PS16 Presents: Peter Pan Jr.

Tickets are available to purchase on showtix4u.com by entering ‘ps16’ into the search box. $10 for adults, $5 for children.

Snacks will be available for purchase inside the auditorium.

CPA Meeting – 6/3 6PM

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

Today at 6PM, please join us for the last CPA meeting of the school year (in school auditorium) to discuss the following:

  • Recap of the last BOE meeting, status of our teachers’ RIF reversals
  • PS16 events for June
  • PS16 Summer Camp – Q & A
  • CPA Team – resignations and appointments

Hope to see you there!

CPA Team

Congratulations PS16!

On Friday evening, Superintendent Franklin Walker acknowledged PS#16 for being ranked #1 in the County and #20 in the state of NJ.  Special thank you to all of the staff, students, and parents who joined me at the board meeting on Friday in support of our school.  Your presence was truly appreciated!

Ms. Jillian Roskin (Grade 1)  was recognized as PS16 Teacher of the Year

PS16 Team of Principal, Teachers, Staff, Students and Parents recognized for taking our school to the top.

Principal Acceptance Speech (click to view)

City Council Hearing on School Budget and More

Dear Parents,

  • Today at 5PM the City Council will hold a hearing on the School Board Budget. ( Budget HearingThis is unprecedented! Never before has there been a School Budget Hearing during the City Council budget process. Public comments aren’t allowed but your presence and posters are! Please bring your biggest posters and signs!
  • In other news, please join us as we are rooting for our school Spelling Bee champion Tian Hu (5th Grade). Tian is currently competing in the National Spelling Bee and our best wishes are with her. Schedules and Livestream can be found on ESPN
  • Friday, May 31, 5PM – PS16 will be acknowledged at the BOE Meeting held at P.S.#26. We will let you know if there are any updates regarding our teachers before that day.

 

Save Our Schools Rally / Council Meeting tomorrow

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

A Note of Thanks from our Teachers & More

Dear PS16 Families,

We would like to share with you a heartfelt note from the teachers thanking you for your incredible advocacy efforts on their behalf. LINK- From Teachers to Parents – A Note of Thanks

We also would like to report to you on the following:

In addition to coming out and speaking at the Special BOE meeting this Monday, PS16 parent council has:

  • Co-signed a Letter to JCBOE  by JC Together together with fellow parent groups requesting that the BOE applies the entirety of the announced $27 million in payroll tax proceeds toward saving jobs / reversing proposed layoffs, as well as continues to work with the city to fund the schools.
  • On Wed. 5/15 BOE trustees came in to meet with the Mayor, and several PS16 moms gathered by City Hall before their meeting and engaged them in a discussion, asking to #ReverseTheRIFS as soon as possible. PS16 Protest at City Hall (Photos)
  • Wrote to the Acting Superintendent Franklin Walker and the district administrators, thanking them for acknowledging PS16’s Number 1 ranking, with a reminder that our school’s success lies in the talent and dedication of our staff and that we want to keep them. (PS16 will be honored at the re-scheduled BOE Meeting on May 31, at 5PM)
  • To the best of our knowledge, the BOE Caucus Meeting is still taking place on Monday, May 20, 6pm (346 Claremont Ave, Room 1R) We plan to participate in Public Comments. Parents are welcome to speak/attend in support.

Parents, it is our firm belief that it was YOUR dedication that helped expedite the resolution efforts. From day one you emailed the Mayor, city council, BOE members, came out to meetings and protests in multitudes and showed everyone that PS16 is united and strong as a school family, and a force to be reckoned with. Even as we plan to continue holding the defense line until every PS16 “pink slip” is reversed, we are confident that we will prevail, because of You.

We have never been so proud to be a part of this Family. You guys rock.

With Gratitude,

CPA Team