Letter to the Editor: BOE Incumbent Asks for Public Support

Benito Ortiz, Patricia Sadowski, and I are incumbent candidates running for the New Brunswick School Board.  We are experienced board members and long-time city residents actively engaged in community affairs. Bennie and Pat are also graduates of New Brunswick High School. Many of their contributions are described in the Unity Square questionnaire mentioned at the end of this letter.  

In 2001, Rutgers student Chris Rockford requested my participation as the faculty representative in meetings of the Joint Advisory Board composed of city administrators and students. The mayor appointed me to replace school board member Prof. Angus Gillespie, who moved out of the city in 2002. Since that time, I have made many contributions to the board and students in New Brunswick.

I wish to highlight my role as chair of the Curriculum Committee. I vividly recall the “Welcome Session” in June 2008 for the Rutgers Future Scholars program originated by former President Richard McCormick and Courtney McAnuff, Vice President for Enrollment Management.  The scholars program is a bold initiative with a goal of expanding the number of talented students coming to Rutgers from underrepresented neighboring communities; 50 eighth grade students from the New Brunswick public school system participated that day as well as students from Camden, Newark, and Piscataway.

The city students in the original group are seniors approaching graduation. The good news is that of the 30 New Brunswick students applying to Rutgers, 22 were admitted outright and three are on the waiting list. Even more important is that four undocumented New Brunswick students will receive full scholarships to Rutgers. We are grateful that many Rutgers students volunteer to help guide and nurture our future scholars and participate in other activities as well.

Another program I helped approve is the Rutgers Early College Humanities Program REaCH started by Dr. Martin Kempner. REaCH offers students in high school college-level, credit-granting courses in a variety of humanities disciplines. The total number of Rutgers student volunteers in all our programs is limited only by the capacity of our schools to manage and accommodate them.  

Many school community programs and board member contributions are described in our candidates’ responses to the Unity Square questionnaire, available online at newbrunswick.patch.com. After reviewing the statements, positions, and, most important, the qualifications of the candidates, I hope you conclude that my running mates and I deserve your support on April 16.  

-Professor John Krenos

New Brunswick Board of Education