Dear PS16 Families,
Last night Acting Superintendent Franklin Walker has sent out a robocall with a notification that the district has begun rescinding the Reduction in Force letters.
While this is great news and a step in the right direction, it does not guarantee that PS16 non-tenured teachers will be among the re-hired. Therefore we must continue to be vigilant and if our teachers do not receive RIF reversals by the May 31 BOE meeting, we shall prepare our public comments for that day accordingly.
In the meantime, TOMORROW we have a great opportunity to join in the SOS Rally / Parent Protest along with other JCPS parent groups, teachers and students. See instructions below:
- SOS (Save Our Schools) rally by JCEA and students starts at 4:30PM, leading toward City Hall/council meeting.
- PS#5 parents have made a giant mailbox where they will collect letters from our children/students and present it to the council. PS5 & others will be meeting outside City Hall at 5:45 and walking in at 6pm
- ***To sign up as a speaker please call at (201) 547-5150 before 4PM tomorrow. You can even read your child’s letter!
Speaking Points, based on what we know:
- Until we know the outcome of the lawsuit JCBOE filed against the state, it is understood that our district will continue to be underfunded by approximately $100 million/year gong forward. That puts the pressure / responsibility on local funding sources and the municipality.
- Payroll tax revenues are not expected to fully cover the gap caused by state underfunding going forward, which is why additional sources of funding are needed.
- It has been proposed by the city that PILOTS (Payments in Lieu of Taxes paid to the city by abated buildings) should be shared with JCPS in the future. Past PILOTS have not contributed any revenues to our schools causing significant underfunding on the local level.
- At this time we would like to ask the City Council to consider allocating additional revenues to our schools to help stabilize the district.
- Although the City Council may not administer or oversee the Board of Education, we hope to see a closer and more transparent collaboration between the two entities going forward.
Please let us know if you have any questions and thank you again for your amazing advocacy throughout this ordeal.
Best Regards,
CPA Team