Searching for a Super Super NEW!

Community members testified and filled out surveys about what we want in a new State Superintendent. We asked that the Search Committee report back to us.

They agreed that they would.

So, take the opportunity to hear our collective wisdom on Thursday, December 4th at 7 pm at JF Kennedy High School.

For a copy of the final selection criteria, click here.

Forum attendance final, click here.

Who is the Search Committee?

Dr. Leslie Agard-Jones, resident of Paterson; E-mail: laj2733@gmail.com; Employment: Retired, Dean of the College of Education and Professor, William Paterson University; Consultant ; Education: Doctorate in Higher Education Administration; Family: Wife, and 2 kids both living out of state; Past and Current Involvement in the Paterson Public Schools: Served as Liaison to the Board, appointed by State Commissioner for several years; Civic Involvements As program officer for the Taub Foundation in Paterson, have worked with many non-profits in the city. Have you attended any school board meetings? At least 4 of the last 6. Family members who work for the Paterson Public Schools: None. Do you or your company hold any contracts with the Paterson Public Schools or the NJ Department of Education? None

Herman Badillo, New York, NY; Work Phone: (212) 732-9000 Ext. 4125; Fax: (212) 266-4141 E-mail: hbadillo@triallaw1.com * (*the character after the letter "w" is number "1"); Employment: Of Counsel at Sullivan Papain Block McGrath & Cannavo, P.C.; Education: Bachelor of Business Administration, City College of New York; Juris Doctor, Brooklyn Law School; Family: Married; Past and Current Involvement in the Paterson Public Schools: None; Civic Involvements: President, 100 Hispanic Men; . Have you attended any school board meetings? None. Family members who work for the Paterson Public Schools: None. Do you or your company hold any contracts with the Paterson Public Schools or the NJ Department of Education? None

Zynide “Z” Banks, resident of Paterson; Work phone: 973- 321- 2299; E-mail: Zbanks@paterson.k12.nj.us; Employment: Paterson Public Schools, School Nurse; Education: MA Educational Leadership, Professional Registered Nurse (RN), Professional in Human Resources (PHR- inactive); Family: Mother of two, Grandmother of three; Past and Current Involvement in the Paterson Public Schools: Employer for 15 years; Past Facilitator – School Management Team – EHS, Paterson Education Association (PEA), Executive Board member, Affirmative Action Representative, Senior Class Advisor – Panther Academy; Civic Involvements: Executive Board of Directors, Passaic County Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies; American Cancer Society (Breast Cancer Awareness and Relay for Life); Coordinator (Panther Academy & CUMAC-ECHO) End Hunger in our Community; Committee member – School Breakfast initiative (CUMAC-ECHO) Coordinator (Panther Academy & Prison Ministries) Angel Tree Project. Have you attended any school board meetings? Three. Family members who work for the Paterson Public Schools: daughter.

Jose Luis Castro, Home phone: 973-523-5190, E-mail: joselcastro@optonline.net; Employment: Pastor of Iglesia Bautista Central, Education: Master Divinity and Master in Sacred Theology; Family: Wife and three Children. Family members who work for the Paterson Public Schools: None; Do you or your company hold any contracts with the Paterson Public Schools or the NJ Department of Education? None.

Dr. Linda Crescione, resident of Glen Rock; Work Phone: 973 321-009; E-mail: crescion@paterson.k12.nj.us; Employment: Principal, CJR # 9, Paterson Public Schools; Education: BA – William Paterson University, Elementary Education; MA –Montclair State University, Pupil Personnel Services; Ed.D – Seton Hall University, Educational Leadership; Family: single; Past and Current Involvement in the Paterson Public Schools: Educator with Paterson Public Schools for 37 years. During this time, I have held the positions of classroom teacher; Vice Principal; Principal of PS # 17 and for the past 13 years, I have served as Principal of CJR # 9. Civic Involvements: PEF; Have you attended any school board meetings? Yes. Family members who work for the Paterson Public Schools: None. Do you or your company hold any contracts with the Paterson Public Schools or the NJ Department of Education? None

Norberto Curitomai, Express Shuttle, 96 Barclay Street, Paterson, NJ 07503; Work Phone: 973 881-9133; Fax: 973 881-1002; E-mail: norberto@expresshuttle.com; Employment: President of Airport Service Corp; Education: High School; Family: Wife and 5 children; Past and Current Involvement in the Paterson Public Schools: None; Civic Involvements: Founder of Peruvian American Political Action Committee Inc.. Have you attended any school board meetings? None. Family members who work for the Paterson Public Schools: None; Do you or your company hold any contracts with the Paterson Public Schools or the NJ Department of Education? None

