Attendance counselors who were laid off several years under former Newark Public Schools. Superintendent Cami Anderson are encouraged to reapply for new attendance counselor positions that are set to be available under Superintendent Roger Leon according to a statement released by Newark Teachers Union officials on Thursday morning.
According to the state officials say, the León administration -in response to NTU request- has confirmed it will not seek a waiver to Attendance Counselor requirement and advised all Attendance Counselors who lost their positions by the previous administration to contact Labor Relations asap.
In the opening day Newark Public Schools Staff Convocation held at the Prudential Center on Tuesday, September 28th, Superintendent Leon’s statement to bring back attendance counselors to the district received overwhelming applause from school teachers, staff an administrators who have often discussed frequent attendance concerns from students not attending school, on a regular basis, since the former superintendent's removal of the position.
The announcement prompted Newark Teacher's Union President John M. Abeigon to email Superintendent Leon the following: "Will The Newark Public Schools be using a Civil Service recall list during the process."
"We are pleased to be once again working for and with an educator who understands our needs and the needs of the educational community in our city. This decision on the part of Superintendent León demonstrates his understanding and commitment to resolving the issue of student absenteeism" President Abeigon said in a prepared statement.
It is not immediately clear when attendance counselor jobs will be made available.
Requests for a statement regarding the matter from Newark Public Schools officials were not immediately returned.