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Latest data from the NJ Department of Education (PARCC, SAT, ASSA, etc...) concerning some important Hoboken School District test scores:
1) Only 4 out of 10 students are reading at grade level;
2) less than 1 out of 10 students are understanding mathematics at grade level;
3) the average SAT score is 65 points below the NJ state average.
Hoboken was originally an island, surrounded by the Hudson River on the east and tidal lands at the foot of the New Jersey Palisades on the west. It was a seasonal campsite in the territory of Hackensack, a land of the Lenni-Lenape, who used the serpentine rock found there to carve pipes. Hoboken lies on the west bank of the Hudson River between Weehawken and Union City on the north and Jersey City's “county seat” on the south and west. Directly across the Hudson River are the Manhattan, New York City neighborhoods of West Village and Chelsea. The city of Hoboken had a total area of 2.011 square miles, of which 1.275 square miles of it is land and 0.736 square miles of it is water. Hoboken has had its ups and downs and is rich in history. Today we will discuss the rise and fall of Hoboken.
Chapters: 00:00 Introduction: Hoboken was originally an island 00:53 Inhabited by the Lenni-Lenape 01:55 Henry Hudson first European to lay claim to the area 03:53 Colonel John Stevens bought this portion of New Jersey 05:30 Colonel John Stevens the inventor 07:11 Hoboken in during World War I 08:06 Inventing the Turtle Club 08:59 first officially recorded baseball game 09:49 The opening of Sybil’s cave 10:30 Pop Culture of Hoboken 12:02 A complete economic downturn in the 70’s 14:26 The highest public transportation use of any city 15:40 Closing: The upturn of Hoboken
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| @GaryHershorn- 14th Street Viaduct, Hoboken |
Dear Editor,
Despite the defeat of the $241 million Hoboken High School referendum in January, the Hoboken Board of Education (BOE) can bring a second referendum for a new high school to Hoboken voters as early as January 2023. If Hoboken again votes ‘no’ on the referendum, there is a path by which the BOE could appeal to the State of New Jersey Board of Education to override the will of the voters.
Yes, you read this correctly, we may still be on the hook for new construction even if the community votes ‘no’ again.
Following a second referendum defeat, the Hoboken BOE is empowered to seek to have the unelected State Board of Education mandate construction of a new high school.The BOE and State can usurp the voting preference of Hoboken residents yet require that homeowners and renters take on the expense to fund this decision for decades to come.
This is not a hypothetical: Just a few years ago, residents in Freehold, NJ voted down a school facilities expansion two times only to have the Freehold Board of Education convince the State to override Freehold voters.
Every community member should get informed and vote in the BOE election on November 8th. Kids First is committed to transparency and accountability and we hope by getting to know us over the next month, we earn your trust and your vote on Nov 8th.
The Kids First Slate understands there are pressing infrastructure and facilities needs for our district and will arrive at solutions through a transparent process and in a fiscally responsible manner. We will rigorously evaluate costs, including construction and recurring operational costs, as well as place the necessary focus on educational enhancements and outcomes. We give you our unwavering commitment to do so with community input and discussion.
The Kids First Slate will bring creative solutions and new thinking to control costs and optimize space. For example, we will tap the New Jersey School Development authority, which has money to subsidize NJ school facilities, as one source. We are the only team up for election with a member experienced in going directly to Trenton and securing funding for education. Also, we will enlist City Council and other elected officials to evaluate the full spectrum of existing and new space available to ensure we are optimizing resources to ease the burden on residents who already have the stress of rising costs in every aspect of their lives.
Importantly, we will make clear the ‘why’ behind what is happening and explain any alternatives that were considered. The Kids First Slate is committed to moving from secretive dealings to community discussion. We believe our role is to advocate for children and education and to do so by listening to the community and the will of the voters.
