Practice Tests


Want to see PARCC items in action? Would you like to know how PARCC is different from previous tests?

http://parcc.pearson.com/practice-tests/

N.J. fourth grader to board of ed: The PARCC exam 'stinks,' report says

http://www.nj.com/essex/index.ssf/201 ... he_parcc_exam_stinks.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0hTl638Exg

MONTCLAIR ? A 10-year-old township fourth grader is getting national attention for a speech she made at a board of education meeting this week detailing what she hates about the new PARCC exam.

According to a NorthJersey.com report, the Montclair board is considering a resolution to allow parents to have their children opt out of taking the new state test, which reflects the Common Core standards and is administered entirely on computers. The board is set to vote on the measure next month, the report said.

At a meeting Monday night, Elizabeth Blaine addressed the board of education with her feelings on the exam, based on practice tests she and her fourth grade classmates have been taking. The Washington Post ran a video the girl?s mother shot of her speech.

?I love to read. I love to write. I love to do math. But I don?t love the PARCC. Why? Because it stinks,? the report cited Blaine saying. ?I am glad my mom and dad are letting me opt out, because I don?t want to deal with this nonsense.?

Blaine cited several examples of what she does not like about the PARCC exam, including being tested on computers, the math section containing questions on concepts she hasn?t learned about, and the Language Arts section containing questions that are ?very confusing and extremely hard,? the report said.

The Partnership for the Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers test has been the subject of an ongoing debate across the state. Schools are set to administer the exam officially for the first time this spring, and it will replace the NJ HSPA as the graduation requirement in 2019.

Blaine seems to have gathered some support for her anti-PARCC position. The YouTube video of her speech, which her mother posted Monday night, already has over 71,000 views.


Jessica Mazzola may be reached at jmazzola@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessMazzola. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

NJDOE Can't Get Its Story Straight on Standardized Tests

http://jerseyjazzman.blogspot.com/201 ... straight-on.html?spref=fb

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdghzEwpEwU



What is the purpose of standardized testing?

Why is it so important for every one of New Jersey?s (and the rest of the nation's) students in Grades 3 through 8 ? and a whole host of high school students taking the new end-of-course assessments ? to devote an enormous amount of their instructional time to taking standardized tests? Why should their teachers rewrite their curricula to align with these tests? Why should taxpayers spend a boatload of money on these tests, rather than put the funds into our children?s classrooms?

And why shouldn?t parents have the option to opt their children out of these tests if they don?t believe they are in the best interests of their children?

On the day before Halloween, NJDOE Commissioner David Hespe released a memo that spelled out his reasoning for why it is so very important that New Jersey?s students take the new PARCC (Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers) tests coming out this year. To paraphrase Hespe, the primary reason that kids should take these tests is because it?s the law. His references to both federal and state regulations are, to my reading, little better than thinly-veiled threats against schools and parents: get your kids in front of their screens on testing day ? or else.

But in an effort to give an educational reason for this massive testing regime, Hespe also tries to put a happy face on the PARCC:
In speaking with parents and students, it is perhaps most important to outline the positive reasons that individual students should participate in the PARCC examinations. Throughout a student?s educational career, the PARCC assessments will provide parents with important information about their child?s progress toward meeting the goal of being college or career ready. The PARCC assessments will, for the first time, provide detailed diagnostic information about each individual student?s performance that educators, parents and students can utilize to enhance foundational knowledge and student achievement. PARCC assessments will include item analysis which will clarify a student?s level of knowledge and understanding of a particular subject or area of a subject. The data derived from the assessment will be utilized by teachers and administrators to pinpoint areas of difficulty and customize instruction accordingly. Such data can be accessed and utilized as a student progresses to successive school levels. [emphasis mine]
All you parents and teachers and taxpayers and students who are complaining about the PARCC just don't understand: this is for your own good! The tests are ?diagnostic"! They are going to be used to ?customize instruction?! Everyone agrees about this!

