The Herald

This edition of The Herald highlights a number of accomplishments across the district and upcoming events that will be taking place. I am sharing this information because our students and staff are engaging in such wonderful academic, co- and extra-curricular activities.

Please enjoy reading news from each of our schools. Take a moment to learn more about our early childhood, elementary, middle school, and high school programs by looking at each of their weekly updates, as linked below:

Preschool Programs

Brandt Elementary School

Connors Elementary School

Wallace Elementary School

Hoboken Middle School

Hoboken High School

Also, if you are not already following us on social media, please do so:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HobokenPublicSchoolDistrict/

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Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBeIpvP_DOKu3nNUs3t0baQ

In closing, I want to thank all of you for your steadfast cooperation, patience and partnership. All three ingredients make for an incredible school district. I could not ask for a more committed collection of guardians and parents. You are truly amazing and I am honored to serve the Hoboken Public School District.

Sincerely,

Christine A. Johnson, D.Litt.

Superintendent of Schools

The Hoboken Public School District honors and expresses our deepest gratitude to all veterans who have served in defense of our country.

Your courage, sacrifice, and dedication inspire us every day. We are proud to share this day of remembrance with our students, staff, and community.

Thank you for your unwavering commitment to our nation.

Due to circumstances beyond our control, The Hoboken HS Field of Heroes has been postponed.

We will be releasing a rescheduled date later in the week.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

The new date is Friday, November 15th at 10am at Louis M. Taglieri Jr. Stadium.

This week in Pre-AP Theater students across all grade levels participated in a new game called werewolf. This role identification game gives students an opportunity to attempt to deceive their peers.

The students selected as villagers were completely successful in sleuthing out who the werewolves were. Better luck next time werewolves!

All the AP Dance classes are having a blast on the warm-up activities. 6th and 8th grade students love the bean bag, Statue, and Rock, Paper, Scissor warm-up games.

In addition, the students from 7th grade are working on their own fusion dance routine.

After an exciting opportunity seeing "Broadway's Next Hit Musical", an improv troupe, at Mile Square Theater last week students continued to practice their improvisational skills in small groups this week in Junior Thespians.

Students played games such as "Yes, let's!", "What are you doing?", and "Emotion Bus".

This week in art, we reviewed symmetry and the creative process. Students recalled each step and then created their own bug designs, encouraged to be creative. Some 1st graders in Ms. Espinosa's class did so well they were able to guide their peers through the process.

Our Wallace musicians are hard at work preparing for the Winter Concert on December 13th. Rehearsals have been intense, focusing on music literacy, technique, tone, and ensemble skills. Band, violin, and choir parents should watch for concert details on Dojo and in handouts.

Congratulations to our October Students of the Month!

Angelo Walker - Kindergarten

Martin Mustillo - First Grade

Paul Lemaire - Second Grade

Rebecca Seigel - Third Grade

Myles Cohen - Fourth Grade

Darby Pimsner - Fifth Grade

Tegan Craw - Science

Lia Doherty - Related Arts - World Language

Additional congratulations to Lia as she is the Brandt School Student of the Month who will be honored at the next meeting of the Board of Education.

The Connors 4th Grade attended the Buehler Challenger Science Center for a firld trip.

Students learn how astronauts live and work in space, as well as conduct experiments as scientists. By using a hands-on, inquiry based approach, students scaffold new learning upon prior knowledge, pose questions, and build structures to observe, test, and explore scientific concepts. During the 3.5 hour program students will explore:

• Speed & Motion
• Electricity & Circuitry
• Robotics

The Wildcats had a short week but worked hard across all subjects.

In ELA, they reviewed letters and high-frequency words (Ss, Tt, Pp, I, can, we, the, see, like) and practiced using them in sentences and with leveled readers. They also focused on blending sounds and identifying nouns and verbs.

In Math, they compared numbers by counting the letters in their names, and practiced identifying more, less, and equal by matching items and circling the larger or smaller numbers.

In Social Studies, the students learned about New Jersey’s resources, parks, the Governor, and landforms. They also worked on self-regulation by recognizing when they need a break and communicating it.

We look forward to a 4-day weekend, ready to return to learning and building friendships.

This week was a productive two-day school week! In ELA, students explored the essential question, "How are offspring like their parents?" while analyzing main ideas, supporting details, and making connections to expository texts.

In Math, students worked on identifying and comparing 2-D and 3-D shapes, visualizing arrays, and building fluency with numbers up to 20. They also focused on understanding equal parts of a whole.

In Social Studies, students listened to "The Gift of the Sacred Dog," discussing its setting and themes of bravery and community.

ELA:
Our 4th graders continued reading Ancestors Approved, an anthology of 16 short stories set around an intertribal powwow in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Students explored diverse Native characters and their connections to the event, from experienced dancers to vendors' kids. They also focused on identifying central ideas and supporting details in texts, enhancing their comprehension by distinguishing important information from extra details.

