The 170-student school, which handled grades pre-kindergarten through four, has closed its doors after 30 years.
On their last day, parents and their children said they had developed a loyalty to the school due to the small classes and academic excellence.
But officials from the Board of Education said the school did not have enough space to create a stable learning environment. They said first and second grade students had to be sent out on field trips whenever third and fourth grade students were taking tests, and vice versa.
Most of the students are expected to relocate to School 6 on St. Paul's Avenue, while others will be going to School 11 on Bergen Avenue.
As for the future of the building, a Board of Education spokesperson said the space for was leased from Summit Plaza Associates of New York City and would be used for "whatever the owner of the building want[s] to do with it."
The summer hiatus won't be quite the same as before for Phillip Lamperti, father of second grade student Emma and president of the school's parents association.
He came to pick up Emma from school on the 27th.
"My experience is that it is the best school with the best teachers and the students," said Lamperti.
Lamperti is still smarting from the fact that he and other parents were not informed of the school's closing until the beginning of June.New Orleans evacuee disappointed
"I don't like the way it was done," he said. "The Jersey City school district professes parents as partners, but in this case, the parents and students of 42, the staff even, no one was partners."
He added, "But we have resigned ourselves that it is a done deal."
Lamperti said he and his family will be traveling during most of the summer to "get out of Jersey City and put all this behind." His daughter is expected to attend School 6.
"I want this school to stay here forever," said Emma Lamperti.
Richard Martinez came to pick up his 7-year old son Samuel. He said the school was a stable presence for his family after they left New Orleans in the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
"It's been pretty difficult because we evacuated from New Orleans, and it has been change after change," said Martinez. "And this school was working well for us. So if we decide to stay here, it would mean another change."
Samuel was playing in the school's courtyard with Lamperti's daughter. He said he will be traveling to Honduras for two weeks and then going to New Orleans for some time. He will going to School 11 next year.
"I feel sad because this school is closing and it was great seven months for me," said Samuel.
Teachers and other school workers could be seen packing their belongings into a minivan, clearing out one last time.
Joanne Youmans was principal at the school for the past six years. Her last day at the school was her last day as an educator. After 33 years, she will spend mornings catching up by reading and doing other projects around her house. Youmans was hugging her employees and her students as they gave their goodbyes.
"My teachers were crying because everyone here was a family," said Youmans. "It was emotional, but change happens. Change is important and you have to learn to deal with it." 'Urban Angel'
Meanwhile, some children in Jersey City will have an opportunity to begin their education at a newly reconfigured facility in September.
On a humid June afternoon two weeks ago, a group of employees from the Loews Home Center on Route 440 were volunteering their time painting and cleaning the walls of several rooms in the Christ Our Saviour Lutheran Church on Brinkerhoff Street.
The facility will be known as Urban Angels Daycare and is slated to open in September with an enrollment of 102 students.
It is expected to serve infants to 6-year-old children. This was the brainchild of longtime resident Crystal Jones, who was able to enlist the help of private "urban angel investors" to make the daycare a sorely needed reality in the community.
"[Investors] want to see a daycare center that is fully to give quality daycare to the people in the community," said Jones.
The space had already housed a daycare center in recent years, but Jones said the difference will be in the curriculum, which will be revolving around arts-based teaching.
"It is a little different from most daycare centers in that we will be teaching our children about the value of music and theater in their education development," said Jones.
There will be an area for infant care for newborn, a "toddlers and waddlers" room for those just learning how to walk, and an area for those 3 to 6 years old to take part in the arts program.
Jones and her husband are the parents of an 8-year-old son and 1-year-old daughter. She said that having two children spurred her to think about providing affordable daycare.
For Jones, her growing up was different, as she was an only child who lived in "a house of 11 aunts and uncles."
"It's a pretty hard for [my son] because sometimes camps aren't available and sometimes they are pricey," said Jones. "As a parent, you pray and then you look for family support, and a lot of people don't have family support." Ricardo Kaulessar can be reached at rkaulessar@hudsonreporter.com
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