Everyone, that is, except Hepse?s own Assistant Commissioner and Chief Performance Officer, Bari Erlichson:


CHRIS TIENKEN, ASST. PROF. OF EDUCATION ADMINISTRATION, SETON HALL UNIVERSITY: So I think it's important to note that, based on the psychometric literature on testing and how you use tests, for a test to be diagnostic -- that means, truly helpful to a teacher, truly able to tell you where a student is with a specific skill -- there needs to be at least 25 items for that specific skill to reach a reliability where you can make a decision about what an individual student knows.
Now I haven't been lucky enough to see the PARCC. So I guess I'm going to ask the question: are there 25 questions per specific skill on the PARCC test, so teachers and parents really have an understanding of what kids know at the specific skill level?
MODERATOR: You can answer that if you wanted to real quickly.
BARI ERLICHSON, ASST. COMMISSIONER CHIEF PERFORMANCE OFFICER, NJDOE: So, the word "skill" here is hard to sort of parse and try to understand...
TIENKEN: OK, inferential comprehension. Let's take that. Are there 25 questions on inferential comprehension?
ERLICHSON: In terms of testing the full breadth and depth of the standards in every grade level, yes, these are going to be tests that in fact are reliable and valid at multiple cluster scores, which is not true today in our NJASK. But there?s absolutely a? the word "diagnostic" here is also very important. As Jean sort of spoke to earlier: these are not intended to be the kind of through-course ? what we?re talking about here, the PARCC end-of-year/end-of-course assessments ? are not intended to be sort of the through-course diagnostic form of assessments, the benchmark assessments, that most of us are used to, that would diagnose and be able to inform instruction in the middle of the year.

These are in fact summative test scores that have a different purpose than the one that we?re talking about here in terms of diagnosis.

TIENKEN: So they?re not diagnostic at the individual level, and so it?s going to be difficult for teachers to look at these scores, especially when they get them back in September and October from kids who are no longer in their class, to get fine-grained information about specific skills or standards or sub-clusters ? whatever we want to call them ? there?s just not enough questions on the test to do that. Thank you.
Oh, dear?

Bravo to Chris Tienken for getting right to the heart of the matter; maybe now we can all drop the spin and talk honestly. Government-mandated standardized tests are not and were not ever supposed to be used to ?diagnose? students and "inform instruction.? The only purpose of standardized tests is to impose accountability measures on teachers and schools.

Since the passage of No Child Left Behind, no child takes a standardized test as a diagnostic tool, intended to help her teachers differentiate her instruction. The stated reason for these tests is so those in positions of authority can use the scores to justify any number of consequences for schools that are "in need of improvement,? including closure, restructuring, and charter conversion (all measures, incidentally, that have little to no research to support them). Since Race To The Top, the tests are also used in ways that are innumerate and inappropriate to assess teacher effectiveness.

These are the only reasons for these tests. Bari Erlichson is smart enough and honest enough to admit it; too bad her boss doesn?t understand what she does.

Of course, since there is no diagnostic value to the PARCC or any other standardized test, there?s no reason for every child in so many grades and courses to have to take them. We would be much better off using sampling methodologies: it would be far more appropriate, far less intrusive, and far less costly.

I know I?m rough on NJDOE, but this time I am going to give Bari Erlichson her due for speaking the truth in contradiction to the company line. She is absolutely right: there is no diagnostic value in the PARCC. It is not intended to inform instruction; it is not useful for a child?s teachers. Which begs a question:

If the PARCC isn?t going to help students, why should they spend so much time taking it, and why should so much of their instruction revolve around it?

The board members for Jersey City Fund for Excellence are

Paul Silverman-Developer
Sue Henderson-President of NJCU
Edith Hunt-Philanthropist
Shelly Skinner-Director BEI
Sangeeta Ranade- Current school board president
Sandra Cunningham-State Senator
Marcia Lyles-School Superintendent

Harvard Leadership Resident Program, JCPS Leadership Institute, PARCC Opt-Out debated at JCBOE

December 19, 2014 - Jersey City, News - Written by Michael Shurin

The final Jersey City Board of Education meeting of 2014 was a quiet, but important night for the future of the district.

The Jersey City Education Association, minus a handful of teachers, were absent from the meeting, which recognized the service of departing BOE members Angel Valentin, Carol Harrison-Arnold, and Bertram Okpokwasili.

