Hudson Reporter Archive

School days

If the date of Sept. 10 is circled on your calendar, chances are you’re a teacher, student, parent or someone else with a connection with the Jersey City school district, which opens that day for the new school year.
Approximately 29,000 students attend one of the 41 elementary and high schools in the city. And that doesn’t include the thousands more who attend the 10 charter schools that also open on Sept. 10, as well as the religious schools that have opening dates on various days in September.
School district spokesperson Paula Christen said much of the school operations are “status quo” compared to the last school year, inasmuch as there are no new school buildings or major curriculum initiatives.

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“My summer was fun, but it was too short.” – Jade Bowles
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Christen noted that there are major vacancies in the school system: Deputy Superintendent Francis Dooley, who is second in the school system hierarchy behind Superintendent Charles Epps, is retiring as of Sept. 1 after 35 years in the school district. Lincoln High School Principal Dr. Michael Winds is now working in the school district central office.
There is currently a vacancy for the principal’s job, but Christen says it is expected to be staffed by Sept. 10. Dooley’s post was filled on Thursday.

Students looking forward

Jade Bowles is a 13-year-old Downtown Jersey City resident who will enter the eighth grade at Academy I, the middle school on Bergen Avenue next to Snyder High School. She is coming back to school as a world traveler, having visited China for a month as part of the People-to-People Ambassador Program.
“My summer was fun, but it was too short,” Bowles said. “I am looking forward to health and language arts, because my teacher this year, I had him last year and I liked his class.”
Stephanie Jeter is an 11-year-old friend of Bowles who will attend sixth grade at Learning Community Charter School, now located on Kennedy Boulevard near Lincoln Park in Jersey City. (The school was previously located in downtown Jersey City.)
“I can’t wait for school to start because I miss my friends and I am looking forward to my new school,” Jeter said.
Peter Zirnis Jr. and his best friend Sky Ozagar are both 8 years old and ready to enter the third grade at Learning Community Charter School.
“I like my science classes and especially like working with Legos,” Zirnis said.
Ozagar had other ideas. “I like gym because I can get all sweaty,” Ozagar said.

Parents and others

Mahaley Bowles is the mother of Jade. Bowles thinks the school year should be pushed back a month because the rainy summer allowed less time for children to enjoy the outdoors. Yet, she is “excited” about school starting.
“I enjoyed school growing up, and I just think school should be year round,” Bowles said.
Another reason Bowles is happy is because she didn’t have to do much shopping for clothes, since the Jersey City school system has a school uniform policy in effect.
“Sure I’m happy that school is starting,” said Peter Zirnis Sr., father of Peter, “because kids should be in school.”
Aneesah Abdullah, a teacher at Snyder High School for the past 25 years, said she “always looks forward” to a new school year.
“Absolutely, I look forward to going back to work because I am so grateful to be working, especially in this tough economy,” Abdullah said. “And I especially look forward to meeting the new kids to impart wisdom to help cope with the next four years.”
Ricardo Kaulessar can be reached at rkaulessar@hudsonreporter.com.

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