Schools: Staffing & Mental Health

Accountability Check: a look back at mental health services included in the FY2021-22 Jersey City Public Schools Budget

January 24, 2022March 15, 2022Brigid D'Souza

Jersey City's FY2021-22 public schools budget included concrete, promised investments in mental health services for our city's students. In this post I want to reopen the budget document that was approved last May and revisit some of that promised investment. A budget can inform future investment but it can, and should, also be used...

Outgoing 2021 Jersey City Board of Education misses mark on showing budgeted investment for mental health services for students; new BOE should aim higher

December 18, 2021March 15, 2022Brigid D'Souza

On Thursday, December 16th, the Board of Education held its final regular meeting of the 2021 calendar year and while many speakers had signed up to speak about mental health services in our schools, and many also sent emails (including those sent from this call to action), the Board of Education did not address...

JCPS Mental Health – 2021 Call to Action

December 15, 2021March 13, 2022Brigid D'Souza

I have written this post with the help and input of Jessica Taube and Divya Dodhia, who are both parents, mental health professionals, and school advocates. The three of us are members of Jersey City Together's Education Team. We came together through our advocacy work and put this page together as a resource for...

Jersey City Public Schools Urgently Need Counselors for Our Kids

November 29, 2021March 13, 2022Brigid D'Souza

Update: the BOE did not speak in public to the issue of mental health counselors at the Nov 29th BOE meeting but they did take up an issue around teacher pay which you can read about here. The post below summarizes an issue that is ongoing and merits public attention and advocacy. There is...

Jersey City Public Schools Staffing Shortage: A data-driven view from Board Docs

November 7, 2021March 15, 2022Brigid D'Souza

Jersey City is experiencing a staffing shortage in its public schools. While this is part of a nationwide trend, local attention and solutions are needed particularly as we experience our first fully funded budget in over a decade. In this post, I am sharing data I compiled in later October from JCPS “Public Board Docs.” I...

Improving accountability and transparency for Jersey City Public Schools

September 25, 2021March 15, 2022Brigid D'Souza

In 2021 Jersey City Public Schools fully funded its schools for the first time in over a decade. Reasonable questions now follow related to transparency and accountability, including: How do we hold the district administration and school board accountable for full investment in our kids? I’m part of a team with Jersey City Together...

Transparency & Better Communications Needed for Jersey City Public Schools

June 28, 2021March 15, 2022Brigid D'Souza

The Board of Education (BOE) nearly shut down “remote” public comment last week and it’s worth explaining what happened, simply to highlight how important it is for the district and board to improve transparency and communication – both internally but also with the public. “Remote” public comment is calling into a public meeting and...

Thoughts on Technology and Mental Health in “Remote” Paradigm of Learning.

April 9, 2020March 13, 2022Brigid D'Souza

I normally use this blog to share data and analysis about taxes and public funding, but this is a more personal post. We are nearly a month into isolating at home and I wanted to share some reflections on education in this current moment. I have 2 kids in Jersey City Public Schools and I...