The entire Children?s First Team from the past election spoke, highlighting agenda items dealing with the approval of a Harvard Leadership Resident Program, funding for the JCPS Leadership Institute-Principal Residency Program, as well as inquires regarding Jersey City students opting-out of PARCC testing.

Lorenzo Richardson, who will be a member of the board at the next meeting, said Jersey City Public Schools had nothing to gain from the Harvard Leadership Resident Program. Schools Superintendent Dr. Marcia Lyles countered by saying the district needed ?to broaden our horizons? and that students ?will be subject to more than Jersey City? in life.

Gerald Lyons, who will also be joining the board, spoke out against the agenda item funding 7 participants in the New Leaders Inc. Aspiring Principals Program, at roughly $60,000 per participant, questioning how many spots would be open to district employees, adding that it would be cheaper to look in house for the leaders of the future.

Board Member Marilyn Roman questioned the donors to the Jersey City Fund for Excellence and Equity, which include Hedge Fund Manager David Tepper and Goldman Sachs Chief Diversity Officer Edith Hunt, that paid for the program administered by New Leaders Inc., which she claimed was connected to the Broad Academy.

Board President Sangeeta Ranade responded by saying that there are ?zero examples of a struggling school becoming a high performing school without a strong leader,? and added that the program was open to high performing employees in the district and new principles from outside of Jersey City.

Ranade also mentioned many local elected officials and leaders that are on the board of the Jersey City Fund for Excellence and Equity, which according to the district is a 501(c)(3) non-profit.

Jersey City Fund for Excellence and Equity Board Members
Jersey City Fund for Excellence and Equity Board Members

Gina Verdibello, who ran for a spot on the board with Lyons and Richardson in the past election, expressed her concerns as a parent with PARCC testing. Hope Blackburn, General Counsel of Jersey City Public Schools, said the district cannot opt-out, but that it was a ?matter of parental conscious.?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7RcBWjYTIQ

JC BOE giving this company additional public $$ for the horrible food served in our schools. NYC was smart enough to cancel the contract with this company.

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/f ... heating-article-1.1953283


Approval to Amend Contract For School Breakfast/Lunch/Afternoon Snack (Hot Cold Pre-Packaged Meals)(PD13-14-FD7-154) Type Action (Consent)
WHEREAS, at the June 19, 2014 Board of Education meeting, Resolution #10.46 awarded an Extension of Contract for School Breakfast-Lunch and Afternoon Snack (Hot-Cold Pre-Packaged Meals) (PD13-14 FD7-154); and
WHEREAS, there is a need to amend the award to reflect the index rate of 1%, with the total contract not to exceed $2,361,489.33; and
WHEREAS, Maramont Corp. 5600 First Avenue, Bldg. C, Brooklyn, NY 11220 has agreed to amend the contract for School Breakfast-Lunch and Afternoon Snack Program (Hot-Cold Pre-Packaged Meals) (PD13-14FD7-154) under the existing terms, conditions, reflecting an increase in pricing of 1% until June 30, 2015; now therefore
BE IT RESOLVED, that the Jersey City Board of Education, upon the recommendation of the Superintendent and the Business Administrator approves the amendment of contract for School Breakfast-Lunch and Afternoon Snack Program (Hot-Cold Pre-Packaged Meals) (PD13-14 FD7-154) for the 2014-2015 school year to reflect a 1% increase in cost of the prior year contract to the Jersey City Public Schools District with Maramont Corp not to exceed $2,361,489.33. This is a reduction to the original award of $3,000,000.00
Origiinator: Luiggi C. Campana, Business Administrator/Board Secretary
Att. 10.10.pdf (653 KB)

Mayor de Blasio canceled an $82 million contract for a food service provider Thursday, only hours after the Daily News raised questions about a recent court ruling that the firm had cheated its workers of wages for years.

Also on Thursday's agenda

Conflict of Interest.....Broad Foundation!!