Social Studies:
Students began Chapter 2, "Why Did Europeans Come to the Americas?" They learned about European exploration motivations and consequences, retracing explorers’ routes on a map.

Math:
4th graders continued mastering long division with 4-digit dividends, using the "Does McDonald’s Sell Burgers?" method (Divide, Multiply, Subtract, Bring down). They learned about remainders, used manipulatives to visualize them, and applied division to real-world word problems.

ELA students have completed revising their Unit 1 Extended Writing Prompt Narratives, focusing on dialogue format, vivid imagery, and sensory details. Teachers are excited to see their progress!

In Math, students practiced solving problems with exponents and learned how to find the Greatest Common Factor (GCF) and Least Common Multiple (LCM).

In Civics, 6th graders celebrated Diwali by sharing treats and stories about the Festival of Lights. Thanks to Mr. Sorafine for visiting! They also began studying the Magna Carta, key terms like common law, feudalism, and the English Bill of Rights.

In Science, students wrapped up their organ systems unit with a test and continued work on their STEAM Tank projects, with presentations starting next week.

In 7th grade ELA, students began reading Tangerine by Edward Bloor, focusing on how setting shapes the novel's mood.

In Math, they continued working with equivalent ratios and determining proportionality, using this to find the constant of proportionality.

In Science, STEAM Tank groups revised their project slides based on feedback, preparing for the competition.

In Social Studies, students completed their exploration of climate change, discussing its causes, effects, and potential solutions, while brainstorming ways to help the environment.

This week in 8th grade was short but productive! In Science, students worked on STEAM Tank presentations.

In ELA, they continued analyzing The Outsiders for conflict and theme. Pre-Algebra focused on solving linear equations using balance scales and manipulatives.

Pre-AP Algebra explored equivalent expressions, using the distributive property to convert between point-slope and slope-intercept forms.

In Social Studies, students learned about the law of supply and demand and practiced graphing supply and demand curves. In Pre-AP World History, they analyzed the impact of migration on spatial reorganization, supporting or challenging the unit claim with written responses.

Finally, during Advisory, students reflected on the difference between intent and impact, playing a game of telephone to demonstrate how messages can be misinterpreted.

This week in PE students continued to show their kicking and dribbling skills during our soccer unit. Students showed great sportsmanship and effort.

We look forward to continuing Week 3 of the regular season!

English I – Freshmen are reading The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie, learning about life on a Native American reservation and the experience of children in Indian Boarding Schools. They are analyzing the main character, Arnold, and his struggles as the only Native American to leave the reservation and attend an all-white high school.

English II – Students are studying the "Into the Nightmare" unit, having read The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe and House Taken Over by Julio Cortázar. They compared the plots and characters, exploring the question "What is the allure of fear?" Students are also building academic vocabulary with the 120 Words Every 10th Grader Should Know list on Vocabulary.com.

At the end of the first marking period in Physical Education, students reflected on the skills, concepts, and fitness levels they've developed through fall sports. They focused on improving foundational skills, coordination, and technical understanding, with an emphasis on teamwork, cooperation, and sportsmanship. The summary highlighted their progress, reinforced positive behaviors, and identified areas for growth.

Next week, we’ll introduce EXIT TICKETS as students leave the gym. Stay tuned!

PLTW Human Body System students created video showing the major muscles in the body. For each muscle, complete the following:

Name the muscle, Point to its location, Show the muscle’s action. For example, the hamstring muscles flex the knee joint.

In AP African American Studies, students are currently studying Unit 2: Freedom, Enslavement, and Resistance. This unit explores the African diaspora in the Americas, focusing on the experiences of both enslaved and free Africans. Students are learning about key historical events and themes such as:

• African Origins and the Slave Trade: Analyzing the brutal realities of the transatlantic slave trade and its impact on African societies.
• Forms of Resistance: From passive forms of resistance like sabotage to active uprisings, students are studying how enslaved people resisted oppression.
• Creating African American Culture: Understanding how enslaved individuals developed unique cultural practices that shaped identity and community.
• The Role of Women in Resistance: Highlighting the contributions of women in the fight for freedom, including narratives of gendered violence and survival.

By exploring historical figures like Olaudah Equiano, Harriet Tubman, and Frederick Douglass, students are gaining a deeper understanding of the resilience and agency of African Americans throughout history.

In AP Psychology, students created fun superheroes like Sero-sentinel and Snoop-otonin to learn about major neurotransmitters.

Teams designed characters based on each neurotransmitter's function and crafted their superhero's kryptonite. With impressive artistic skills and even some AI help, the projects were both memorable and educational.

