Dear All,

TECCS has immediate openings in 2nd and 3rd grades due to families re-locating.

Feel free to contact the principal for more details.

Marta Bergamini
Principal
The Ethical Community Charter School
95 Broadway
Jersey City, NJ 07306
201-984-4151

Our son was "accepted" into Kindergarden at the Ethical Culture Charter School (i.e. we were selected in the lottery) and we are wondering if any parents or anyone else has any recent feedback. We know that the school is new, the parents seem very involved, and that the neighborhood seems very glum - all this based on their 'open house'. But we're interested to know specifics from those experienced with the school with kids currently enrolled. Also would welcome comments on LCCS, Resurrection School, etc.

Oh, so just past tense at that location. Got it.

As for the name "Ethical Culture"....from Wikipedia

"Ethical Culture is a nontheistic religion established by Felix Adler in 1876. The Ethical Culture Movement is an ethical, educational, and religious movement. Individual chapter organizations are generically referred to as Ethical Societies, though their names may include "Ethical Society," "Ethical Culture Society," "Society for Ethical Culture," or other variations on the theme of "Ethical."

Ethical Culture is premised on the idea that honoring and living in accordance with ethical principles is central to what it takes to live meaningful and fulfilling lives, and to creating a world that is good for all. It is observed that ethics is at the heart of all religions. Practitioners of Ethical Culture focus on supporting one another in becoming better people, and on doing good in the world."

What a pretentious name for a school. Are all the other schools in Jersey City unethical ?

Because i heard that LCCS will be moved to some other location - kennedy blvd(not sure) tis year. - tat's the reason why past tense was used

Robin and simplegal

I do not believe that the school will be taking the Boys and Girls Club space. ... and why are you speaking of LCCS in the past tense?

Thanks for the reply robin.


Did anyone attended their information meeting yesterday? If so, do you know whether they have after/before care? location etc.

Thanks in advance

It is a brand new school starting this Autumn, so there won't be any reviews yet.

Robin.

Hi,


I tried to find reviews abt the school - ECCS, but didn't return any results. Do you know anyone who attended the ECCS school last year? Will it be like the LCCS we had in JC?

Thanks!

Why is it such a secret where this school will be located? I have my suspicions that it will be in the Boys and Girls Club when LCCS moves out.

Spill the beans please!

Here is a link to the application form:
http://www.teccs.org/applicationjc.html

Robin.

If anyone attends today's meeting and can update us on the details of the school (particularly the location), that would be great.

Where is/will the school be located?

Best of luck to you and your school.

Karen
Founding parent and former board member
LCCS

The Ethical Community Charter School-Jersey City is accepting applications for Kindergarten and First Grade until Friday, January 9. Applications are available online at http://www.teccs.org. We will be holding our public lottery for fall 2009 enrollment on Friday, January 16 (time & location to be announced).

If you would like to learn more about the school, please attend one of our upcoming INFORMATIONAL MEETINGS:

- Sunday, Jan 4 at 3pm
- Thursday, Jan 8 at 7pm

Both meetings will be held at St Paul's Lutheran Church, at 440 Hoboken Avenue in JC (near Journal Square). Application forms will be available at both meetings (and can be submitted there as well).

For more information, please call TECCS at 201-606-8108 or email teccs@onebox.com.

Sincerely,
Ann Wallace
TECCS Board of Trustees

Teaching kids about ethical behavior
Heights residents starting new charter school

Ricardo Kaulessar
Reporter Staff Writer 07/22/2007

Inevitably, when parents and residents are dissatisfied with their local school choices, they start their own charter school.

Charter schools are publicly funded elementary or secondary schools that operate without some of the regulations that govern other public schools, with goals set forth in the school's charter.

Ann Wallace, a resident of Jersey City's Heights section, is part of a group looking to start a charter school in the city with a unique curriculum - it's about ethics.

That is, it will instill morals and values, a sense of right and wrong. "We're creating it so there will be another educational option in Jersey City," Wallace said.

If they are successful in getting their charter, they would open for classes in September 2008. Wallace is the lead applicant for the charter school, with the application due this past Tuesday, July 17.

Wallace, a mother of two young children, announced her intentions to start a new charter school at the Board of Education meeting on June 21.

Starting a new school

Last week, Wallace said she and other parents will work with the New York City-based Ethical Community Charter School Foundation to get the school started.

The foundation's goal, as stated on their website (www.teccs.org), is creating a school that "will serve the children of families that embrace the ideals of ethics, service, and social justice and will provide a well-rounded education of academic studies, the arts, and the practical skills."

The foundation itself plans to open its first school in New York City this September with three kindergarten classes and three first grade classes, expanding to another grade each year.

In 2008, the foundation plans to open in Jersey City and in the South Bronx, operating under the same concept. Wallace said the draw is not just that it's a different type of school, but another way of dealing with the world. "The thing we love about this model is that it's an ethics-based curriculum, so ethics-infused in every aspect of the curriculum," Wallace said. "It creates civic-minded citizens out of the students."

Wallace said a group of parents met in January about starting their own charter school and contacted state officials to find out the process.

"They told us there were some people looking to open a charter school, and maybe you can find out from them," Wallace said. "That's when we found out about the Ethical Community Charter School."

From idea to institution

Wallace said the next step was to apply to the state and create a charter to give them.

The charter is a document that states the guiding philosophy of the school, explains the community need for the school, and sets out a five-year operating budget.

She said if the school opens, admission would be based on a lottery. The school will be open to the entire city. 'This is a specialized school in that it will have a difficult curriculum, which is not for everyone," Wallace said. "But that's what's great about it."

However, she said she has encountered some anti-charter school opinions from some people who complain that charter school teachers do not have the same qualifications in regular public schools.

Wallace also said that some critics believe that she and other charter school supporters may be anti-public schools. She said this is not true.

"If we were anti-public school, we would be sending our kids to private schools or moving out to the suburbs," Wallace said. "But we want to stay here in Jersey City, and we have a broad range of families involved with us."

Ricardo Kaulessar can be reached at rkaulessar@hudsonreporter.com