BE IT RESOLVED, that the Jersey City Board of Education upon the recommendation of the Superintendent and Business Administrator approves the award of a 5 year competitive contract for JCPS Leadership Institute-Principal Residency Program (Re-Bid PD14-15-CC23-153) subject to availability funding and board resolution annually to New Leaders Inc.(See attachment-Pricing for years 1-5) Cost for 2014-2015 Year is $60,080.00 per participant up to a total of 10 participants. However, budget available is for 7 Participants at $60,080.00. Contract NTE $425,000.

http://www.fastcompany.com/soc?/2007/profiles/profile25.html
http://www.newleaders.org/new-leaders-named-top-non-profit/

Dec 18, 2014 - Regular Meeting, 6 p.m. Category Educational Programs Subject Re-Bid JCPS Leadership Institute-Principal Residency Program Type Action (Consent)
WHEREAS, the Jersey City Public School District is in need of Re-Bid JCPS Leadership Institute-Principal Residency Program (PD14-15-CC23-153); and
WHEREAS, a notice was published in two newspapers and the Jersey City Board of Education website. Notice of Competitive Contract Request for Proposal was sent to 103 vendors; and
WHEREAS, three responses were received and read aloud on October 21, 2014 for the Competitive Contract RFP; and
WHEREAS, based on the selection criteria of cost, effectiveness, experience, and qualifications, the committee selected, New Leaders Inc., 30 West 26th Street, 9th fl., New York, NY 10010; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED, that the Jersey City Board of Education upon the recommendation of the Superintendent and Business Administrator approves the award of a 5 year competitive contract for JCPS Leadership Institute-Principal Residency Program (Re-Bid PD14-15-CC23-153) subject to availability funding and board resolution annually to New Leaders Inc.(See attachment-Pricing for years 1-5) Cost for 2014-2015 Year is $60,080.00 per participant up to a total of 10 participants. However, budget available is for 7 Participants at $60,080.00. Contract NTE $425,000.
Submitted: Dr. MaryAnn Dickar, Chief of Staff
Att. 7.12.pdf (814 KB)

A JCPS parent questioned Dr. Lyles about this agenda item at the caucus that was held on 12/16/14.

Dr.Lyles revealed 3 names so far: shelly skinner, tepper and Silverman....conflict of interest!!


http://www.boarddocs.com/nj/jcps/Board.nsf/Public



Meeting Dec 18, 2014 - Regular Meeting, 6 p.m. Category Educational Programs Subject ADDENDUM ITEM-Approval of Acceptance of Donation Type Action (Consent)

WHEREAS, the Jersey City Fund for Excellence and Equity has raised funds to support innovation initiatives in the District; now therefore

BE IT RESOLVED, that the Jersey City Board of education upon the recommendation of the Chief Academic Officer Superintendent approves acceptance of $425,000 from the Jersey City Fund for Excellence and Equity

Originator: Dr. MaryAnn Dickar, Chief of Staff


Addendum information in blue.

Wednesday, December 3
7:00 P.M.
at St: Aedan's: The Saint Peter's University Church
800 Bergen Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07306
The Aidan C. McMullen Chorale in cooperation with Student Activities, Campus Ministry, and St. Aedan's: The Saint Peter's University Church presents:
Lessons and Carols
with special guests:
The Liturgical Choir
Saint Peter's University Alumni Glee Club
Third Street Brass
Rachel Wifall
Vox Viri

Jose Palomini heating, great service and prices.

228 Cator Avenue
Jersey City, NJ 07305
(201) 852-0606

Jersey City Public Schools Open House
Conferences will be held at 6:30 PM Tuesday 11/18 Wednesday 11/19 Thursday 11/20 Tuesday 11/25

York Street Project
89 York Street
Jersey City, NJ 07302-3812
(201) 451-8225


York Street Project offers our homeless and low-income infants and children the development care they need at The Nurturing Place. Here they can overcome damage to their minds, bodies, and spirits from the effects of poverty, poor nutrition and dysfunctional family situations.

also:
Hope House
246 2nd Street (between Erie and Manilla)

an emergency shelter for women and children, serving up to 17 families at a time, and usually running at capacity.

Letter was misleading about my comments

Dear Editor:

I'm writing in response to the letter written on 10/26/14 by school board president Sangeeta Ranade's husband in which he attempts to mislead your readers about comments I made at the June 2012 Board of Education meeting.

