Mayor Mike Spano recently swore in Abdool Haroon Jamal as his newest appointment to the Yonkers Board of Education. As trustee, Jamal will join eight other members of the school board, which is the official policy-making body of the school district. He replaces John Jacono, who resigned from his seat.
“Our most basic responsibility is to provide our students with the best education possible, and that is why I am proud to appoint Mr. Jamal to the Board of Education – his expertise in strategic planning, performance management, and progressive growth is the exactly what the Board of Education needs,” said Spano. “Working alongside our diverse group of trustees, Mr. Jamal will present unique insights and perspectives to address the needs and concerns of the district and support our schools’ goals for our students. I would also like to thank Mr. Jacono for his service to the Yonkers Public Schools.”
Jamal has an impressive career as a leader and decision-maker. His leadership spans more than 25 years, specializing in strategic planning, performance management and policy.
Currently, Jamal works for the New York City Department of Education, serving as a portfolio manager for the Department of Transportation. His role is to develop implementation strategies that support the strategic initiatives of the New York City Department of Education. His focus is on identifying and evaluating data management information systems and he works to increase accessibility as well as transparency for the department, students and families.
A life-long Yonkers resident, Jamal raised three children who attended Yonkers Public Schools. A firm believer in education, Jamal holds several certifications in mechanical engineering, and later returned to school to satisfy his thirst for knowledge. In 2012, he earned two associate degrees – in business administration and social science, and undergraduate degree in economics and finance, and an MBA in general business and computer information system – graduating at every level Summa Cum Laude.
He also holds several post-graduate professional certifications (project management professional, PMI Agile-certified professional, Information Technology Infrastructure Library, and Lean Six Sigma Green Belt).
“It’s both an honor and a privilege to be appointed to serve on the board,” said Jamal. “I appreciate and thank Mayor Spano for his confidence in my ability to serve in a way that may be helpful. Our schools, in their diversity, are a rich source of talent and my belief in that talent has always been unwavering in all the years I have lived in Yonkers. I look forward to working together, with Board President Lopez and other fellow trustees, with Superintendent Dr. Quezada, and with all involved in the education of our children, in a way that advocates for them and their schools.”
“The trustees and I welcome Mr. Jamal and look forward to working with him to improve teaching and learning in our schools,” said Board of Education President the Rev. Steve Lopez. “Mr. Jamal brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise that will be very valuable for our policy and fiduciary deliberation and decisions.”
“The City of Yonkers has countless professionals who are willing to give of themselves and become active participants in everything we do in this city, and Mr. Jamal is a perfect example of this,” said Dr. Edwin Quezada, superintendent of schools. “I know his skills, knowledge and expertise will be true assets to the entire city, and we are honored to have him.”
Jamal will fulfill the remainder of Jacono’s five-year term, through May 31, 2021.