Maritza Davila, resident of Paterson; Work phone: 973-684-6307; E-mail: mdavila@pccc.edu. Employment Assistant Director of Admissions, Passaic County Community College; Education: Public school #20 class of 85, Eastside High School class of 89, Monmouth University, Bachelor of Arts, Communications - Public Relations/Journalism & Fairleigh Dickinson University MAS, Masters in Administrative Science. Family: 1 son. Past and Current Involvement in the Paterson Public Schools: 14 years of experience working with our Paterson children through the admissions process for Passaic County Community College. Provided workshops for parents and high school seniors to promote the importance of higher education. Participant of the Its Your life 411 programs in Passaic County, a pro-active role-playing program that teaches 7th & 8th graders decision making skills, character education, consequences of high risk behaviors and how to access services from different agencies in the county. Civic Involvements: Past board president for Community Action for Social Affairs, INC. (CASA). Volunteer in the food pantry as well as the Christmas toy drive. Member of the National Education Association (NEA), The Middle States Association of Collegiate Registrars and officers of Admission (MSACROA), the Passaic County School Counselors Association (PCSCA) and the New Jersey Association for College Admissions Counseling (NJACAC). Have you attended any school board meetings? Yes. Family members who work for the Paterson Public Schools: None; Do you or your company hold any contracts with the Paterson Public Schools or the NJ Department of Education? None.

Bob Guarasci, NJCDC, 32 Spruce Street, Paterson, NJ 07501; Work phone: 973-413-1600; E-mail: rguarasci@njcdc.org; Employment: President, NJ Community Development Corporation (NJCDC); Education: BA, George Washington University; Past and Current Involvement in the Paterson Public Schools: Work in partnership with the school district operating an Abbott preschool, Garrett Morgan Academy, and after-school programs; Civic Involvements: President of Paterson Alliance, Board member of Passaic County CASA and Northern NJ Maternal-Child Health Consortium; Have you attended any school board meetings:3 of the last 4; Family members who work for the Paterson Public Schools: None. Do you or your company hold any contracts with the Paterson Public Schools or the NJ Department of Education? Yes

Evangeline Gomez, Esq.; E-mail: eglesq@yahoo.com; Employment: Attorney; Education: The Ohio State University, B.A., Rutgers School of Law- Newark, J.D.; Family: The Cordero/Gomez Family; Past and Current Involvement in the Paterson Public Schools: Activities through Paterson Education Fund; Civic Involvements: Paterson Education Fund (PEF), Vice President, 2005; Chair, 2006-2008; Trustee; Hyacinth AIDS Foundation, Trustee 2005-2007; St. Paul’s CDC, former Trustee. Have you attended any school board meetings? Yes. Family members who work for the Paterson Public Schools: None. Do you or your company hold any contracts with the Paterson Public Schools or the NJ Department of Education? None.

Wendy Guzman, resident of Paterson, Home phone: 973-689-6575; E-mail: wendy@wendyguzman.com; Employment: Full time mom; Education: Passaic County Technical Institute; Bergen Community College; Family: Married with one child. Past and Current Involvement in the Paterson Public Schools: Volunteered in day care centers with Mu Sigma Upsilon Sorority. Mentor a group of students. Civic Involvements: Member, Sociedad Pro-Desarollo De Ranchete, Dominican Political Representation (DOPOR), ACORN, Vi Queen of Dominican State Parade and Festival NJ 2004. Certified tax preparer. Certified lead technician. Licensed Notary Public. Have you attended any school board meetings? Yes. Family members who work for the Paterson Public Schools: None. Do you or your company hold any contracts with the Paterson Public Schools or the NJ Department of Education? None.

Jonathan Hodges, M.D., resident of Paterson; Work Phone: (973) 321-0980; Education: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Wake Forest University, Bowman Gray School of Medicine; Past and Current Involvement in the Paterson Public Schools: EHS School Management team. Board Member, Two time Board President, Past Lecturer; Civic Involvements: Past member of Paterson Education Fund, Board of YMCA; Have you attended any school board meetings? All of them; Family members who work for the Paterson Public Schools: None. Do you or your company hold any contracts with the Paterson Public Schools or the NJ Department of Education? None.

