I firmly believe that one of the strongest measures of any community is the quality and compassion of its public schools. By that measure, I believe Hoboken’s public school system rivals any in New Jersey and the United States, not just because of the quality of its programs, but because unlike many others, ours is a district of unrivaled cultural and socioeconomic diversity. When it comes to leadership in the district – I look for those who take the stewardship of our program seriously. Hoboken’s kids are our most precious resource, not a cost center, and the job of our Board of Education – as stewards – is to take an honest look at the needs of our students (from Pre-K to High School) and focus efforts on how to best meet those needs. Which is why I am enthusiastically supporting and endorsing the Leadership that Listens slate of candidates in the upcoming Board of Education election.

The Leadership that Listens team is simply unrivaled amongst the candidates in ability and thoughtfulness and will be prepared on day one to continue the excellent progress our district has made over the most recent years. As a 20+ year resident, Zoning Board member, and (most impressively) stalwart of the Connors PTO, Antonio Graña brings to the table an incredibly broad skillset which will make him an excellent BOE Trustee. Antonio’s running mate, Leslie Norwood, is simply one of the smartest people I have ever met. A district parent, HPEF leader, and longtime resident (20+ years), Leslie is a securities lawyer who will be hyper focused on helping the BOE make prudent and fiscally responsible decisions. Finally, Alex De La Torre, who’s lived in Hoboken 16 years and has two kids in the district, rounds out the group with his experience as current BOE Trustee as well over 25 years as a financial planning professional. Over the past three years, Alex has helped oversee tremendous growth in our district during an extremely tumultuous time – specifically, in those years Hoboken has seen an 94.5% graduation rate, 94% college acceptance rate, and was one of the first districts nationally to open its schools, safely, for in person learning during the COVID pandemic.

Given the caliber of talent, professionalism, and experience on this slate, my decision to support the Leadership that Listens team is a no brainer. I hope you’ll join me in voting for Antonio, Leslie, and Alex this November 8^th.

Joe Quintero

Hoboken City Councilman-at-Large