BMC News

 

Black Ministers Council of New Jersey

March 2nd - March 4th

“Economics, Education and Energy: The Big Three”

Robert Treat Convention Center,

50 Park Place, Newark, N.J.

 

Conference Schedule

Wednesday, March 2nd

(Focus on Education)  

8AM Registration

9AM Opening Plenary

 

9:15AM The Rev. Reginald T. Jackson, Presiding

Executive Director, BMC

 

Keynote Breakfast

The Honorable Chris Christie

Governor, State of New Jersey

 

10:30AM Panel, “Public School Reform: What, How When?”

Ms. Jeannine LaRue, Larue List, Group, Moderator

Sen. Teresa Ruiz, Chair, Senate Education Committee

Assemblyman Patrick Diegnan, Chair, Assembly Education Committee

Dr. Joseph Youngblood, Thomas Edison University

Mr. Shavar Jeffries, Esquire, Chair, Newark Public Schools, Advisory Committee

Dr. Edythe Abdullah, President, Essex County Community College

Mr. Ronald C. Lee, Supt. Orange Public Schools

 

12Noon Luncheon

Mr. Chris Cerf, Acting Commissioner

New Jersey Department of Education

 

2PM Panel, “School Choice: Viable Alternative or Fraudulent Hope”

Dr. Therman Evans, MD., Pastor, Moderator

Mr. Derrell Bradford, Excellent Education for Everyone

Sen. Raymond Lesniak, Chair, Senate Economic Growth Committee

Mr. James Harris, President, New Jersey NAACP

Mr. Jerome Harris, President, New Jersey Black Issues Convention

Mr. Martin Perez, Esquire, President New Jersey Latino Alliance

 

Charter School Expansion Workshop

(churches that would like to start charter schools)

 

3:30PM Closing Plenary

4PM Closing Prayer and Adjournment

 

Thursday, March 3 rd

(Focus on Economics)

9AM General Plenary

 

9:15AM The Rev. J. Stanley Justice, Presiding

Chair, Education Committee

 

Speaker

The Honorable Sheila Oliver, Speaker

New Jersey General Assembly

 

10:30AM Panel, “Creating Economic Prosperity in Urban New Jersey”

Mr. Al Koeppe, The Newark Alliance

Mr. Dennis Bone, President, Verizon, New Jersey

Mr. Ralph LaRossa, PSE&G

Mr. John Harmon, President, African American Chamber of Commerce

Mrs. Lori Griffa, Commissioner, Dept. of Community Affairs, New Jersey

 

12Noon Luncheon

2:00PM Panel, “The Black Church: Instrument of Economic Freedom and Revival”

The Rev. Wayne Griffith, BMC Board Member, Moderator

Dr. DeForest Soaries, First Baptist Church, Somerset, New Jersey

Dr. William D. Watley, St. James AME Church, Newark

Dr. David Jefferson, Metropolitan Baptist Church, Newark

Bishop Donald Hilliard, The Cathedral International, Perth Amboy

 

3:45PM Closing Plenary

 

4PM Closing Prayer and Adjournment

 

Friday, March 4

(Focus on Energy)

9AM Opening Plenary

Praise and Worship

 

9:15AM The Rev. Linda Ellerbe, Presiding

BMC Secretary and Board Member

Speaker

Mr. Ralph Izzo, Chairman, President, Chief Executive Officer

PSE&G

 

10:30AM Panel, “Greening of Urban New Jersey: The Hidden Economy”

Sen. Robert Smith, Chair, Senate Environment and Energy Committee

Mayor Wayne Smith, Urban Mayor’s Association

Mr. Lee Solomon, President, Board of Public Utilities

Mr. Bob Martin, Commissioner, Dept. of Environmental Protection

 

12:15PM Luncheon

 

2:00PM Conference Adjourns

 

 

 

 

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SPECIAL REVIEW ASSESSMENT DENIAL
Reverend Reginald T. Jackson, Executive Director of The Black Ministers' Council of New Jersey, testified before the State Board of Education last week and expressed ire and frustration with the D.O.E.'s newly rigorous high school graduation requirements [...]

 

BMC BLASTS QUALITY OF EDUCATION SYSTEM
The head of New Jersey's Black Ministers Council, joined by other clergy and Latino leaders, today delivered a scathing appraisal of the state's education system, claiming it endorses and covers up failure [...]