Sangeeta's husband and my political opponents, in their frenzied and desperate attempt to undermine my candidacy, have simply shown they are willing to say and do anything to win. At the June 2012 board meeting in question, the nine-member Board of Education -- including one of my opponents who was a board member at the time --lamented to the public that they were under siege with threats and pressure from state and elected officials who were putting a figurative gun to their heads to force them to select Marcia Lyles as our new school superintendent. My figurative reply to the board was to say they should stand up to outside influences and not be bullied. I believe the voting public is intelligent enough to know the difference between a figurative and literal statement.

This letter from Sangeeta's husband was a complete lie. The fact that the school board president's husband would deliberately contort my words to malign my character for the sake of an election is really troubling.

Let the record show that I have demonstrated -- by my words and actions -- my commitment to the children of Jersey City Public Schools. I have attended practically every board meeting for the past 14 years and have a proven track-record of standing up on the issues that parents and the community care about most. I stood up and said "no" when the current board members voted "yes" to limit the public's right to free speech at board meetings -- a decision the ACLU recently condemned. I stood up when the current board members remained silent while the teacher and support staff contracts languished for almost two years. And I stood up and said "no" when the current board voted to hire substitute teachers from a outsourced, private company.

As a board member, voters can count on me to continue to stand up for Jersey City Children First -- even when faced with threats from outside interests.

Lorenzo Richardson 1H

http://hudsonreporter.com/view/full_s ... mments?instance=more_page

Supporting the Children First Team

Dear Editor:

As a parent with a child in the public school, I am supporting the Children First Team, Lorenzo Richardson 1H, Gina Verdibello 5H and Gerald Lyons 7H for the Jersey City School Board election this November 4th. One of the reasons that I support the Children First Team is due to their un-wavering support and advocacy of the public school system. While I do not oppose the charter school system, I feel that a well-balanced school board, which includes public school advocates, is important, not only in the short term, but more importantly, the long term. The great divide within the school system is becoming increasingly more apparent, having a set of stake holders reflective of the city seated at the table, working together, would help bring the needed unity we all wish to see. As charter schools continue to open, desperately needed funds for public schools are directed there, leaving many that remain in the public school system, especially those in lower socio-economic districts, to do more with less.

To the best of my knowledge, PS 29 does not have a school nurse still to this day and rodents are now infesting our buildings. The siphoning of funds without careful watch leads to public schools in disrepair, lack of books, malfunctioning computers and, teachers and students left without hope. Issues such as: lead in the drinking water, the hiring of Strike Force without board approval which brought armed guards on school premises without school staff knowledge, the decision to outsource for substitute teachers by hiring Source4Teachers and the questioning of how our tax dollars are spent from the massive $600 million school budget are only some of the issues that the Children First Team stood and continues to stand at the forefront of.

Of course, many of the issues that plague the public schools throughout the city go unheard by the public because of the edict to stop televising the public speakers portion of school board meetings which was enacted by the current school board president. The Children First Team was first to stand up to this misguided decision which struck at the core of our first amendment right and prevents the public?s ability to hear the concerns of others by televised broadcast. This matter was most recently addressed by the ACLU in a letter to the school board. I urge everyone to consider the direction of the public schools and to help prevent our school system from becoming the next forgotten public institution by being hollowed out. The Father of American Education, Horace Mann, believed that public schools were the ?Great Equalizer?, affording every child the opportunity to advance themselves through education. This ?Ladder of opportunity? has helped millions of Americans advance themselves throughout our history. It is a belief that I agree with and feel we should uphold. Vote for the Children First Team for the Jersey City Board of Education to help keep our schools the best they can be for all children throughout Jersey City.

Anna Christodoulakis


Read more: Hudson Reporter - Supporting the Children First Team
http://hudsonreporter.com/view/full_s ... t-Team?instance=more_page

The disturbing part about the post is they cut and chopped the video of The Board of Education meeting. You should all request they post the whole video of the meeting.

Ellen Simon's claim to fame about bringing to light the lead In the water in our public schools is false.

The JC chapter of Statewide Education Organizing Committee (SEOC) along with Lorenzo Richardson can take credit for that. You can check BOE docs and Video.


http://pcueforhealthyschools.blogspot ... mmunities-united-for.html

We live in Jersey City and stand up for Jersey City Public School CHILDREN FIRST.

