Dear Hoboken Public School District Families,
This edition of The Herald highlights a number of accomplishments across the district and upcoming events that will be taking place. Our students and staff are engaging in such wonderful academic, co- and extra-curricular activities.
In an effort to increase engagement efforts, I have reserved the 2nd and 4th Friday of every month for Gather & Grow Sessions. The purpose of these sessions are for individuals or small groups (up to 8) of staff, parents, or community members to reserve thirty minutes or an hour of time to meet with me to provide valuable input and feedback that I will gather in order to help our district grow. If you are interested in reserving a session, you may do so by completing and submitting this Google Form. I look forward to meeting with many families and staff members.
Please enjoy reading news from each of our schools in this week's Edition of The Herald. Take a moment and learn more about our early childhood, elementary, middle school, and high school programs:
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
This past week a delegation of educators from South Korea visited the Hoboken Public School District
The group from the Gangwon Provincial Office of Education, which strives to provide better curriculums and educational environments for its students.
The group was interested in gaining a better understanding of the Hoboken Public School District curriculum as well as learning more about teaching practices in inquiry-based classrooms and different ways to support students with various learning needs.
Traditionally, parents in South Korea have prioritized their children's education, believing that education can change everything. However, there is always room to grow and improve regarding children's education.
Music at Wallace School
Our smallest Wildcats explored their four voices: whisper, talk, shout, and sing, discussing appropriate contexts for each. We practiced these voices with the Duck March chant, which we also learned in Spanish!
Older Wildcats studied music in meters of 2 and 4, practicing walking and marching to the beat. They learned about John Philip Sousa, known for “Stars and Stripes Forever,” and the Brazilian dance style Samba. We watched a recording of this year's Rio de Janeiro carnival parade and played shakers like the traditional Samba instrument, the ganza!
Music at Connors School
The students had a great time singing and learning about the string family of instruments.
In Ms. Schmidt’s class, we introduced some new songs with exciting beat drops. After brainstorming, we decided to have a student play the tubanos during the drum drop while I accompanied them on guitar and we all sang together. Some students even danced! Here’s Emma jamming along while the class sang.
In Kindergarten, we explored different instrument families, focusing this week on the string family. We learned about how string instruments produce sound through vibrations, string length, and tension. Here’s Ellie with her fantastic picture of a cellist, and we enjoyed listening to Yo-Yo Ma playing Bach’s Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major during our activities.
Music at Brandt School
They even participated in the bell challenge in which the students were asked to arrange the bells from low to high in a specific order. As we continue throughout the year, our young Kindergarten learners will continue to go through the "highs" and 'lows" of music.
Art at Brandt School
This week in Art, students began working on their Square 1 Art project. We spoke about design, color, space, and themes of what we can draw.
Students chose places they love to visit, foods they love to eat, their pets, and family. Some even drew self portraits!
We are excited to complete this in the coming weeks and they are looking great already.
Art at Connors School
Our collaboration project is FINISHED! Students created individual art pieces inspired by Wassily Kandinsky, Frank Stella, and Sol Lewitt. This giant display will be showcased in the art room until June!
Square 1 Art has begun! Students started working on their pieces this week, which will be mailed out on October 16. Their artwork will return as STICKERS in the first week of November. Square 1 Art is a fundraiser allowing you to purchase your child's artwork on various items like water bottles, mugs, and keychains. The purchasing window will be open from November 1 to November 16.
Junior Thespians at Hoboken MS
This week in Junior Thespians our warm up games continue to be a success. Several participants earned points in the game Mind Flayer. Additionally, students selected material for their competition pieces.
Most students were able to lock in their first choice of category. Sixth grade students have also selected material to begin working on. Later this year we will have a showcase featuring these selected materials.
Kindergarten at Brandt School
In ELA, we are wrapping up the introduction of the letters and sounds in the alphabet. Students have been focusing on sight words I and can, the essential question of "What can you do?", and the book Animals in the Park: An ABC Book by Bob Barner.
In Math, students are reinforcing their skills of counting, writing, and identifying numbers to 10 and exploring math manipulatives.
In Social Studies, students are learning about the different types of jobs there are in school and who completes them.
2nd Grade at Brandt School
In Social Studies, we’re using Move This World to promote positive practices and discuss ways to help our community. Students worked in groups to brainstorm positive changes and celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month with read-alouds and cultural discussions.
In Reading, we focused on the fantasy genre, noting that these stories feature made-up characters, settings, and events. Students practiced visualizing these elements and reviewed new spelling and vocabulary words.
In Writing, we explored realistic fiction by discussing its elements and reviewing a model story. Students revised their work for proper capitalization and punctuation, compiling their writing into small paragraphs for a final draft.
