Following a partial roof collapse last week, special needs students at the A. Harry Moore school will be temporarily relocated to a different school in Jersey City.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
The decision comes after the Jersey City Board of Education’s civil engineering firm released an interim report concluded that the A. Harry Moore School Building needs comprehensive testing, analysis and repairs, and modifications before students, faculty and staff are allowed return to the building, according to BOE President Sudhan Thomas.
As a result, students at A. Harry Moore School will be temporarily relocated to the Gerard J. Dynes Regional Day School (a state school facility), located at 425 Johnston Ave., which is 1.8 miles from the A. Harry Moore School.
Classes for the A. Harry Moore School students are scheduled to resume on Monday, September 23. Drop off is 9 a.m. and pick-up is 3 p.m.
Between now and September 23, New Jersey City University (NJCU) and the Jersey City Board of Education (JCBOE) will be working with oversight by the Department of Education to facilitate the details relative to this move, which include the moving of critical equipment for the students, food services, bus transportation, storage and classroom space, as well as
necessary modifications to the Regional Day School.
NJCU will reach out to the other sending districts whose students are serviced at the A. Harry Moore program as well to ensure a smooth transition for students from all
sending districts which includes the JCBOE.
“Over the last few months NJCU and the JCBOE have been fully engaged to ensure continuity of the AHM program to ensure the best services and support for the most vulnerable of our children,” Thomas said in a statement.
“We are excited about the interim move of the program to the Regional Day School campus. The JCBOE will continue to be engaged comprehensively with the parents,
community, NJCU, Department of Education (ED) and the Mayor’s office to ensure a permanent, long-term solution which we have a moral imperative to sustain.â€
NJCU President Sue Henderson also expressed confidence about the temporary move.
“Being able to move the program to this facility will allow the University and its constituents to satisfy one of their biggest concerns,” she said.
“The University will work collaboratively with the Board of Education, the County Superintendent and other selected officials to identify a permanent space that is suitable to house the program. In the meantime, NJCU will continue its close partnership with the JCBOE in order to increase the level of services provided to the students at AHM by drawing expertise from the School District.”
Additionally, faculty and staff from the A. Harry Moore School will resume programming operations at the Regional Day School. Parents will have an opportunity for a walkthrough of the Regional Day School prior to September 23.
Furthermore, the A. Harry Moore School calendar will be adjusted to reflect time missed due to the building closure to ensure that the 180 days of school required is
maintained.