Errol Kerr, resident of Paterson; Home Phone: 973-742-7042;

E-mail: ekerr@ gloryusa.com; Employment: Glory USA Inc. Logistic Department Supervisor; Education:; B.Sc. Business Administration, Ramapo College; Married with two children and a grandson; Past and Current Involvement in the Paterson Public Schools: Member of the J F K HS Home School Council; Vice President of the Paterson Board of Education; Civic Involvements: VP of the Caribbean Empowerment Program of NJ, Member of the NAACP. Have you attended any school board meetings? All of them; Family members who work for the Paterson Public Schools : None. Do you or your company hold any contracts with the Paterson Public Schools or the NJ Department of Education? None

Rev. Dr. James A. Kuykendall, resident of Paterson, NJ, Work Phone: 973-278-4390, E-mail: agapecministries@aol.com; Employment ; Senior Pastor, Agape Christian Ministries; Chief Chaplain, Passaic County Jail; Education: Montclair State, Ramapo State College, Hawthorne Gospel Bible Institute, Shiloh Theological Seminary – Doctor of Divinity, New Direction Inc. – Drug/Alcoholic Counseling, Mason Kelly Washington Religious Training Institute – Professional Chaplain; Family: Wife, daughter and grandson; Past and Current Involvement in the Paterson Public Schools: Paterson Pastors Workshop Adopt-A-School Initiative; Civic Involvements: President, Paterson Pastors Workshop; Municipal Leader, Paterson Democratic Committee; Vice President, Paterson Democratic Club; Chaplain, Paterson Police Department; Have you attended any school board meetings? Yes; Family members who work for the Paterson Public Schools: None. Do you or your company hold any contracts with the Paterson Public Schools or the NJ Department of Education? No

Kenneth Morris, resident of Paterson, Work Phone: 973-720-9171; E-mail: morrisk@sjhmc.org; Employment: Director of Governmental Affairs, St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center; Education: BFA.,Cleveland Institute of Art and Case Western Reserve Medical School; M.A. Montclair State University and Master of Health Care Administration, Seton Hall University. Family: Two daughters; Past and Current Involvement in the Paterson Public Schools: Have been actively involved with the Board of Education and schools throughout my career. Civic Involvements: Councilman-at-Large, 2002 to the present; Council President, 2005-08; Chair, Home Care Options Visiting Nurse Service; past Chair, Paterson Education Fund; former board member of Paterson YMCA; Adjunct professor at William Paterson University. Have you attended any school board meetings? Yes. Family members who work for the Paterson Public Schools: Sister. Do you or your company hold any contracts with the Paterson Public Schools or the NJ Department of Education? None

Nina Odatalla, E-mail: Nodatalla@paterson.k12.nj.us; Employment: Teacher, International High School, Paterson Public Schools; Education: MA in Education, BA in History; Past and Current Involvement in the Paterson Public Schools: Social Studies teacher at the International High School for last 5 years. Have you attended any school board meetings? Yes. Family members who work for the Paterson Public Schools: None. Do you or your company hold any contracts with the Paterson Public Schools or the NJ Department of Education? None.

Linda G. Smith, resident of Paterson; Work Phone: 973-754-4233; Employment: Supervisor of Case Management, St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center; Education: Bachelor of Arts + 15 credits towards Masters; Past and Current Involvement in the Paterson Public Schools: Advocate; Multi-Ethnic Task Force (Co-Chair); Community Advisory Committee; Past Member Cultural Diversity Committee; Civic Involvements: President, Paterson Branch NAACP; Past President & Current Chairperson of Dr. Betty Shabazz Delta Academy (a mentoring program) for Paterson Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.; Member, Calvary Baptist Church -Sunday School Teacher – Choir Member – Chair, Social Ministries; Member Mayor Task Force for UNCF; Member, Paterson-Passaic/Bergen Counties HIV Planning Council; Member, Passaic County Section of NCNW; Commissioner, Passaic County Board of Social Services (Chairwoman); Treasurer, African Heritage Parade Committee, Inc.; Have you attended any school board meetings? Yes. Family members who work for the Paterson Public Schools: Niece and Nephew (Teachers); Sister (Instructional Assistant). Do you or your company hold any contracts with the Paterson Public Schools or the NJ Department of Education? None Known

Willa Spicer, Deputy Commissioner, NJ Det. of Education, Trenton, 609-984-5069.

Willa Mae Taylor, resident of Paterson; Home phone: 973-279-3691; Fax: 973-279-2088; Employment: full time volunteer; Education: Graduate PS#8, Central High School in Paterson, Graduate of FDU, B.S. in Elementary Ed., Graduate-M.A. in Admin. & Supervision from WPU; Family: widow, 3 children, 11 grandchildren and 1 great-grand daughter; Past and Current Involvement in the Paterson Public Schools: P.T.A. member, HSCC member, participant in youth fairs, currently a member of Paterson Bd. of Ed- former scoutmaster, NSW; Civic involvements: youth leader, former girls scout leader, YMCA, former Bd. member of YMCA, youth leader at Central Pres. Church, member of NAACP, NCNW, Vice President of AARP Chapter #15, GAP member, HESC member, convener for presbyteries for NJ, member of United Presbyterian church, mentor at WPU. Have you attended any school board meetings? All of them; Family members who work for the Paterson Public Schools: None. Do you or your company hold any contracts with the Paterson Public Schools or the NJ Department of Education? None

For a pdf file of this information, click here

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