Neron: Elizabeth Schools are Thriving

By Stanley Neron

In recent years, the Elizabeth School District has made enormous strides to truly become the premier urban school district in New Jersey.

I’ve been honored to be the President of the Board of Education during the past year. Together with our entire board, the Superintendent of Schools, central office, staff, students and parents, Elizabeth schools have thrived.

With no increase in property taxes, we’ve opened new schools, improved the quality of education, instituted innovative programs and created greater openness and transparency in how the district’s business is conducted.

Despite static funding from the state and growing enrollment of nearly one thousand students a year making Elizabeth the second largest district in the state, Elizabeth Schools and most importantly our students are flourishing.

We’ve made long-needed investments and capital plans for some of our older schools while drafting a new five-year construction plan.

During the past year, I’ve visited all of Elizabeth’s schools and spoken before programs at many including the High School graduation, the New York Jets Play 60 program, L.E.A.D graduates, Estuary Day, Hamilton Prep’s Women’s History Month program and the Elizabeth Historical Society to name just a few.

We have dispelled any myths that may exist about urban education. Under fair circumstances, our students compete with the very best in the nation. None of our achievements come without a fight, hard work and defying the odds. Together we have done more with less and together we are achieving greatness and what was once the unthinkable.

These are among the achievements of the past year:

• Revised graduation requirements to better serve our students and established programs to allow students to pursue college credit while still in high school.
• Increased access to Advanced Placement courses
• Established Ninth Grade academies
• Settled long-time disputes with our employees associations and settled new contracts as well
• Created new after-school arts programs
• Invested in middle school sports programs
• Purchased new school buses and equipped with security cameras
• Hired additional security personnel
• Dedicated the William F. Halloran School No. 22
• Introduced a plan for renewable energy in our schools to cut costs and improve our environment
• Introduced resolutions for National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day and Gun Violence Awareness Month
• Replacement of bleachers and floor at Dunn Sports Center
• Installed new auditorium and floors at George Washington Academy School No. 1 and Jerome Dunn Academy School No. 9.
• Installed a new cafeteria floor at Mabel G. Holmes School No. 5
• Replaced water piping at Terence C. Reilly School No.7
• Wall and gym floor repairs at John Marshall School No. 20
• Relocated the Nicholas Murray Butler School No.23 and Teach To One
• Two new classrooms at Charles J. Hudson School No. 25
• Move of Dr. Orlando Edreira Academy School No. 26 and added lockers
• Construction of Three Classrooms at Dr. Antonia Pantoja School No. 27
• Renovations at the John E. Dwyer Technology Academy Annex including a computer lab and age-appropriate furniture.
• New lockers at Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy Annex
• Renovations at the Thomas A. Edison Career and Technical Academy
• Conversion of storage room into classroom at Admiral William. F.Halsey Health and Public Safety Academy
• Construction that will enable new classrooms at the J. Christian Bollwage Finance Academy
• On-time opening of the William F. Halloran School No. 22
• New uniforms for our marching band
• Reinvestment in the Curriculum of Inclusion
• Renaming of schools to honor important figures in our community, Mayor J. Christian Bollwage and long-time former NAACP President Charles Harris

Stanley Neron is a member of the Elizabeth Board of Education and has been its President for the past year.