We are not politicians but mothers, fathers, education activists, teaching staff and community members who have a commitment to ensuring a quality education for ALL Jersey City Public School children.

This past year:

We've met with hundreds of parents, teachers and community members across Jersey City about the issues in our schools.

We partnered with the ACLU of NJ to defend the public's right to free speech and transparency when the Jersey City Board of Education restricted these rights.

We have filed lawsuits to challenge questionable policies and practices within the Jersey City Board of Education.

We advocated IN FAVOR of teacher and union contracts, improved school facilities, transparency and accountability.

We advocated AGAINST the outsourcing of substitute teachers to a private firm, the restriction of the public's rights to open meetings and free speech, excessive expenditures on administrator contracts and outside consultants, student over-testing and economic and racial disparities in our schools.

BOE president Ranade:

Have you seen the response to your husband?s terrible smear job of Mr. Richardson?

manga
|
1 Hour Ago
Amogh Ranade maybe it is time for your wife to resign as BOE member.

I feel she put all our children in danger. She brought in Strike Force, armed guards with guns to our schools without board approval. Do you think that was a safe a wise move? Our children could have been shot

She feels she can do whatever she wants, a renegade. She is not a team player.

She approves whatever the useless Dr. Lyles wants. Cause she owes Fulop for getting her on the BOE. Without his $$ and backing she would be a no body.

You're daughter didn't make the DL class at PS # 3 so they added another class for her.

They bus the DL kids from #3 #5, #16 and # 37. The DT mommies can't walk their kids to school? The rest of the moms in JC walk their kids to school we do not have the luxury of our own private school bus.

Maybe it is about time you all realize that safe JCPS are for all our children.

Great day to read what has been going on in JCPS District.

http://www.jerseycityindependent.com/author/cneidenberg/page/3/

http://www.jerseycityindependent.com/ ... ween-board-members-state/

http://www.jerseycityindependent.com/ ... -at-first-public-meeting/


http://www.bluejersey.com/tag/Chris%20Neidenberg


http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/20 ... by_cerf.html#incart_river

http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/20 ... lic_comment_policies.html

http://www.jcea.org/source4teachers.html

http://www.jcea.org/Breakfast-After-The-Bell.html

http://www.jcea.org/Students--Records-Slip-Away.html

A lawsuit, filed early this month by The Children First team (seek link to PDF file below) seeks to identify racial and economic segregation within Jersey City Public Schools, starting with the Frank R. Conwell PS#3 primary school in downtown Jersey City where there appears to be division between the poor black and Hispanic students and white, upper income students in the Prek Dual-Language Program.

Observers report that on the school?s first floor, where the Dual-Language Prek classes neighbor the non-Dual-Language/General Prek classes, the disparity can be clearly seen with the majority of Black/Hispanic students in Non-Dual Language/General classrooms.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of the Children First Team by Open Public Records Act (OPRA) attorney, Walter Luers, Esq, who is also a board member of the advocacy group, New Jersey for Open Government (NJFOG). The suit demands "Free & Reduced Meal" application data from the Jersey City Board of Education in order to glean the racial and economic breakdown of Prek-4 classes at PS#3 for the past three years. Children who are ?Approved? for free or reduced meals are classified as low income or poverty whereas those who were ?Denied? are deemed upper income. The applications also indicate the student's race.

Initial reports collected by Children First indicate an economic disparity as much as 70% upper income to 30% low income in Prek 4 classes in PS#3 during the 2013-2014 school year. This year, Children First has learned that in one Dual-Language class, only a single student out of fifteen (15) is classified as low income/poverty. Meanwhile, the majority of students in neighboring non-Dual-Language/General prek classes are classified as low income/poverty.

The Dual-Language program at PS#3 has become a highly competitive program for downtown parents seeking the opportunity for their children to benefit from small classes and a Spanish-English learning environment. There are typically only 15-30 spots available each year with four to five times as many applicants. However, applications have declined in recent years as parents complained the district does a poor job of informing them how and when to apply to the program.

