School Referendum And More: Hoboken School Board Slate Gives Thoughts

HOBOKEN, NJ — Eight candidates will face off for three spots on the Hoboken school board on Nov. 8, and the election is likely to be more heated than usual on the heels of a controversial $241M school referendum that was voted down in January.

This week, one of the slates in the upcoming race — "Leadership That Listens" — officially unveiled their candidates, including present school board member Alex De La Torre, who backed the referendum.

But that doesn't mean all three members of his slate think the process was above criticism.

(Got a letter about the election or any other Hoboken matter? Post it yourself on Patch any time! Follow these instructions.)

“The January referendum process needed more transparency and community outreach," said public school mom Leslie Norwood, a political newcomer on the slate. "Being good stewards of taxpayer money requires transparent plans for the District’s future.”

The three members of the slate have a combined total of five kids in the Hoboken public schools.

They will face off against the "Kids First" slate and two independents. READ MORE: 8 Candidates Seek 3 Seats On Hoboken Board

'Listening Tour'

Leslie Norwood, Antonio Graña and current board member Alejandro (Alex) De La Torre Jr. said they'll "conduct a listening tour throughout Hoboken in the weeks ahead. The team brings proven track records of public service and experience as public school parents, years of business and financial management experience, and a focus on fiscally responsible oversight to continue to drive our schools forward."

“When most schools were fully remote during COVID, Hoboken’s public schools were ahead of
the curve, giving each parent the choice of full-time in-person or remote learning” said De La Torre. “In-person learning was particularly important to those children that have difficulty learning remotely.”

“A strong, safe community starts with good public schools, and the District has made major
strides resulting in a 26 percent increase in K-12 enrollment since 2014 and exceptional student
achievement,” said Antonio Graña. “We need to build on this momentum and continue to
improve our schools through prudent investment in our students and their teachers.”

“As taxpayers and long-time residents, we believe the goals of improving academic outcomes
and upgrading aging facilities need to be undertaken with fiscal responsibility and
accountability,” said Norwood.

Below are abbreviated profiles of the members of the slate. Watch for individual profiles and answers to questions later this election season.

The Candidates

Leslie Norwood has lived in Hoboken since 1998. Norwood and her husband have two children who attend Brandt Elementary School. Norwood joined the Hoboken Public Education Foundation Board in 2017. She has been active in school groups including Brandt Parent Consortium for Pre-K, Brandt PTO, and the Hoboken Special Needs Parent Advisory Group. Norwood has worked as a securities attorney and federal lobbyist focusing on infrastructure finance.

Antonio Graña has been a Hoboken resident for 20 years and is a parent of a student attending
Hoboken Middle School. Graña brings to the BOE his 6 years’ experience actively working
with school administrators and the BOE on improving parent engagement and school facilities
and as an officer on the Connors Elementary School and Hoboken Middle School PTOs. Mr.
Graña volunteers with a number of community organizations and has also served as
Commissioner on the Hoboken Zoning Board of Adjustment for the past 8 years. Graña has
25 years of experience in business management and governance in the private sector.

Alex De La Torre has been a Hoboken resident for 15 years and has two children in Hoboken
Public Schools — one each in Hoboken High School and Hoboken Middle School. De La
Torre has served as a board member for three years, after being appointed in 2018 to fill a vacated seat. De La Torre has been actively involved in various committees throughout his tenure on the BOE, which has accomplished an average 4-year graduation cohort rate for the class of 2018 through the class of 2021 of 94.5 percent, average senior class college and university acceptance rate for the class of 2018 through the class of 2021 of 94 percent, and programs such as the award-winning debate team and internationally-recognized theater program. De La Torre has over 25 years of experience in financial planning and analysis.