Keeping on keeping on despite pandemic times  By Dorothy Wigmore  Mold in the ceiling? Expected to use toxic chemicals, especially without training or protective gear? Dealing with poor ventilation and

Prevention must go further too  By Dorothy Wigmore  In late January, Morris Knolls High School got a scare. A student brought a device resembling a 9-mm gun to school. It

Dealing with cold stress – inside and outside  By Dorothy Wigmore  Temperatures hover near freezing during the day and below it at night. Snowstorms are predicted. Or maybe it’s freezing

A longstanding problem is even worse during COVID-19 By Debra Coyle If you work in a New Jersey school, you’ve probably witnessed firsthand the problem of overcrowded classrooms. Students scrambling for

By Debra Coyle ers and left 30 people dead, countless homeless, and caused millions of dollars in damage. According to the New Jersey Department of Education, 67 schools were temporarily

By Dorothy Wigmore Creepy crawlies. Rodents. Ticks. Bees and wasps.  The pandemic has made us forget many other health and safety hazards and introduced new ones. One of these hazards

By Dorothy Wigmore Heat harms our minds and bodies. Yolanda Hernandez knows that from personal experience. So do other parents in New Brunswick’s public schools. “My son had vomiting, fever,

ESP experiences in the pandemic By Dorothy Wigmore It’s not easy being an educational support professional (ESP) in this pandemic. For many ESPs, too often, it’s a hard choice: paychecks

by Heather Sorge COVID-19 has placed a spotlight on how badly many New Jersey schools need upgrades, repairs, and replacement. Overcrowding and outdated or nonexistent ventilation systems are especially prevalent.

Stories from the front lines By Dorothy Wigmore Ventilation matters, disinfecting less so The Metuchen Education Association has worked with district administrators and its UniServ field Rep, Nancy Grbelja, about