Children First has also learned of complaints of unfair sibling preferences in the program. Last year, spots were awarded first to siblings of children already in the program, though there is no official ?sibling policy? in the district according to the Early Childhood Department. This practice resulted in very few non-siblings accessing the program, further exacerbating the racial and income divide in the school's Prek population.

The lawsuit is pending a court date.

Current board members, Sangeeta Ranade, Jessica Daye and Bertraum Okpokwasili (currently running for school board) all have children in the Dual-Language Program at School #3. Board member Ellen Simon has a child in the Dual-Language program at PS#5.

The Children First Team of Gina Verdibello (5H), Lorenzo Richardson (1H) and Gerald Lyons (7H) believe that ALL children are entitled to a quality education -- regardless of income, race or class. As board members, they will be committed to advocate for balanced and equal access to advanced and specialized programs for students across the city. Vote on November 4th for Gina Verdibello (5H), Lorenzo Richadson (1H) and Gerald Lyons (7H) for Jersey City Board of Education.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9tju ... WUXp6OVE/view?usp=sharing

Upcoming debates:

Historic Paulus Hook Association, Inc.
PS # 16
96 Sussex Street
10/23/2014
6:00Pm-9:00pm

NAACP Political Action Committee
Lincoln High School
60 Crescent Avenue JC, NJ 07304
10/31/2014
6:00pm-8:30pm

Previous videos were from last school board meeting.

Jersey City Board of Education candidate Gina Verdibello sat down with Hudson County View to discuss her candidacy, facilities issues, union contracts, and charter schools.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7o0jNY94t_g


JCBOE Candidate Gerald Lyons talks vocational programs, union endorsement

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yodEqKHJukQ


JCBOE Candidate Lorenzo Richardson blasts current board, promises accountability/transparency

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQmdUxDIKCQ


Upcoming debates:

Historic Paulus Hook Association, Inc.
PS # 16
96 Sussex Street
10/23/2014
6:00Pm-9:00pm

NAACP Political Action Committee
Lincoln High School
60 Crescent Avenue JC, NJ 07304
10/31/2014
6:00pm-8:30pm

We pledge to bring back to Jersey City what has been missing...TRUST and TRUE COMMITMENT to EVERY CHILD.
Mission

To provide quality education for ALL children and to create an environment that is healthy, peaceful and safe for children and staff!

The Children First organization is a collective of parents, teachers, community members and education activists who are committed to ensuring that every child receives a quality education. We believe that the focus starts with the children and then extends outward to the surrounding community of teachers and staff who make a quality education possible. Children First advocates for issues on a local and statewide level on behalf of the children of Jersey City, with a well-rounded approach that puts the child 's needs first and extends to Academics, Staffing, School Facilities, Safety, Budgets and special issues.

Vote on November 4th
H-1 Lorenzo Richardson, H-5 Gina Verdibello, H-7 Gerald Lyons

https://www.facebook.com/TheChildrenFirstTeam

Gerald Lyons

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sbSdd2qzkQ

Lorenzo richardson

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRLKzxtQ7rs

Gina Verdibello

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Y_tmAec7PQ

Lisa Fantacone, a Jersey City Public School teacher, detailed the allegation made against a Source4Teachers substitute accused of assaulting a child, eventually calling on the board to end its contract with the outsourcing firm. Dr. Marcia Lyles explained what the district is doing to deal with similar situations, while JCBOE member Ellen Simon questioned the sincerity of the union.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvmD0gLp7NM

In a shocking story that the Children First team first learned about yesterday, a substitute teacher the district hired from the controversial "Source4Teachers" (S4T) personnel agency attacked a student, viciously slapping him according to Children First sources on the scene.

According to Children First sources on the scene at PS 34, the 3rd-grade student went to get something from his cubby and was attacked by the male S4T substitute. The official teacher for the classroom had left the class in the sub's care to go to a meeting only 10 minutes earlier, Children First learned, before the attack began.

"The whole class saw it," the Children First source said anonymously. "These kids are traumatized and they don't want another sub again in their class."