The Kids First Team
Pavel Sokolov
Cindy Wiegand
Donna Magen
See Editorial by the Jersey Journal on the January 2022 Hoboken Board of Education referendum
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| Sunset- Hoboken, NJ September 29, 2022 |
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| Sunset- Hoboken, NJ September 29, 2022 |
During its Aug. 22 meeting, the Hoboken Board of Education voted to accept the funding and will distribute it as follows:
* In July 2010, a US Department of Education agency reported that it could not find any studies meeting its evidence standards to support the efficacy of Orton-Gillingham based strategies.
* The Florida Center for Reading Research reported in 2006 that it was unable to identify any empirical studies examining the efficacy of the approach specifically as described in Orton-Gillingham training materials.
Prompted by cuts in state aid to public schools in New Jersey, a group of Hoboken mothers decided to launch a non-profit in August 2015 as a way to collect donations in support of specific programs within the schools.
More information on the Hoboken Public Education Foundation as well as past and future plans can be found at this link: https://www.tapinto.net/towns/hoboken/sections/education/articles/hoboken-public-education-foundation-donates-358k-to-district
November 3, 2021 The Hoboken Public School District hosted small group sessions at 9:00 AM, 1:00 PM and 7:00 PM for stakeholders on November 3, 2021. The agenda for these meetings was as follows:
On November 8, 2021 the Hoboken Public School District hosted small group sessions at 10:00 AM, 1:00 PM and 6:00 PM for stakeholders. The agenda for these meetings was as follows:
The following brainstorming document remained on the website for stakeholders to continue providing input until the grant was submitted on November 23, 2021
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Pf9cy8hlIi_Yvp_VBhOHTpqfFqOuIsXiZbHsryaNiFo/edit
ESSR III Presentation for the Hoboken School District
Budget Proposed for ESSER III
HOBOKEN, NJ — After a $241 million plan to build a new high school in Hoboken was rejected by voters in a January special election, school officials are continuing to seek community feedback to help guide their next steps.
Aug. 24 (1 p.m. virtually and 7 p.m. in-person)
Sept. 14 (10 a.m. virtually and 6 p.m. in person)
Part of that effort has included a series of roundtable meetings with the public “to provide valuable information” and “to answer questions about the budget, enrollment, current facilities, programs and accomplishments.”
So far, the district has held two sessions and plans to host two more:
All in-person meetings will be held at Hoboken High School. Click here for information on how to register.
The district kicked off the series in May, when it hosted six roundtable meetings specifically meant for district parents and guardians.
School Board President Sharyn Angley recently told TAPInto Hoboken officials have received “very positive” feedback during the sessions.
“Attendees have come with varying levels of knowledge with regard to district enrollment, facilities, programs, budget, etc. which has sparked some great questions and conversation. The small group format gives everyone the opportunity to participate in the discussion which is beneficial to all in attendance,” she also said.
Between March and April, the school board conducted a survey to gather input on the referendum and proposed project.
From an initial review of the questionnaire — which had almost 1,200 respondents from all six wards in Hoboken — the board said it picked up on a few themes, including the cost, necessity of the project and public amenities included in the plan. Many also said there are specific aspects of the district’s long-range facilities plan, including the new high school, on which they would like more information.
The proposed new high school — which was rejected by a margin of two to one in the Jan. 25 election — would have resulted in an estimated $500 per year increase in property taxes for the next 30 years.
Those who supported the measure pointed to the proposed amenities — such as a football stadium, theater, ice rink and swimming pool — as ones available in many suburban districts, while also touting the twenty-seven general classrooms, eight science labs, and six special education classrooms that were to be included.
Opponents argued that the money would be better spent on increasing teacher salaries, buying new technology and concentrating on improving student test scores. Some also expressed concern over the rollout of the proposal, claiming it lacked transparency.
Following the failed referendum, the board cannot post a new school plan for at least one calendar year.
Would you like to submit a letter to the editor? Click "submit content" or email Steve Lenox to find out how you can share your views with our readers.
Hoboken, NJ
Posted on Facebook 8/17/22
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| Hoboken BOE Members L-R: Kluepfel, Cademartori, McGuirk |
Dear Editor,
We cannot have executive members of the Hoboken Board of Education bullying citizens who attend meetings or participate in public discourse.
