board of Education and watch out for your interests – and the interests of taxpayers,teachers, and students.

    The current board has failed. As I speak, $11.8 million dollars in education funds is unaccounted for…

    We have an ice rink that is badly need of repair and upgrading, And let’s not forget that it took five long years to get a new contract for our teachers.

    We have a school board that consists of nine people. Baseball teams also baseball teams also have nine people. But if the baseball team has six losing seasons in a row, they shake up the line up and field a new team with new players. And if that doesn’t work they fire the manager in this case Jimmy Davis.

    it’s time to put new managers in charge of the Bayonne school system so we can turn the situation around, and provide our students with winning semesters.

    We need a clean slate, and we need it now.

    We need a complete review of each and every contract – top to bottom- and we need transparency and openness.

    It’s it’s the People’s Board now, and when elected I will be accountable to you and you alone
    .
    All of the candidates who are up here on the stage tonight are here in large part because of the efforts of two people. I am proud that I helped start the elected school board movement two years ago – and served as it’s co-chair – along with Michael Alonso, who founded Bayonne School Board Choice and served as it’s chair.

    Together, with the help of dozens of others, we collected we collected over 8000 petitions to get it on the ballot so that Mayor Jimmy Davis and the council could ratify it.

    Needless to say, I am completely dedicated to improving education in Bayonne, and I have shown it with my actions.

    You already said “yes” to the petition that I helped start, and to the elected school board movement itself.

    Now, I humbly ask you to say “yes” to me. I need your vote on November third.

    I’m not running looking for a job – I’m running to do a job…To improve our school system and to serve all the members of our community.

    Thank you.

  2. Message to:Thomas Howard
    You did not do it on your own……… shame on you…

    Public Notice,To all of the 5 candidates…….do it on your own…..
    I, John R Cupo have not asked for any endorsement from nor was I asked to be endorsed by the present administration. Any application for this board election who are sitting here should not accept any endorsement…. This is the people’s choice election.

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