Meetings Scheduled for Proposed new Hoboken High School

Please see below for the schedule of open meetings with the School Board regarding the referendum for the new high school. 

Tuesday, December 14, 2021

7:00 pm (December Board of Education Meeting)

Hoboken Middle School

158 4th Street

Tuesday, December 21, 2021

7:00 pm

Hoboken High School Auditorium

800 Clinton Street

Thursday, January 6, 2022

7:00 pm

Hoboken High School Auditorium

800 Clinton Street

Thursday, January 13, 2022

7:00 pm

Virtual Session

Log in details will be available in early January

Monday, January 17, 2022

7:00 pm

Hoboken High School Auditorium

800 Clinton Street

ASSA (Application for State School Aid) Reports 2015-16 to 2021-22 - Hoboken School District

The following are the ASSA Reports for the Hoboken School District for the ASSA years of 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20, 2020-21, and 2021-22. 

 The ASSA is the data collection used to gather the resident and nonresident pupil counts required to calculate a school district’s state aid entitlement. For a school district to receive state aid for a pupil, the student must be enrolled on October 15 in a program that will meet for at least 180 days during the school year. A district is required to report the number of pupils enrolled full-time or shared-time in each school by grade or special education category. 

In addition, a district must also report the number of pupils that are sent and received and the number of pupils enrolled as follows on October 15: 

    • LEP pupils (ELL) 

    • Low income pupils (pupils eligible for free meals/free milk or reduced meals) 

    • Shared-time county vocational school district pupils 

    • County special services school district pupils 

    • Regional day school pupils 

    • Pupils in certain State-operated programs 

    • Accredited adult high school pupils 

    • Pupils in approved private schools for the disabled

ASSA 2015-16 to 2021-22 by Tony Petrosino on Scribd

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Long-Range Facilities Plan, Major Amendment Approval (August 4, 2021)

The following is a letter from Susan Kutner Director, Office of School Facilities Planning to Dr. Christine Johnson, Chief School Administrator concerning the Long-Range Facilities Plan, Major Amendment Approval Hoboken Public School District (2210), Hudson County dated August 4, 2021. The letter was copied to: Bernard E. Piaia, Jr., Department of Education, Office of School Facilities Projects Joyce Goode, Hoboken Public School District, Business Administrator 

 Summary: The Department of Education (Department) has approved the major amendment to the Long-Range Facilities Plan (LRFP or Plan) submitted by the Hoboken Public School District (District) pursuant to the Educational Facilities Construction and Financing Act, P.L. 2000, c. 72 (N.J.S.A. 18A: 7G-1 et seq.), as amended by P.L. 2007, c. 137 (Act), N.J.A.C. 6A:26 -1 et seq. (Educational Facilities Code), and the Facilities Efficiency Standards (FES). Findings are summarized in the attached “Summary of the Long-Range Facilities Plan, as Amended August 4, 2021.”

The election for members of the Hoboken Board of Education was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2021. The deadline for filing to seek a seat on the nine-member board was July 26, 2021 at 4:00 p.m.  

According to Hoboken Patch, The Hoboken Board of Education announced on Tuesday, November 16, 2021 the intent to bond for facilities improvements and a new high school.

August 4, 2021 Letter NJDOE to Johnson by Tony Petrosino on Scribd

 

Of note is Table 2: Enrollments 

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1) The district predicts a net enrollment gain of 2 students in Grades K to 5 from 2020-21 ASSA to 2025-26 ASSA 

2) Despite a 2 student gain in enrollment through 2025-26 in Grades K to 5, the district envisions a gain of 141 students in Grades 6 to 8 

3) Despite a 2 student gain in enrollment through 2025-26 in Grades K to 5, the district envisions a gain of 159 students in Grades 9 to 12 

Findings: The Department has determined the District’s proposed enrollments to be acceptable for approval of the District’s LRFP amendment. The Department will require a current enrollment projection at the time an application for a school facilities project is submitted incorporating the District’s most recent enrollments in order to verify that the LRFP’s planned capacity is appropriate for the updated enrollments.

Torn From Social Media: What Percentage of Age Eligible Hoboken Young People Attend Hoboken High?

The Andrew Jackson Gardens public housing in Hoboken.
(Reena Rose Sibayan | The Jersey Journal)

What is the percentage of Hoboken resident students who attend Hoboken High School? I was asked this recently on social media. I did not know the answer off-hand and I did not know of a source for the specific number so I did a little back of the envelope calculation using relevant data sources. 