In Math, students learned about reordering addends while building fluency with addition within 20. They focused on coin values and time, working in math centers to review these concepts and solve story problems by identifying key addition words.
4th Grade at Brandt School
n Social Studies, we're wrapping up our Hispanic Heritage Month Projects, where students presented on influential Hispanic/Latinx figures, highlighting their backgrounds, accomplishments, struggles, and inspiring quotes. Next, we'll explore the Age of Exploration.
In Reading, we’re delving into the life of Sonia Sotomayor through our class novel. Students answer comprehension questions and practice skills like rereading, comparing/contrasting, introducing text evidence, and identifying text features, which will support their learning throughout the year.
In Writing, we began our Research Simulation Task essays, completing an introductory RST independently and collaboratively. Students are closely reading texts, taking notes, and discussing how to organize their essays. We’re also reviewing student exemplars to understand essay structure.
In Math, we’re identifying prime and composite numbers using array models and multiplication factor pairs. We’ve used array paper cubes and plastic cubes to visualize arrays, helping students understand equal groups. We’re concluding our unit with multi-step word problems and recognizing keywords for operations in equations.
Physical Education at Brandt School
Students were reminded that our tests are not a competition with their peers but one against themselves, to see how much they can push themselves before giving up.
World Languages at Brandt School
This week in Mandarin class, the kindergarten students started the unit of "My Family". First graders started the unit of fruit and talked about their favorite fruit. Second graders continued the unit and "Parts of the Body".
Third graders are reviewing the unit of "My hobbies". The fourth and fifth graders did a great job demonstrating a self-introduction in Mandarin.
Kindergarten at Connors School: Ms. Bartolotti, Ms. Fernandez, Ms. Fleischer, Ms. Criqui, and Ms. Klag
Social Studies: This week, we explored the purpose of maps and analyzed various types, including maps of America, a park, and a classroom. Students created their own classroom maps, labeling key items. We had a great time learning about maps!
Kindergarten Dual Language: In Rm 103, we focused on the letter Mm and syllables (ma, me, mi, mo, mu), practicing word formation and reading. Our Spanish sight word was "la," which we used in phrases. In math, we counted to 50 and identified numbers 16-20. In Social Studies, we learned about our school community and practiced school-related vocabulary in Spanish. We also discovered fun facts about Spain for Hispanic Heritage Month!
2nd Grade at Connors School: Ms. Rinaldi, Ms. Celentano, and Ms. Garcia
Math: This week in math, we continued Investigation 2 of Unit 1 and introduced a new routine, "How Many Pockets?", where we collect data on the total number of pockets in class. We took our first quiz on coins and practiced addition and subtraction facts using our Interactive Math Notebook. Students became experts in number strings and learned a new game, "Five-in-a-Row: Subtraction with Three Cubes," using dice to subtract with partners. We also explored the Ten Frame with "Quick Images."
ELA: This week, we focused on the fantasy genre and the question, "How do friends depend on each other?" We read "Help! A Story About Friendship," discussing the importance of illustrations, characters, and themes. Students worked on writing realistic fiction stories, using personal connections for brainstorming. Our phonics skill was magic e, focusing on long a (a-e) and short a.
Social Studies: We celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month by researching U.S. cities or states derived from Spanish on Epic. Groups created posters representing their findings for Arizona, Los Angeles, Colorado, Florida, or Nevada.
4th Grade at Connors School: Ms. Schulz, Mrs. Rodriguez, and Ms. Stubbe
Math: 4th Grade Mathematicians concluded Unit 1 on Arrays, Factors, and Multiplicative Comparisons with an assessment and a culminating project. Students chose to research basketball teams or create a garden, both of which involved working with arrays, factors, and prime/composite numbers. They had a great time with their projects!
ELA: Phenomenal 4th Grade Readers analyzed the passage "The Talent Show," annotating main events and practicing the retell strategy to identify story elements and plot. They also read "Who is Sonia Sotomayor," learning about her college and law school experiences.
Social Studies: 4th graders continued celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month while beginning their exploration unit. They studied text features to help them analyze upcoming social studies texts.
Kindergarten at Wallace School
Our Kindergarteners had a fantastic week learning how to show respect within our school community! We engaged in activities that promote strong social-emotional well-being, fostering a sense of safety and togetherness.
In ELA, we focused on the letter Mm and added the sight word “the” to our list. We explored the Essential Question, “How can we get along with new friends?” through the Literature Big Book “What About Bear?” We also learned about nouns and how to identify them in sentences.
In Math, we compared numbers 0-5 and practiced forming letters 1-10 on paper. We used manipulatives to compare groups of objects, learning vocabulary like “greater than,” “less than,” and “equal to” to deepen our understanding of numbers!
