Mott Haven principal builds student leaders amid hardships in their home life
P.S. 65's Jessica Morrobel isn’t the average principal as 40% of the students in her school are homeless.
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A principal at a school in Mott Haven is making it her duty to build students as future leaders despite some of the hardships they may be facing in their home life.
P.S. 65's Jessica Morrobel isn’t the average principal as 40% of the students in her school are homeless.
According to a study by Advocate for Children, nearly 146,000 students in New York City public schools were homeless in the last school year.
With more than 100 students in her school being homeless, she is forced to take on many hats as principal.
Morrobel helps students with problems at home or when students come into her office because another student is bothering them. She gives them encouraging words throughout the day.
“You are a leader, we are going to figure out a solution," Morrobel said to a student.
This is Morrobel’s first year as principal at P.S. 65. She told News 12 what her goal is as an administrator.
“How can I tend to their needs and how can I build them up?" she said.
Morrobel spent the last five years as assistant principal and the last decade of her career as a special education teacher at another school in The Bronx.
As principal she wanted to go beyond teaching the regular curriculum.
She meets twice a week with her student empowerment team. It's a group of fifth graders whom she teaches the things that set them up for success far outside the classroom.
Morrobel says that by teaching her students how to interview and build a resume, she’s preparing them to become future leaders.
While she can’t control what happens in their lives outside of school, she believes she can give them the tools they need to succeed long after they leave her care.