Mrs. Clark's Pre-AP Geometry students have been doing rigid transformations. They have translated, reflected and rotated shapes in the coordinate plane.

Mrs. Clark's AP Statistics statisticians are currently in the unit on Probability. They have learned about mutually exclusive and independent events. They have learned to find probabilities using the addition rule and the general multiplication rule. They have also learned how to find the probabilities of a conditional event and use a tree diagram to calculate probabilities.

This past week, we continued our Diwali studies with a class celebration on Friday, November 1st. Students painted Diyas, enjoyed Bollywood music and dancing, hosted special guests, and sampled Indian food from Karma Kafe in Hoboken.

We also wrapped up our Day of the Dead studies, completing our Ofrenda and watching the movie Coco on Thursday, October 31st.

It was a week full of learning and celebration!

Over the past eight days at Hoboken High, students embraced the theme "Life is a Movie, Film Drug Free" for Red Ribbon Week. They learned about the history of the week, wore red ribbons, and lit the "Tree of Hope" to stand united against drugs.

Highlights included the Teen Action Task Force sharing scary facts about drug use and addiction for Halloween, then offering lollipops or ice cream cones with drug-free messages to reinforce the message that "Life is Sweeter Drug Free." Together, we celebrated healthy choices!

On Monday, November 5th, Hoboken High School students had the chance to participate in a Mock Presidential Election hosted by the Hoboken HS Student Government. This engaging event was designed to help students learn about the electoral process, express their opinions, and experience the excitement of civic engagement firsthand.

All ballot positions reflected those on the official November 2024 election ballot.

Hoboken HS Students Have Spoken!
The results of the mock election are in, and our students made their voices heard loud and clear. Here are the final results:

President of the United States: Kamala Harris/Tim Walz (Democrat) – 76.5% of the Vote
United States Senator: Andy Kim (Democrat) – 66.5% of the Vote
House of Representatives, NJ 8th Congressional District: Rob Menendez (Democrat) – 63.7% of the Vote
Surrogate: Tilo Rivas (Democrat) – 73.8% of the Vote

We are proud of all our students who took part in this important civic event. Your participation is a reminder of the power of democracy and the importance of being engaged in the political process.

A special thank you goes out to the Hoboken HS Student Government for hosting this event and ensuring that our students had the opportunity to experience the election process firsthand. Your leadership and commitment to creating opportunities for student involvement are truly appreciated.

The 2024-2025 USABiolympiad Competition has officially begun at Hoboken High School! This nationwide competition allows high school biology students to showcase their knowledge, with the open exam set for February 2025.

Last year, several Hoboken HS students earned honorable mentions, and this year, they’re motivated to do even better. Last week, students signed up, and Team Captains Maya Mankoff, Alison Chavez, and Samantha Gotimer helped with registration. After taking a practice test, they reviewed their results to learn from their mistakes.

The team will follow a study schedule, taking and reviewing multiple practice exams in preparation for the February exam.

The Robo-Redwings competed for the first time this past weekend at Westfield High School. Their student-designed robot performed better than expected, with the team quickly fixing any issues that came up.

They scored points in every match and even had other teams asking about their design. The next competition is November 16th, and the team is repairing the robot over the next two weeks to be ready to compete.

Students were excited to start November and learn about the letter ‘Ee.’ They’ve been practicing identifying the letter during morning meetings and working on coloring, dotting, and tracing it in the art/writing center.

The class has also been focusing on matching, sorting, and improving social skills like sharing and taking turns. They’re eager for all the learning the new month will bring!

Room 118 wrapped up October with Halloween fun! Students worked on their names by creating skeletons and coloring in the bones, practicing letter order and counting the most and least letters in their names. They also learned about pumpkins, from seeds to skin, and discovered the word "striations."

After voting on a pumpkin design, students helped scoop out the pumpkin, discussing how it felt with their hands and spoons.

In Ms. Nicole’s Preschool class, students are practicing handwriting with prewriting strokes like dots, lines, and circles, as well as writing their names. They continue learning a new letter each week and improving their writing skills.

This month, they’ll focus on gratitude, discussing things they’re thankful for, such as school, friends, family, and their homes.

Ms. Sophy and Mr. Jayvian's class learned about Diwali, the "Festival of Lights," with help from Krishaan and Adya's families, who both celebrate the holiday. The families shared two Diwali books: one explaining the festival's meaning and the five-day celebration, and another, Binny's Diwali, about a girl named Binny sharing Diwali with her school friends.

Students connected with this story, seeing parallels to their own school day. To finish the lesson, the class enjoyed Hindi music and tasted Jalebis, a sweet treat brought by the families.

Classroom 006 continued the Halloween fun by creating spooky ghost crafts with stencils and chalk. They also got into the Thanksgiving spirit by using different shapes to make colorful turkeys during the short week.