2nd Grade at Wallace School
This week in 2nd grade, we explored exciting themes across subjects! In reading, we focused on "How Do Friends Depend On Each Other?" while learning to identify elements of the fantasy genre. In math, we tackled problems with multiple addends, using known facts to reinforce addition strategies and practiced identifying and counting coins to build money skills.
We also celebrated what makes our families special, encouraging students to share their unique stories and traditions. The book fair was a hit, with students discovering their next favorite books.
It’s been a week full of learning, and we’re excited for more next week!
4th Grade at Wallace School
This week, 4th graders continued their journey with the novel Who Is Sonia Sotomayor, exploring the life and achievements of this influential Supreme Court Justice while enhancing their skills in understanding expository text and identifying character traits.
They were also introduced to realistic fiction, focusing on stories that could happen in real life. This genre helps young readers relate to characters and situations, fostering empathy and comprehension. Students read “The Talent Show” to identify the plot and conflict.
In Social Studies, students are creating travel brochures on Google Slides for Hispanic Heritage Month, featuring facts about a chosen country, including its flag, language, foods, customs, and more. They will present their brochures to the class and be graded on a rubric.
In Math, students completed their first unit on multiplication strategies, learning to find factors of multiples of 100 and related factors. They also practiced their multiplication facts with minute math activities.
6th Grade ELA at Hoboken MS
ELA students wrote personal responses to literary or informational texts after closely reading an excerpt from Red Scarf Girl. They began with a “Turn and Talk” about their last strong personal connection to a book, movie, or TV show, discussing what they liked and disliked. Next, they identified opinions formed about issues raised in these sources and gathered supporting evidence.
The week concluded with a quiz on Chapters 6 and 7 of A Wrinkle in Time. Students responded in their notebooks to the question: Can you relate to any of the characters' inner conflicts? Why or why not?
7th Grade ELA at Hoboken MS
This week, seventh graders continued their study of Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli, reading Chapters 15-20 as they approached the climax. During Reading Workshop and ILP periods, students analyzed turning points in the plot, using textual evidence to support their claims.
On Friday, they took a comprehension quiz on plot events, characters, conflict, and vocabulary. Next week, they will read "Seventh Grade" by Gary Soto, comparing and contrasting its story elements with those in Stargirl.
8th Grade ELA at Hoboken MS
Students illustrated various symbols used by Poe and connected them to the story's themes in a concise writing piece. Finally, they practiced List 2 of 8th Grade Vocabulary.
Wallace Preschool Wildcats
The class celebrated Haroun, who won student of the month! Congratulations, Haroun!
Preschool at 770 Jackson
Room 109 loves plants! Ms. Allie brought in cuttings for students to smell, touch, and see. Each child had a turn to place a stem in water, and they put the plants in the classroom greenhouse, turning on the growing lights each morning and checking for roots.
After about 10 days, they saw roots and completed their first observational drawings. Students chose colors that matched the plants and shared their observations with teachers, noting things like:
“The root is small and white.”
“It’s making roots.”
“The light helped it grow!”
The class is excited to see the plants continue to grow and to add more to their greenhouse this year!
Preschool at Calabro
Students talked about the different colors of leaves and added them to the tree. Everyone is happy to have this Awesome Autumn Tree to go with the beautiful acorns!
Preschool at Connors
In Connors' classroom 001, the class read Hands Are Not For Hitting by Martine Agassi. They discussed how to use their hands positively and volunteered to demonstrate examples like reading, clapping, waving, and giving high fives.
The students provided additional examples, and the class will create a poster to help them recall the discussion.
Preschool at Rue
They discussed ideas about which object or part of an object a geometric shape could be compared to, and then represented their own ideas through the Tools of the Mind drawing activity called Veger Drawing.
Preschool at St. Francis
The students had a great time learning new vocabulary and observing the reaction!
Brandt ECE
During the Share the News activity, students discussed the four seasons, starting with Autumn. They concluded that during this time, the weather cools down, and trees prepare for winter by changing colors and shedding their leaves. This sparked a conversation about Autumn colors and inspired students to create their own Autumn trees.
First, they traced their hands to form trunks and branches, then colored them in. Finally, they added leaves, resulting in beautiful and unique trees. The class is excited to display their creations in the Art Area!
Brandt Preschool
This week, Ms. Nicole’s Preschool Class read books about Fall, apples, and pumpkins. They created an apple craft, learning the letters in their names and matching them to nametags. Students also made a pumpkin, reinforcing fine motor skills by pinching and ripping paper to open snacks.
The class is exploring the changing seasons and how to dress for fall. They practiced taking turns on the Promethean Board to play a seasons spinner game, dressing a character for the appropriate weather!
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: 524 Park Avenue, Hoboken, NJ, USA
Phone: (201) 356-3600
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hoboken.schools/
Twitter: @HobokenSchools