Today, Friday, October 25, 2019, U.S. Congressmen Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) and Bill Pascrell, Jr. (NJ-9) announced that the U.S. Department of Education has awarded an investment of $668,480 from the School Climate Transformation Grant (SCTG) to Teaneck Public Schools. The SCTG is a federal program designed to help make schools safer and improve mental health services for students and young adults.

“Right now, reports are showing New Jersey is experiencing a rising number of youth suicides. It’s vitally important that we invest in our school systems’ abilities to provide mental health services for our children. The School Climate Transformation Grant investment awarded to Teaneck Public schools is an incredible first step in making sure that students have safe spaces,” said Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5). “With this investment, Teaneck Public Schools is clawing back $668,000 to expand facilities and care necessary to help students in need. I commend everyone involved in making this a reality and investing in the future well-being of our children.”     

“The importance of a safe, high-quality learning environment for our students cannot be overstated. It is imperative to the success of our students both in the classroom and beyond,” said Congressman Bill Pascrell, Jr. (NJ-9). “This game-changing grant for Teaneck will help establish a platform for students to not only learn but to feel comfortable and safe amongst their peers. I am proud to announce this federal investment in Teaneck’s students and will continue fighting to bring home more awards for our great schools.”

“It’s a new day in Teaneck; and we are working towards our vision to provide educational excellence for all,” said Dr. Christopher Irving, Superintendent, Teaneck Public Schools. “A major goal of our five-year Strategic Plan is to create equitable and inclusive learning opportunities for all students – which will include adopting a district-wide strategy for addressing student behaviors in conjunction with our code of conduct. We are extremely appreciative to have been selected for this generous grant; and I would like to thank our elected officials at the federal, state and local levels for being so supportive of our district goals.” 

The SCTG provides investment to school districts to develop, enhance, or expand systems of support for implementing evidence-based, multi-tiered behavioral frameworks for improving behavioral outcomes and learning conditions for students.

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