PCUE COMMUNITY MEETING: Parents Demand Better High Schools

PCUE COMMUNITY MEETING, A GREAT SUCCESS:
Parents Demand Better High Schools

On Thursday, October 22, 09, from 6 to 8pm, Parents and Communities United for Education (PCUE) held a community meeting with Dr. Epps, Jersey City School District, Superintendent at Metropolitan, AME Zion Church at 140 Belmont Avenue. This meeting was facilitated by PCUE 1st Vice president, Loyda Goldston. About 120 parents and members of the community attended the meeting. Principals from high schools, and some district administrators, Board members, including Dr. Peter Donnelly, Mr. Sean Connors, Ms. Patricia Sebron were present at the meeting. Also, Councilwoman, Viola Richardson was in attendance. PCUE organized this meeting as a part of its high school campaign, "GRADUATION FOR ALL!" to improve high school education for Jersey City youth.

Ms. LueElla McFadden, PCUE President, opened the meeting by welcoming and thanking the participants for attending the meeting. In her statement, Ms. McFadden said "We are calling our campaign "GRADUATION FOR ALL" because we believe that every child in this city despite his or her color or creed, despite their family conditions and economic status MUST RECEIVE, I EMPHASIS AGAIN MUST RECEIVE a quality education and a high school diploma prepared for college or other career track where they can make a living wage and create a descent life for themselves." She told the school and district administrators that they have an obligation to provide Jersey City youth a quality education. She also called on parents and members of the community to organize and take a stand and make sure that our schools are giving our children the education they well deserve.

Dr. Epps thanked PCUE for putting the community meeting together. He introduced school principals and district administrators who accompanied him. Ms. Ellen Ruane, Associate Superintendent for High Schools, described the new Small Learning Community initiative that has been implemented since last school year.

After the opening remarks, Ms. Rosemary Nwabueze, a PCUE leader and President of Parent Council in Dickinson High School made a PowerPoint presentation explaining data regarding low academic performance of Jersey City high schools. She also presented the immediate improvements PCUE is seeking. Dr. Epps, in response to PCUE's concerns regarding graduation rate and test scores, stated that Jersey City high schools had to be compared with similar district such as Camden and not the state.

Once the Q&A started a long line of people was formed. Parents and members of the community raised a whole host of different concerns. They talked about cancellation of summer schools, poor and lack of adequate time for advising, limited SAT test prep, no after school classes, lack of rigorous curriculum, additional mentorship, inadequate number of math teachers. The most emotional part of the Q & A was when Maria Labrador, a mother with a child in Ferris High School talked about her experience with the school. She told the audience and the Superintendent that her son was being pushed out of high school into the Twilight Program. She said she wanted her son to stay in Ferris, and she pleaded for help. Ms. Richardson, Councilwoman from Ward F praised PCUE for organizing the event and thanked members of the audience the school district for having a productive and great discussion.

Dr. Epps addressed each concern and question. He directed his staff to take immediate actions to address individual concerns that were brought up by parents. On a broader issue, he said that summer school was not being offered because it did not work. In terms of after school classes, he stated that he was collecting information to see how effective they were and if it was worth being implemented again. PCUE is calling for mandatory summer school and extended day for all student who fail any of their required courses.

The Superintended acknowledged parents' concern about a lack of adequate advising. He made a commitment that after school advising and open house will be held to accommodate students' need to get more help from their Guidance Counselors. He also stated that all students would be afforded the opportunity to take the SAT test prep.

At the end of the meeting PCUE presented the Superintendent with a set of questions regarding future goals for student outcomes. Ms. Roslyn Gibbs-Muse, PCUE Member-at-Large asked Dr. Epps if he would use his leadership as the Superintendent to commit to increase the graduation rate in Jersey City to that of the state level in three years. The Superintendent made no commitment and responded maybe. PCUE asked if he would commit to making sure that in no school would more than 10% of students graduate with Special Review Assessment (SRA) in three years. He made no commitment and responded maybe. PCUE asked if he would commit for our high schools to meet Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) set by No Child Left Behind (NCLB) in three years. The Superintendent made no commitment and responded maybe. PCUE asked him if he would commit to increase average SAT test scores to that of the state average within the next three years. He response was maybe. He committed that all high school students within the next three years will have individual academic portfolio. He also stated that he could not make a commitment to have all students take SAT test because not all students wanted to go to college.

Ms. McFadden, PCUE President closed the meeting by thanking everyone for their participation and cooperation to make the meeting productive and exciting. She called on everyone to stay involved and work with PCUE in our future high school campaign actions. She also thanked Rev. Legay and the Metropolitan Church to allow us to use their space for the community meeting.