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Parents urge action on nurse coverage, allergy safety and classroom supplies at Hackensack schools
Summary
Multiple parents told the Hackensack Board of Education that some schools lack a nurse during lunch, classes have been split because of substitute shortages, and basic supplies such as white paper are missing; parents offered to volunteer or donate while trustees flagged liability and follow-up steps.
Several parents used the Feb. 11 special meeting to press the Hackensack Board of Education on student safety, substitute coverage and classroom supplies.
A resident who identified herself as Donna said her child’s school does not have a nurse available at certain times and described instances where classes were split because substitutes were not available. She also reported that students had come home without basic supplies such as white paper and suggested the district consider parent job fairs to recruit substitutes; she offered to volunteer herself.
Amanda Green, who said she has two children at Nellie K. Parker School, told the board she is particularly concerned about anaphylaxis risks when a nurse is not on duty during lunch periods. “It is very concerning that there’s no nurse in the school for that lunch period,” she said, and described an incident in which nut-containing cookies were served at a school event and had to be removed. Green said she and other parents would be willing to donate supplies or help organize fundraising.
Riza Mendoza, who also identified herself and whose son has an IEP, said she learned multiple classrooms lacked white printing paper and that at least one teacher would not accept parent donations; she said the lack of a small resource like paper frustrated her child and raised questions about communication between central office and individual classrooms.
Board members thanked speakers and said the superintendent and central office would follow up. At the meeting trustees raised legal and liability questions about having parents volunteer in classrooms, noting background checks and fingerprinting requirements for adults working with students. One trustee said she would consult the newly appointed law firm about volunteer liability and that the board would discuss parent-volunteer policies further.
What happens next: The board said it will gather information through central office and the superintendent and report back to the public; trustees encouraged residents to sign the contact sheet so the district can follow up.