In order to answer the question I first found that according to the 2020 Census we know there are 53,193 residents in Hoboken (Figure 1- A). Of that number we know that 6% are between the ages of 10-19 (Figure 1- B). 6% of 53,193 is 3,191 young adults between 10-19 years old. 

Figure 1: 2020 Hoboken Census Data
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Let's say 40% of these 3,191 young people are high school age (14, 15, 16, and 17). That means there are about 1276 high school age residents in Hoboken (3191 x .4). Of those 1276 young adults, 310 attend Hoboken High School (based on the 2021-22 ASSA Report). This amounts to roughly 24% of age eligible students residing in Hoboken whose family currently sends their child to Hoboken High School.

This means there are well over 900 high school aged students whose families have made the decision not to attend Hoboken High School. 

A new proposed high school for Hoboken is being planned with a capacity of approximately 1200 students. 

New High School To Be Proposed For "Growing" Hoboken District

HOBOKEN, NJ — Hoboken Patch reports that the Hoboken Board of Education announced in a message to the school community Tuesday that due to enrollment increases and the aging of the district's school buildings — "many of them built before 1910" — the district will present plans for a new high school to the city's Planning Board next month. There will also be a special election regarding the plans in January, the board said.

Hoboken was built in 1962 and currently holds grades 9, 10, 11, and 12. However, the district enrollment in Hoboken High School as estimated by the Hoboken Board of Education's ASSA Report is quite low and does not exhibit significant growth in any meaningful manner (see Figure 1). Keep in mind, Hoboken High School had an original student capacity of 1500 students (see Figure 2). 

Figure 1: 2021-22 ASSA Report 
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How many students are currently in Hoboken High School? Based on the 2021-22 ASSA report, there are 433 total students in Hoboken high school including "choice" (non resident) students. Omitting non resident students leaves approximately 310 Hoboken resident students in Hoboken High School (see Figure 3). Presented in a different way, Hoboken High School is at 20% capacity from the original 1962 1500 student floor plan. 

Here is a post detailing the student enrollment capacity of Hoboken High School from the original plans developed in 1962: CLICK HERE 

Figure 2: Hoboken High School Student Capacity was 1500 in 1962
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Figure 3: Distribution of Choice Students Throughout
the Hoboken School District 

The Hoboken Board claims that district enrollment has been growing since 2015, reversing a trend from the previous decades.

"The district has been focused on integration of the community and service to the community as part of our educational goals. We are thrilled to present to the community a facilities project, including a new high school, that will meet the needs of our growing population," said the board in its message.

A new Hoboken High School may be warranted for any number of different reasons. But there seems to be little justification for a new high school based on current or future student enrollment. There is good reason to question enrollment projection by the Hoboken Board of Education.  As recent as the Spring of 2020 the Hoboken Board of Education predicted a large enrollment increase for the 2020-21 school year. That enrollment increase never materialized. 

Plans will be presented to the Planning Board next month. The special election will take place on Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2022.

Hoboken Community Blood Drive - Friday Nov 19, 2021 Jubilee Center

The holidays are always a critical time for blood supplies. Please consider participating in the 2021 Hoboken Community Blood Drive. Each unit you donate (about 1 pint) can be divided into the three primary components — red blood cells, plasma, and platelets — saving up to three lives.

Learn about each step of your blood donation: CLICK HERE  

Facts about Blood Donations from the Mayo Clinic: CLICK HERE

To sign up for the Hoboken Community Blood Drive: CLICK HERE 

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Veteran's Day- Hoboken, NJ 2021

Veterans Day (originally known as Armistice Day) is a federal holiday in the United States observed annually on November 11, for honoring military veterans who served in the United States Armed Forces (who were discharged under conditions other than dishonorable). It coincides with other holidays including Armistice Day and Remembrance Day which are celebrated in other countries that mark the anniversary of the end of World War I. Major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 when the Armistice with Germany went into effect. At the urging of major U.S. veteran organizations, Armistice Day was renamed Veterans Day in 1954. 

Here are some pictures of the Veteran's Day observation in Hoboken, NJ on November 11, 2021 as well as a story from Hudson County View. 

