The Herald
Hoboken Public School District
Superintendent's Message
Dear Parents and Guardians,
On Friday, Governor Murphy made an announcement regarding the reopening of schools and what that might look like in September. The Governor and Commissioner of Education indicated that each local school district in New Jersey would be provided with a copy of "The Road Back: Restart and Recovery Plan for Education" and from there have approximately thirty days to design their own local plans.
There are broad-based health and wellness parameters that every district needs to follow and meet. While each district's plan will look different due to a variety of variables, it is certain that all plans will need to strike a balance between onsite traditional learning and remote learning.
This morning, I participated in a conference call hosted by the NJ Department of Education's Hudson County Office. While the conference call did not answer a lot of questions, it was noted that a checklist would be distributed for districts to follow when developing their plans. What we do know is that in order to meet the social distancing guidelines in classrooms and common spaces in schools, there must be a smaller footprint of students each day, at every school location.
As the Hoboken Public School District moves forward, I know that our plan has to be elastic and take into account the opinions and feelings of our students, parents and staff. And, before we even begin, we all must agree that both compromise and flexibility are essential. There will not be a plan that is perfect for everyone. But, the best way to start our process is simply to survey our families and staff members.
Our plan will be developed in the following five phases:
- A preliminary, non-binding survey to all families and staff in order to establish a potential teaching and learning footprint in each school and grade level (June 30th - July 6th);
- Committee formation, roles of members and subcommittees, tasks and timelines (July 7th & 8th);
- Subcommittee work and recommendations in the areas of Governance and Personnel, Facilities and Operations, Health and Wellness, Teaching and Learning, and Finance (July 9th - July 17th);
- Distribution of the Hoboken Public School District's draft plan and a final survey to all families and staff (July 18th - July 27th);
- Publication of the Hoboken Public School District's final plan (July 28th).
Keep your eye out for these surveys tomorrow. If you have multiple children in the district, one must be completed for each child. I know that the turnaround time to return the surveys is quick, but it will give us a preliminary footprint to work with. Again, this preliminary survey is non-binding. You will have a final opportunity to state your position regarding your child's return to school or remote learning a bit later in July.
Thank you in advance for your cooperation and partnership. I will keep you updated during each phase.
Sincerely,
Superintendent Johnson
Hoboken Public Schools - A District Dedicated to Rigor, Relevance, and Relationships
Our Vision
The Hoboken Public School District will be recognized as a premier educational choice and widely known as a best-practice model for academic growth, high quality instruction, innovative and equitable programs, engagement, facilities and personalized pathways that are essential for college, career and life-preparedness in our ever-changing, interconnected global society.
Our Mission
The Hoboken Public School District will prepare confident and resilient graduates who value academic achievement, embrace challenge, honor diversity, appreciate collaboration, and respectfully contribute to their local and wider communities.
Our District Goals
The Hoboken Public School District will implement a rigorous, relevant and responsive curriculum that meets the needs of all students, fosters personalized pathways for learning, and ensures continuous academic growth.
The Hoboken Public School District will support its diverse staff in professional growth, encourage them to serve as role models, and empower them to provide the highest quality of instruction for our students.
The Hoboken Public School District will develop and implement unique and innovative programs that promote global learning, ensure equitable access, and foster the social, emotional and academic growth of each student.
The Hoboken Public School District will engage and communicate with families and the wider community to bridge understanding and advance partnerships.
The Hoboken Public School District will operate well-maintained and safe facilities that respond to our growing student enrollment, support our academic and co-curricular programs, and promote pride across the city.
Email: district@hoboken.k12.nj.us
Website: www.hoboken.k12.nj.us
Location: 158 4th Street, Hoboken, NJ 07834
Phone: (201) 356-3600
Facebook: www.facebook.com/HobokenPublicSchoolDistrict/
Twitter: @HobokenSchools