Please click on the image to enlarge and read it. Thanks.Monday, July 28, 2008
Monday, July 21, 2008
Updated Test Result for Water In Public Schools
Please Click on the image to see the large and legible version. 
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Jersey City Reporter: Contaminated Sources of Water in JC Public Schools
22 sources of contaminated water shut off in schools
After 789 sources of water in the Jersey City public schools were tested for lead starting in May, a total of 22 sources showed elevated levels of the toxic element and have been shut off, with results being continuously released including as late as this past Thursday.
The water sources - such as fountains and sinks - were in Public School 3, School 3 Zero Tolerance, School 4, School 5, School 29, School 29A, Academy 1, School 15, McNair Academic High School, Snyder High, and Glenn D. Cunningham Early Childhood Center.
More testing was completed in late June, and the results from those tests will be available this coming Friday, July 11.
The testing began due to reports in January about the high level of lead in drinking water found at six schools (Schools 11, 23, 31, 6, 27, and 25) during testing done back in September of 2006 by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Some residents have complained that school officials knew about the lead and did not tell the public in a timely manner.
Full Story
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Press Release: Parents Await Further Action on Water Safety and Parent Notification
Parents and Communities United for Education (PCUE)
201-918-2918
For Immediate Release
June 26, 2008
Epps’s promises about water safety are welcomed,
but parents await further actions
On Wednesday, June 25, 2008, Parents and Communities United for Education sent a letter to Dr. Epps, Jersey City Public School Superintendent, highlighting his promise at the Board meeting on Thursday, June 19, to implement proposals made by PCUE. In the letter, PCUE leaders indicated to the Superintendent that they were pleased to see that schools were being tested, and parents were kept informed. “However, during the summer, we will be watching closely to make sure that our school district follows through its agreement with EPA and its obligations to create healthy schools for our children,” the letter added.
PCUE asked the Superintendent and the Board members to:
- Make a commitment to notify all parents by letter/mail when additional test results are ready after schools end on June 25
- Translate information into Spanish for thousands of Spanish speaking parents
- Assign someone with the necessary authority whom parents can call with their concerns and questions
- Provide parents with information on health hazards related to lead and how and where they can get assistance and testing if they need to
Roslyn Gibbs-Muse, a parent leader with PCUE, said “More than 40 parents and children gathered at the Board meeting on June 19. This was the third time we assembled at the board meeting since April this year. We wanted to make sure that the Superintendent and the Board members see that we are here to stay and that we will be following through that all our children are safeguarded from health hazards while they are in schools.”
In the letter, PCUE emphasized that the Superintendent needs to:
- Follow up and make sure that principals do send the letters home as he agreed to. We have come across many instances where parents complained that they did not receive the letter regarding testing schedule and/or test results.
- Include Mr. Maurice Howell’s (point person for water testing) name and his contact information in the letter so that parents have that information. At this point, parents have no idea whom they can call and talk to if they have any issues regarding water testing and lead problems in the drinking water.
- Send information regarding health hazards related to lead to all parents not just to PCUE.
PCUE is a grassroots organization of parents, grandparents, and concerned members of the community that is a chapter of the Statewide Education Organizing Committee of NJ. PCUE is committed to organizing parents in all
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Contact:Loyda Goldston-973-204-4121
Letter to Charles Epps: Parents Expect You to Do the Right Thing
Parents and Communities united for Education (PCUE)
Jersey City Chapter of Statewide Education Organizing Committee (SEOC)
201-918-2918
June 25, 2008
Dr. Charles Epps,
Jersey City Public Schools
Dear Dr Epps,
We are pleased that your administration has taken important steps to test drinking water in all our schools and notify the parents and the public of the testing schedule and test results.
In this letter we would like to recap what you agreed to do at the Board of Education meeting on June 19 in regard to water testing:
Our proposal and your response were as follows:
- Make a commitment to notify all parents by letter/mail when additional test results are ready after schools end on June 25;
You stated that the final test results will be ready by July 11 and since the school administrators are working until July 15, each school will send send the test results home by mail.
- Translate information into Spanish for thousands of Spanish speaking parents.
You agreed that all relevant information regarding water testing will be translated into Spanish sent out to parents.
- Assign someone with the necessary authority whom parents can call with their concerns and questions;
You said Mr. Maurice Howell, Special Assistance/Maintenance Plant Management is the point person who parents can call with their concerns.
- Provide parents with information on health hazards related to lead and how and where they can get assistance and testing if they need to.
In response, you stated that you would put that information together and send it to us.
We would like to make the following recommendations and we request that you:
- Follow up and make sure that principals do send the letters home as you agreed to. We have come across many instances where parents complained that they did not receive the letter regarding testing schedule and/or test results.
- Include Mr. Maurice Howell’s name and his contact information in the letter so that parents have that information. At this point, parents have no idea whom they can call and talk to if they have any issues regarding water testing and lead problems in the drinking water.
- Send information regarding health hazards related to lead to all parents not just to us.
We would like to reiterate that our proposals above are based on EPA communication guidelines reflected in the “3Ts” program which your administration has agreed to implement. Our school district and you as the Superintendent of our schools – as you have stated - have an obligation to our children and to us as parents to do everything in your power to make sure that our children are safeguarded while they are in school.
Once again we are happy to see that you have taken some steps to make sure that our schools are healthier and safer and parents are kept informed about health related issues in our schools. However, during the summer, we will be watching closely to make sure that our school district follows though its agreement with EPA and its obligations to create healthy schools for our children.
We are looking forward to working with you to make sure that
Should you have any questions or want to speak with us you may reach us at 201-918-2918. Please ask for Ms. LouElla McFadden.
Sincerely,
CC:
- Mr. William DeRosa, President of the
- Ms. Suzanne T. Mack, Member of the JCBOE and Chair of the Facility Committee of the Board
- Ms. Dore LaPosta, Director of Division of Enforcement and Compliance Assistance at the
- Press
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