Teachers Worked More Hours Than Usual in the '20-'21 School Year - hours rise more than those in other professions.

This study, published this month in Educational Researcher, uses nationally representative data for the United States from the Basic Monthly Current Population Survey to document how teachers’ hours of work have changed in 2020 and 2021 relative to typical labor supply levels and to the hours worked by other college-educated professional workers. Controlling for demographics, teachers’ hours decreased early in the pandemic, but throughout the 2020–2021 school year teachers have been working more than usual. The increase is slightly more pronounced for veteran teachers and for females. The findings emphasize the increased demands of the teaching profession during the global pandemic.

Click to Enlarge 

Teachers’ Working Hours During the COVID-19 Pandemic by Tony Petrosino on Scribd

Hoboken Board of Education Results - November 2021

Hoboken School Board Results

In addition to the mayor/council race, four candidates ran for three spots on the Hoboken Board of Education. The results (not fully final) are as follows: 

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Detailed results from the Hudson County Clerk's Office: CLICK HERE 

Congratulations to All 

Hoboken Dual Language Charter School Excels in First Ever US News and World Report Rankings for K-8 Schools

In the first-ever U.S. News & World Report ranking of private and public K-8 schools, the Hoboken Dual Language Charter School (HOLA) was ranked in the top 11% of all NJ Elementary Schools and in the top 5% of all NJ Middle Schools.  As an early supporter and Board member, I am incredibly proud that Hola continues to offer a top-tier public education to all children of Hoboken while also helping to foster the next generation of bilingual global citizens. 

Rankings are just one measure of a school community, but rankings are an objective and independent way of comparing schools.

If you are interested in the U.S. News & World Report methodology please read more here

Hoboken's tax base is essentially unlimited (Local Fair Share = $239 mil for 3177 students; tax levy = $53 mil). Its spending at $29,672 per student is #2 in NJ among K-12 districts (after Asbury Park). Sharing PILOT revenue w/ charters isn't "defunding" by any reasonable person's definition, but charter haters are gonna hate.

Hoboken Board of Education Extends Superintendent's Contact for 5 More Years

 Details to Follow but here is a link to the contract for the time being: 

https://www.scribd.com/document/527332295/Hoboken-Superintendent-Christine-Johnson-Contract-Approval-7-1-2021-to-6-30-2026-Full-Packet

American Rescue Plan- Award Allocation for Elysian, Hoboken Charter, Hola, and the Hoboken Public School District Tops $7.5 million

 New Jersey’s school leaders are getting a first look this week at the details for more than $2.7 billion in federal pandemic aid heading to their public schools.

Needless to say, the amounts for many districts are dizzying, yet so are the processes and procedures for how it will all work.

Here is how money will be distributed to the three Hoboken public charter schools: 

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And here is how much relief money will come to the Hoboken School District:

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The money will be used primarily in the following three ways: 

1) Supporting Students Most Impacted by the Pandemic: The New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) will provide guidance and technical assistance on the use of ARP ESSER funds that highlight how allowable activities may be used to advance educational equity. As part of their ARP ESSER Use of Funds application, LEAs will be required to provide information on their plans to use ARP ESSER funds to implement an equitable and inclusive return to in-person instruction. 

2) Addressing the Academic Impact of Lost Instructional Time: New Jersey plans to establish an “Acceleration Coach and Educator Support” formula grant for districts. New Jersey will use a weighted enrollment allocation formula that assigns additional weight to lower grade bands, Limited English Proficient Students, and students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. Districts will use the grant funds to implement professional learning for staff to help better understand the needs of their students with regard to learning acceleration and interventions. Funds also will be used in developing positive school climate, implementing social and emotional learning supports, supporting culturally responsive teaching practices, increasing digital and data literacy, engaging educators and parents in the community to personalize students’ learning, identifying disproportionate impacts of COVID-19, and other services to support educators meeting the needs of their students. 

3) Investing in Summer Learning and Expanded Afterschool Programs: The state plans to develop a Summer Enrichment Activities formula grant to districts to support summer learning academies and tutoring, professional learning for educators, and education and training programs for parents and caregivers. Districts must target funds to content areas most impacted by COVID-19, such as STEM, younger grade levels, or performing arts. Additionally, the state plans to establish a Comprehensive Beyond the School Day Activities formula grant which will support implementation of research-based programs such as tutoring and broader learning supports to families and educators.