The Source4Teachers's contract to be the exclusive provider of substitutes for the district was recently renewed by the Board of Education, a vote that former board member Gerald Lyons of the Children First team vociferously opposed. Gerald spoke out about the company, warning that the company was a waste of money and that they would not provide better quality subs than what the district could hire on its on. Gerald Lyons also warned about the potential danger of outsourcing personnel to be with our students, a danger that was realized in yesterday's incident.

"Source4Teachers has been a huge and expensive error," remarked Gerald Lyons recently at a May 22nd board meeting. "We are wasting up to $10,500 each school day."

Children First has received several reports of other problems with S4T subs, including sleeping in the classrooms, using cellphones and coming to work intoxicated, issues that have been brought up numerous times to the 9-members of the Board of Education that have ignored the complaints. Last year, a Source4Teachers sub lost a prek student at PS3 -- the child was found in the street of the building in the snow by a staffer.

Gerald Lyons and The Children First Team continues to demand that the district immediately cancel services with Source4Teachers and re-hire our own personnel.

https://www.facebook.com/TheChildrenFirstTeam

Here is some untold information about Monica Kress who is running for the jcboe.
Monica Kress' Linked-in profile where it explicitly says she is founding director of the charter network, KIPP.
Why is your campaign downplaying your role as the CURRENT, founding director of the charter network, KIPP?
Why P4P is supporting a high-level charter school executive for a seat on our BOE -- especially when Sangeeta is blaming the payouts to charters schools as the reason why our teachers don't have contracts.
On her campaign website, she says ?Monica Kress is the Director of School Operations for a public elementary school, managing the school?s non-instructional staff and overseeing its day to day operations.?

This week, a naked, mentally ill man invaded a kindergarten classroom housed in a trailer at PS 41. It is unclear how the intruder was able to gain access to the trailer. But it is abundantly clear that these children and their teachers were vulnerable and their very lives were at risk.
This lack of security and safety is not just a problem at PS41, but at every school that uses these oft-times moldy and damaged trailers or have to few security guards for the student population. Lorenzo Richardson (1H), Gina Verdibello (5H), Gerald Lyons (7H) -- all candidates in the November 4th Board of Education election -- have been strong advocates for safe, secure and adequate facilities and if elected will make our schools safer.
Gina regularly documents and captures photos and reports of unsafe facilities and conditions in our schools and, when elected, will implement a Snap & Fix app to track needed repair issues. Gerald condemned the BOE president who last year recklessly gave armed gunmen access to our schools on a covert "security check" that terrorized children and school staff and he established a community security committee to advocate for security issues in our schools. And for the last ten years, Lorenzo has and will continue to relentlessly highlight wasteful spending and policies that benefit overpaid administrators and outside consultants while leaving our children at risk.
Lorenzo Richardson (1H), Gina (5H) and Gerald (7H) are what we need to make our schools safer. I'm voting for Gina(5H), Gerald (7H) and Lorenzo (1H) for Board of Education on November 4th and you should too.

JCPS: The Children First Team
https://www.facebook.com/TheChildrenFirstTeam
http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/20 ... _school.html#incart_river

Aug 28, 2014 - Regular Meeting - 6:00 pm Category Facilities Subject Approval to Submit Early Childhood Waiver Application - Cordero School (PS 37) Type Action (Consent)

WHEREAS, in an effort to meet the demands of preschoolers eligible for the Preschool Program and reduce bussing the District relocated four classrooms at Cordero School (PS# 37), located at 158 Erie Street. This resulted in four kindergarten classrooms relocating to rooms 210, 211, 212, and 213 without a toilet room inside the classroom; and

WHEREAS, the kindergarten classrooms do not meet the space requirements, a waiver is required. An application for a waiver must be submitted to the County Superintendent and approved in order to secure a waiver for the 2014-2015 school year, now, therefore:

BE IT RESOLVED, the Jersey City Board of education upon the recommendation of the Superintendent approves the submission of a waiver Application to the Hudson County Office of the Department of Education for four kindergarten classrooms at the Cordero School (PS# 37) for the 2014-2015 school year.

Submitted by: Patricia Bryant, Associate Superintendent

thanks to all that voted for Infinity, we have the highest amount of votes.

Which high school should be the Prom of the Week? (Poll Closed)

Infinity Institute 45.13%
Woodbury Junior-Senior 38.19%