HOFFMAN, WASHINGTON IRVING, AHMAD ANNOUNCE CANDIDACY FOR HACKENSACK BOARD OF EDUCATION

“For Hackensack’s Future” Slate Will Prioritize

Leadership Stability, Fiscal Security & Educational Excellence

HACKENSACK, NJ (February 25, 2019)—Timothy Hoffman, Yvette Washington Irving and Basim Ahmad announced Monday the launch of their campaign for the Hackensack Board of Education.

Running as the “For Hackensack’s Future” Team, Hoffman, the current vice president of the Hackensack BOE, is seeking re-election, while community leaders and parents Washington Irving and Ahmad are seeking their first terms on the Board.

In announcing their candidacies, Hoffman, Washington Irving and Ahmad cited the urgent challenges the district faces due to a revolving door of interim superintendents and high staff turnover and the recent outcome of a school bond referendum that would have funded upgrades to district facilities and address overcrowding. The team said their extensive backgrounds in business and management would help them lead the course correction necessary to:

• End the cycle of interim superintendents and stabilize district leadership and staffing

• Close the gap in educational excellence that exists between Hackensack and Bergen County’s top-performing school districts

• Relieve the tax burden on homeowners by demanding developers pay their fair share toward our schools

​“Other municipalities throughout New Jersey have figured out how to get developers to invest in their school systems,” Hoffman said. “As Trustees, we will fight for a seat at the table to ensure developers invest in the true lifeblood of our city, our schools,” Hoffman said.

“Some of our children are still in overcrowded classrooms and our aging facilities are still in need of repair,” Washington Irving said. “We must work together to bring permanent solutions to the district that will prioritize our children’s needs.”

Hoffman, Washington Irving and Ahmad also thanked the Hackensack community for the broad support voters have already shown their campaign. The team filed 167 petition signatures from voters Monday—16 times the required number to appear on the ballot in the April 16 election.

“We collected petitions from every corner of the city,” Basim Ahmad said. “From parents and educators, to homeowners and retirees, we have support throughout Hackensack. This is a community movement to revitalize our district,” he said.

TIM HOFFMAN

Tim Hoffman is a lifelong resident of Hackensack and was the 2012 valedictorian of Hackensack High School. He has served six years on the Hackensack Board of Education and is currently the Board’s vice president. Hoffman graduated from Seton Hall University with a Bachelor’s degree in political science and a Master’s degree in public administration. He is now on staff at his alma mater, where he teaches public administration and serves as director of Seton Hall University’s Center for Community Research and Engagement.

“Our students deserve independent-minded leaders who are willing to work with all members of our community to ensure we provide the strongest possible education for our children,” Hoffman said. “Our schools need leaders who will address the real needs and challenges our district faces. I am confident that my service on the board, my experience as an educator and my willingness to be a bridge-builder will propel Hackensack forward,” Hoffman said.

YVETTE WASHINGTON IRVING

As the mother of two sons enrolled in Hackensack public schools—Fairmount and Hackensack Middle School—Yvette Washington Irving is a member of the School Facilities Advisory Committee and is the former secretary of the Fairmount School PTA. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in economics from Northwestern University, an MBA from the University of Virginia, and owns her own small business.

“I fervently believe in the power of public education to improve and transform the lives of all children, but if we are going to nurture the next generation of computer scientists, doctors, lawyers, electricians, gamers, architects and so forth, we must provide them with a top-notch education,” Washington Irving said. “I understand our school district’s strengths and challenges and I can relate to the many different perspectives within our community. I know that we can work together to make sure we upgrade the quality of our schools to align with the aspirations of a revitalized Hackensack,” she said.

BASIM AHMAD

Basim Ahmad has more than ten years of experience in business management, budgeting and personnel. He has supervised a staff of more than 230 employees and is also a small business owner. Ahmad is a former substitute teacher and high school varsity soccer coach. He is a graduate of Kean University and has an MBA from the New York Institute of Technology. He and his wife are the parents of two young children, ages three and one.

“Our school board needs leaders who will prioritize making our schools work better for our students and employees, and as the father of a three-year-old and a one-year-old, I want to do my part to help the next generation of students maximize their potential,” Ahmad said. “As a small business owner with more than a decade of experience in managing budgets, supervising a large staff and addressing personnel issues, I know how important it is to assemble a strong team to execute a shared goal. I am independent-minded and will work with the community and the rest of the Board on common-sense solutions to improve the quality of education our children receive,” he said.