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About Us
HISTORY
The Ethical Community Charter School opened its doors at 95 Broadway in September 2009 with 120 kindergartners and first graders. Since then, TECCS has added a grade each year, to become a K-8 school in 2016-2017, educating nearly 400 children. TECCS was founded when two coalitions—Jersey City families looking for high-quality student-centered schools and a team from New York who wished to create a public school modeled on the principles of the renowned Ethical Culture Fieldston School in New York— joined forces to create an ethics-based school suited to Jersey City’s diverse population.
TECCS has since grown not only in size but also in community ties and mission-driven collaborations. TECCS is part of the UNESCO Associated Schools Project, whose members work in support of intercultural dialogue, and a member of the Ashoka Changemaker Schools network. TECCS has also won grants so its students can participate in Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” Active Schools physical education initiative, Drew University’s Shakespeare Festival, New Jersey City University professor Mary McGriff’s individualized reading program, and City College professor Shira Epstein’s Civic Literacy Projects. The school also forges connections with other local institutions through the Jersey City-Hoboken Charter School Alliance, among other groups. In summer 2015, the alliance hosted its first symposium with Alfie Kohn as the keynote speaker.
MISSION
The Ethical Community Charter School is a safe and caring community where ethics, service, and social justice are the principles that inform every aspect of school life; where teachers lead and collaborate with students in a culture of rigorous academics and mutual respect; where analytical thinking and creativity are prized over rote learning; where children become individuals of integrity, insight, autonomy—and socially productive citizens, workers, leaders.
“You don’t start by doing basic skills and then doing the interesting stuff,”
“You do the interesting stuff first.”
– Alfie Kohn
DIRECTIONS
We are located at the corner of Broadway and Giles Ave, in the Marion Section of Jersey City, near West Side Avenue, just west of Journal Square.
BUILDING
The Ethical Community Charter School (TECCS) is located at 95 Broadway Jersey City, in the former home
of Mt. Carmel School. The building, constructed in 1954, has a full-size gymnasium, a proscenium stage at one
end, and a recently installed projection system. There are rooms for Science, Technology, Art, and Music.
OUTDOOR SPACE
The school is at the corner of Broadway and Giles–a wide, quiet side street that is easily closed to traffic for morning drop-offs, outdoor time at lunch, and afternoon pickups. There is a public playground, ideal for recess, just a block away on West Side Avenue.
DIVERSITY AND EQUITY
We are an intentionally diverse public school and take pride in the many communities that make us whole. Our students
and families collectively speak more than 40 languages and share multiple backgrounds and learning styles.
We have a strong special education team, with approximately 15 percent of our students receiving individualized education plans, and a growing English-as-a-new-language team, with two staff members devoted to helping multiple language speakers succeed. We support all students to achieve at their fullest capacity with robust support services and full inclusion classes.
Our location in the Marion district of Jersey City allows us to be within walking distance of many communities.
We also make sure to have bus service to all parts of the city, through our Family School Association. Subsidies for bus fees are available for families that need them.
WORK AT TECCS
Working at TECCS provides an opportunity to be part of a community dedicated to helping children develop a sense of themselves as ethical decision makers and critical thinkers. We are committed to the professional development of our staff and to continual reflection on our practices in the classroom and among each other.
The Ethical Community Charter School is looking for the following positions for the 2022-23 school year.
Please review the job description(s) before emailing your resume to serenity.carr@teccsjc.org
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AFFIRMATIVE ACTION PROGRAM
In keeping with federal/state anti-discrimination legislation, TECCS has appointed an Affirmative Action Officer (AAO) to provide the resolution of student, employee, and parent complaints on any conflicts related to discrimination on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, sexual orientation, ancestry, national origin, or socioeconomic status.
Please contact Latisha Odums
POLICIES
We follow school policies mandated by the State of New Jersey and the New Jersey School Boards Association. For general policies, Click HERE
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
TECCS is managed by a voluntary Board of Trustees that represents families and the local community. The responsibilities of the Board of Trustees are to set strategy and policy for the school, to plan and oversee its budget and operations, and to work with the principal, faculty, and staff in the continuing development of the school. We are looking to expand the Board’s membership to represent a wider range of Jersey City’s diverse communities and a wider range of skills.
The Board meets for one Monday evening a month. Board members are expected to contribute some additional time at their discretion for activities that range from: managing infrastructure issues, fundraising, and advising on policy. If you would be interested in making this sort of contribution to our community, we would like to hear from you.