At the July 12, 2022, HBOE meeting Vice-President Malani Cademartori walked off the stage and into the audience and approached Kevin Davis, a resident sitting in the crowd, about his letter to the Editor. The meeting was minutes from starting, and this member still felt the need to come off the stage to criticize Mr. Davis. Then the President of the HBOE came off stage to remind this member that the meeting was about to start.
The conversation was far from cordial. It was filled with demands and accusations. Mr. Davis was told he was spreading "misinformation." Ironically the alleged "misinformation" was a direct quote from a BoE member. The Vice-President stated that if he wanted to write a letter, he must go through her to get what they perceived as "the correct information."
He was calm, listened, and stated facts that the member had zero interest in hearing. After a few minutes, I (Paul) stepped in and said, "You are attacking him, you have no right, and it's the wrong place for this. He is a citizen, and he is entitled to his opinion." This exchange was not professional from a person in a leadership position.
No citizen should be dressed down at a public meeting by an elected official. This kind of behavior from elected officials is never warranted and represents the worst of what we have seen from elected officials over the past few years.
While the HBOE will remind you that they are elected volunteers, they must adhere to what they preach. This interaction is just another in their long line of disregard for what residents think, as exemplified by their unanimous support of the 2-1 failed bond referendum.
Every HBOE YouTube video begins with these ideals: Honesty, Respect, Responsibility, Courtesy, Citizenship, and Integrity. Does the board believe in them? The Board of Education members set the tone at the top of our school district.
Is this the kind of behavior we want our kids to learn and emulate?
This culture of exclusion has no place in Hoboken and must end. It's time for a change. It's time for inclusion and unity. We need new leadership.
Paul Presinzano & Pavel Sokolov
Hoboken, NJ
CHRISTINE JOHNSON, District Office, Hoboken Public School District, 6, $193,778
SANDRA RODRIGUEZ, District Office, Hoboken Public School District, 17, $185,674
JOYCE GOODE, District Office, Hoboken Public School District, 26, $179,336
ROBIN PICCAPIETRA, Hoboken High School, Hoboken Public School District, 18, $172,704
ANNA MARRA, Hoboken Middle School, Hoboken Public School District, 18, $158,485
CHARLES BARTLETT, Joseph F Brandt Elementary School, Hoboken Public School District, 17, $155,308
Comparing the 2021 and 2022 US News and World Report analysis of Grades 6 to 12 in the Hoboken Public Schools.
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General Scorecard (0 to 100 scale): down 7.3 points;
National Ranking: down 1289 places;
State Ranking: down 35 places;
NY Metro Area Schools: down 55 places;
Less students taking at least one AP exam;
Less students passing at least one AP exam;
57% students reading below grade level;
92% of students doing mathematics below grade level.
99% of students doing science below grade level.
“I’m thrilled that our students have had the opportunity to demonstrate their skills in this way,” HoLA Executive Director Jen Sargent said in a statement.
“This is what’s possible when children enter an immersion environment in kindergarten, and are supported in developing literacy and content knowledge in both Spanish and English simultaneously.”
The AP Spanish Language and Culture exam measures students’ Spanish reading, writing, speaking and listening, at an advanced college level.
The College Board has approved the 7th & 8th grade internally-developed Spanish Language Arts curriculum as a college level AP course – providing HoLa Middle School students with exposure to a rigorous curriculum before high school.
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| Some of HoLa's AP Students |
“Our 8th grade students are able to manipulate college-level content primarily because they have been exposed to rigorous academic instruction in Spanish since elementary school,” added HoLa Middle School Principal Adina Medina.
“Exposure to such rich academic language in all of their classes, including Social Studies, Science, Math and Language Arts, exposes our students to a wealth of background knowledge and vocabulary that has, in turn, prepared them for the rigor of High School and beyond.”
In addition to being the first class in the state to have this recognition, all HoLa 8th grade students will graduate with an AP designation on their transcript.
See more on this story by clicking HERE
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| Hoboken High School- Pool |
