Board of Education Brainstorms District and Board Goals, What's Good and What's Bad About the Hoboken School District

At the July 14 Board of Education Meeting, the Board of Education was assisted in thinking about goal setting for the upcoming year. The technique utilized to assist them is known as "brainstorming" (also, see diagram on left), and produced the following results:

District Goals:

1) To raise test scores

Bring middle schools out of SINI 1 and SINI 2

Raise HSPA scores

2) To implement a plan to increase parental and community involvement in all schools

3) Lower per pupil costs and decrease overall budget without a decrease in programs or by touching classroom instruction. 

Board Goals: 

1) Hire a new Superintendent of Schools

2) To develop a monitoring system to track the progress toward district goals. 

3) To schedule a team building retreat. 

The Board also used the same brainstorming technique to assess the "State of the District." This was divided into 3 categories: "Wonderful"; "In Progress"; and "What's Wrong". The results were as follows: 

What's Wonderful

District board

PTO

Early Childhood Program

News Media

Cosmetology Program 

Culinary Arts Program

Small Size of District

District Wide Curriculum

Updating Policy Manual

G&T Programs

David Anthony

Teachers, Administrators, Children, and Parents

Support Staff

Lunch Program

Performing Arts

Board Members

School System

Diversity

Active Parents

Community Involvement

Students

Teaching Staff

Athletic Program

In Progress

Raising test scores

Increase the number of IB Diploma Graduates

Curriculum 

Space Issues

Perceptions

Increasing enrollment in middle and high school

Continuing corporate relationship

Professional Development for teachers

What's Wrong

Improve access to latest technology

Improve facilities

State of the art technology

Recruiting parental involvement

Lowering cost per pupil

Rebuilding relationship with Stevens

Establishing more connections with HCCC

SAT Prep

Bringing budget to Adequacy

Improve college readiness skills for all students

Add AP courses to the high school

Hire Superintendent

 

Picture: Process of conducting a brainstorming session