As school begins in Paterson, N.J., dozens of teacher vacancies remain. Here's the plan to fill them.
Paterson, New Jersey is struggling to staff all its classrooms with teachers.
Currently, there are 79 vacancies. Superintendent Laurie Newell said Thursday - the first day back for students - that the district has been hosting job fairs this summer, and will continue outreach this fall.
"So, we're doing a lot of initiatives to try to highlight and spotlight that, you know, Paterson Public Schools is an amazing place to come and work and to have a career," Newell said.
Chronic absenteeism in Paterson is high, about 35%. That's more than double the statewide average. Officials say, however, absenteeism numbers in the district are improving, dropping nearly 4% last school year.
Meeting the students' social and emotional needs is key
Despite the challenges, school officials, parents, and grandparents said Thursday they're excited for the year ahead.
"It's exciting. She was ready to go to school. She was ready," grandfather Tavis Hunt said.
With the first day in the books, there was a storybook moment in Ms. Luna's class at Charles J. Riley Elementary that reminded students that every day is a fresh start. There was excitement mixed with first-day jitters.
"I was scared," a fourth grader named Reign said, "because [the school] was really big. When I went to the bathroom, I couldn't find my classroom when I came back."
According to Principal Domenic Carriero, getting to know the school and the people in it is part of the process over the first few days.
"So the first thing is getting to know your child, getting to know each individual child's needs, and making sure that their social and emotional needs are met, because without that, we cannot teach the children," Carriero said.
Jersey City schools get started with cellphone ban in place
New Jersey has a staggered back-to-school schedule. The Jersey City district was among those welcoming thousands of students to the classroom on Thursday.
A celebration was held for pre-K through fifth grade students at Dr. Maya Angelou Elementary School. CBS News New York toured a couple of schools in the district, where there was a mix of nerves and excitement, as kids, parents and teachers marked the first day back.
At P.S. 26 on Laidlaw Avenue, elementary students bravely arrived for the new year. There were high-fives and excited reunions with friends following a long summer, as students looked ahead to classroom favorites.
For parents, the day was bittersweet. Some said they were relieved to have kids back in class.
"I'm so happy. I'm so glad she's coming back to school. She's so busy," one parent said.
Others couldn't hold back tears.
"It's a big day. I always tear up. It's a happy day and it's a sad day. Summer is over but falls here," parent Bernie Manning said.
To ensure fewer distractions, a new cellphone policy called "Less is Best" is in place.
"Each school has their own way to do it and put it in pouches. Some put in a card in exchange for a laptop, or leave it in a book bag. They just cannot be out," Superintendent Dr. Norma Fernandez said.
And, of course, security remains a top priority.
"We do threat assessments. We practice. We stay vigilant, making sure schools are locked," Fernandez said.