For the first time in his 15 years as mayor, Mike Gonnelไli has taken the rare step of endorsing candidates for the Secaucus Board of Education (BOE).
Usually, Gonnelli prefers to st🍎ay out of these races, but this year is different.
With the election fast approaching on November 5, 2024, Gonnelli has decided🐽 to publicly support three candidates: Gerald Lyons, Tatiana Geller, and Melissaꦛ Howard.
So, why now? Why break the silence after all this time? Well, the mayor feels the school district des🍷perately needs new leadership to address the issues that have piled up over the years.
- Secaucus Mayor Mike Gonnelli has endorsed school board candidates for the first time, backing Gerald Lyons, Tatiana Geller, and current board member Melissa Howard.
- Gerald Lyons has a decade of school board experience in Jersey City, and Tatiana Geller brings expertise in working with special-needs kids. Melissa Howard seeks re-election with a focus on improving education.
- Mayor Gonnelli says the school district is in trouble—citing leadership turnover and financial issues—and believes these candidates can fix things.
Gonnelli’s Call for New Leadership
Gonnelli’s decision to ♋endorse candidates didn’t come out of the blue. He’s seen enough problems in the district to push him into action.
Over the past seven years, the district has cycled through six different superintendents, and they all continued to be paid even when they weren’t working.
Understandably😼, that kind of turnover and financial waste has frustrated many, including G𝐆onnelli himself.
His tipping poin🙈t came with a string of missteps by the BOE. Earlier this year, a controversial re-districting plan ups🤪et families by shifting hundreds of students between schools.
Then, the district embarrassed itself by having to cancel a promised full-day Pre-K program du꧒e to lack of funding.
It was even worse since Governor Murphy h🧔ad visited Secaucus to celebrate the program’s launch.
In addition, the BOE quietly suspended Supe🦋rintendent Er𝓰ick Alfonso while still paying his $180,000 annual salary—and never explained why.
Given all these problems, Gonnelli felt it was time for some fresh faces to step up and lead the district 𝓡in a new direction.
Meet the Candidates: Who Gonnelli Endorsed and Why
Now that Mayor Gonnelli has ꧅made his historic endorsement, let’s take a closer look at the candidates he’s backing and why they caught his attention.
1. Gerald Lyons: A School Board Veteran with a Fresh Perspective
Of the three candidates Gonnelli is backing, Gerald Lyons brings the most experience to the table.
Although Lyons only recent♑ly moved to Secaucus from Jersey City, his resume i😼s impressive.
In fact, he spent ♉almost a decade on the Jersey City school board, even serving as its president.
Additionally, he’s been a public high school teacher and the principal of the Hudson County Schools of Technol𒈔ogy, which is now based in🅷 Secaucus.
But here’s 𒐪the interesting part: Gonnelli himse🔜lf actually asked Lyons to run.
Though Lyons is a newcomer in town, Gonnelli believes his deep understanding of education and l💞ea💖dership makes him the perfect candidate to help the district.
Lyons might not be a household name yet, but with☂ the mayor’s support, he’s gaining some seriou♍s momentum.
2. Tatiana Geller: A Champion for Special Needs Education
Next on Gonnelli’s list is Tatiana Geller, a speech patღhologist wꦬho specializes in working with special-needs kids.
She’s another new face in town, and her 🐓background differs from what you usually see on a school board.
Geller ca🔯me to Gonnelli’s attention through Counꦓcilwoman Orietta Tringali, who thought she’d be a great fit for the Board.
And after checking out her resume, Gonnelli ꦐwas on🍸 board, too.
He’s confident that Geller can bring a much-needed perspective to the Board, especially when it comes to helpin🧜g studꦯents who need extra support.
Though Geller, like Lyons, is relatively unknown in Secaucus, the mayor𒉰 is working hard to introduce her to tᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚhe community.
Essentially, he knows their lack🅰 of familiarity in town could be a challenge, but he’s opt🐓imistic about their potential to win people over.
3. Melissa Howard: A Proven Advocate for Education
Rounding out Gonnelli’s trio of endorsements💞 is 🧸Melissa Howard, the only incumbent candidate he’s backing.
Regarding her experience,ඣ Howard has bꦜeen a Board of Education member and is running for re-election.
Her slogan, “Advocate for Education,” captures her mission, and Gonnelli sees her as som🔥eone who can keep pushing for ⛄improvements in the district.
Other Candidates Running For The School Board Election
In additio☂n to the mayor’s picks, several other candidates are running for the Secaucus school board elec꧂tion.
Here’s a quick rundown:
- Valerie Giraldo and Audry Yule run together under the “Community Winning Resolutions” platform. Yule ran for the BOE in 2021 but didn’t win a seat.
- Jamie Fisher, running under “The People’s Voice.”
- Monica Berckes, representing “A Winning District.” She previously ran for the board in 2022 but wasn’t elected.
While all these candi🅰dates bring different ideas and backgrounds, it’s clear that Gonnelli’s picks—Lyons, Geller, and Howard—have caught the most atteജntion.
What’s at Stake on November 5?
As Secaucus a🌊pproaches its Board of Education election on November 5, 2024—coinciding with the U.S. presidential෴ election—voters face an important choice.
With three seats up for grabs and three-y⛦ear terms at stake, this e🐠lection holds significant weight, especially with Mayor Gonnelli’s first-ever public endorsement of school board candidates.
The message is clear: Secaucus schools need strong, capable leader🍬ship to navigate ongoing challenges♊ and ensure a better future for students.
By backing Gerald L🅺yons, Tatia🍰na Geller, and Melissa Howard, Mayor Gonnelli believes these candidates have the experience and vision to stabilize and guide the district forward.
In aಞ nutshell, this election is an opportunity to shape the future of education in Secaucus.
Now, the town’s voters can bring meaningful chang🍷e to the school system and set a new direction for years to come.
At this crit🌟ical moment, the path forward starts at the ballot box, and the outcome could define the future of Secaucus schools.