In Ms. Adela's and Ms. Cynthia's classroom at Jubilee 100, the children are practicing graphic skills through private speech, focusing on the words "around" and "close." They’re enjoying creating bubbles while learning to draw faces, coins, plates, circles, the uppercase letters "O" and "Q," the lowercase letter "o," and the number zero.

Pre-K 3 students in Room 403 at Mile Square Early Learning Center celebrated the upcoming election by learning about Election Day. They read Election Day by Margaret McNamara and discussed voting, ballots, and why voting is important.

To practice, the students voted on their choice of dessert—ice cream or cupcakes. After voting, ice cream won with 8 votes, and the students were excited to enjoy it as part of their celebration!

Students in classroom 022 made a spooky witch’s potion inside a jack-o-lantern! Taking turns, they added vinegar, baking soda, and purple food dye using droppers, carefully squeezing and releasing the liquid.

After saying magic words like "SPOOKY," "SCARY," and "BOO," the potion bubbled up like a volcano! The teachers turned off the lights, and the jack-o-lantern began to glow.

In room 109, a class mom read a book about Diwali, teaching the children why and how the holiday is celebrated. Each child chose a Diwali tattoo and colored special Diwali pictures. Later, the class read the book again and discussed what they had learned about Diwali.

In room 104, the children enjoy Graphic Practice with their peers, taking turns passing out whiteboards and markers. While drawing shapes like squares, they work on self-regulation and fine motor skills.

The teacher plays music, pausing briefly, and the children use private speech to think aloud about how to draw the shapes.

Redwings with the W.

The Hoboken Redwings Varsity Football Team defeated the North Bergen Bruins by a score of 6-2 at Louis M. Taglieri Jr. Stadium this evening.

This game was the final game for the Class of 2025:
Class of 2025 Seniors:
Football
Gianluca Araneo
Kristopher Atkins
Max Casazza
Eddie Cruz
Jhonas Eckhardt
Jaiden Holmes
Jovani Lugo
Alibil Mendoza
Zyair Miller
Jayden Nelson
Trey Taglieri

Thank you for your contributions to our program. “Once a Redwing, Always a Redwing.”

The Hoboken HS Girls Volleyball team earned the number 1 seed in the Group 1 Central NJSIAA Volleyball Tournament and were crowned National Divison Champions for the HCIAL this past week.

The team beat American History HS and North Arlington HS 2-0 and defeated Roselle Park HS on Friday at Hoboken High School to advance to the sectional finals on Tuesday agaisnt Madsion HS at 5pm at Hoboken HS.

The Hoboken HS Boys Soccer team completed their season on the road at Glen Ridge HS in the North 2 Group 1 NJSIAA Boys Soccer tournament.

The Hoboken HS Girls Soccer team completed their season at home vs Whippany Park HS in the North 2 Group 1 NJSIAA Girls Soccer tournament.

Both teams had an amazing season.

Congratulations to the Girls Varsity Soccer team on their impressive achievement in the HCIAL National Division for the 2024 season! A special shoutout to Coach Victoria Gemma for being named Coach of the Year and to Emma Conway for earning Player of the Year honors.

2024 HCIAL National Division All County Selections

• Coach of the Year: Victoria Gemma
• Player of the Year: Emma Conway

1st Team All County

Forward:

• Wren Napolitani
• Emma Van Handle

Midfield:

• Romane Zorea

Defense:

• Isobel Aniello

Goalie:

• Teagan Clark

Honorable Mentions:

• Alexandra Aurbach
• Amelie Cademartori

Well done to all the players and coaches for their hard work and dedication! 🎉⚽️

Congratulations to the Boys Varsity Soccer team on their 2024 All-League selections! Here’s the list of standout players:

2024 All-League Selections

Forwards:

• Peter Stehli (Sophomore)
• Gage Angley (Sophomore)

Midfielders:

• Grant Napolitani (Junior)
• Jack Jennings (Junior)

Defenders:

• Joseph Checkley (Senior)
• Eitan Dron (Sophomore)

Honorable Mentions:

• Dominic Magaletta (Sophomore)
• Benjamin Gabriel (Sophomore)

Great job to all the players for their hard work and dedication this season! Keep it up! ⚽️🎉

Hoboken HS Girls Tennis clinched two out of five championship titles at the Hudson County Individual Tournament.

Freshman, Laura Scott, won the second singles championship after defeating Harrison in straight sets.

Sophomore, Sylvie Strell, defeated Kearny to secure the championship in the third singles category.

This concludes Hoboken HS Girls Tennis season!

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: 524 Park Avenue, Hoboken, NJ, USA
Phone: (201) 356-3600
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hoboken.schools/
Twitter: @HobokenSchools