Linda Eno was presented with New Jersey Council of County Vocational-Technical Schools CTE Leadership Award.
The New Jersey Council of County Vocational-Technical Schools presented its annual CTE Leadership Award to Linda Eno, in recognition of her extraordinary leadership and support for career and technical education as a school principal and state policy leader.
Since 2015, the Council has annually recognized key partners who provide extraordinary leadership for career and technical education. Dr. Eno, who retired recently from the New Jersey Department of Education as an assistant commissioner for academics and performance, was selected for her commitment to expanding and enhancing career readiness and technical education.
The award was presented on October 28, at the New Jersey Council of County Vocational-Technical Schools meeting, held online due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The CTE Leadership Award is a great opportunity for us to recognize policy makers, business leaders and higher education partners who are great supporters of county vocational-technical schools and champions for career and technical education,” said Judy Savage, the executive director of the Council.
NJCCVTS President Scott Moffitt said he had many opportunities to work closely with Eno while she was with the DOE.
“From our very first meeting, it was clear that Linda understood the operational and educational challenges that school districts face, and she worked hard to ensure that well-meaning state policies did not get in the way of providing meaningful career education experiences for students,” Moffitt said.
“Linda was a great champion of CTE at the state level because she has personally experienced the power of career focused learning,” Moffitt said.
Dr. Eno started her career as a nurse and became a teacher at the Academy for Allied Health Sciences in the Monmouth County Vocational School District via New Jersey’s alternate route to certification. A decade later she became the founding principal of the district’s Biotechnology High School, where she was instrumental in creating curriculum, recruiting staff, building business partnerships, and creating the school culture that led the school to earn numerous state and national recognitions for excellence.
Dr. Eno joined the Department of Education to work on principal evaluation in 2015. She quickly rose through the ranks into a leadership position, and former Commissioner Lamont Repollet named her as the acting director of career and technical education, and then as assistant commissioner for academics and performance.
“Linda kept CTE in the forefront at the Department of Education, and played an important and visible role in connecting CTE with policies in the Governor’s Office, Department of Labor, Economic Development Authority, State Employment and Training Commission, and the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education,” Moffitt said.
When the Securing Our Children’s Future Bond Act was approved by voters two years ago, Dr. Eno was instrumental in implementing a grant program that would deliver on the goals of the Legislation, while giving districts from throughout the state opportunities for a variety of large and small projects.
The leaders of New Jersey’s 21 county vocational-technical schools joined the Council’s president and executive director in applauding Dr. Eno’s leadership and support for CTE, and in wishing her well upon her retirement from state government.2020
