Curriculum committee reports AP grant increase, new courses and staff training; district reports enrollment growth and facilities updates

The Hoboken Public School District’s curriculum committee reported a series of instructional and operational updates at the board’s August meeting, including an additional $25,000 to an NJDOE Advanced Placement Course Expansion Grant, the completion of new courses and teacher training, and a larger district enrollment heading into the school year.

Ms. Silva, the committee representative, said the curriculum committee recommended approval of various field trips and discussed the acceptance of a Hudson County grant to support theater and music experiences for students. She said the district received an additional $25,000 for the NJDOE AP Course Expansion Grant due to an increase in the number of students taking AP classes and improved AP scores last year.

The committee reported completion of a creative problem-solving curriculum for gifted-and-talented students, a Stock Market Essentials elective that will embed a two-month Bloomberg certification, and new pathways in business and finance at Hoboken High School. Ms. Silva said Kaplan EP test-prep offerings will expand and that the district will add SAT prep at the high school 0 period to reach up to about 125 students ahead of November and December test administrations.

The district reported progress on literacy initiatives: 141 educators have completed the initial 40-hour Orton-Gillingham training (general and special education teachers), and an additional 14 educators are scheduled to train this year. The ELA supervisor (named in the meeting) recently qualified as a coaching trainer and will train additional dual-language teachers.

Draft AI guidelines were reported to the board; a task force of faculty, administrators and parents will review the recommendations. The committee also discussed changes to the gifted-and-talented math sequence—shifting a math component from enrichment to acceleration so qualified students may take Algebra in seventh grade if ready.

On operations and staffing, district administrators said the system is not yet fully staffed for the start of school on Sept. 4 and the district is still recruiting a certified French teacher. The administration reported that three paraprofessionals completed registered behavior technician training and passed certification exams.

Enrollment figures presented at the meeting show K–5 enrollment at 1,680 students (up 67 from last year), grades 6–8 at 493 (up 57), and grades 9–12 at 701 (up 50). The district summed those band figures to about 2,874 K–12 students, a net increase of approximately 171 students compared with the prior year. Administrators said all 50 seats in a referenced program have been filled and there is no waiting list.

The facilities committee recommended approval of four organizations to use district facilities and reported that several capital projects (including façade work and other renovations) are in progress. The committee said a final draft of the long-range facilities plan is near completion and noted building capacity pressures: two schools above capacity, two at capacity and one below capacity. The committee recommended ongoing monitoring and planning to address growing high-school enrollment.

Other operational notes included a pilot to classify certain school safety officers as Class 3 officers to meet program requirements, a planned series of special events during home football nights, and a nutrition provider (Chartwells) moving toward more scratch-cooked meals across schools.

Ms. Silva and other committee members encouraged community review of curriculum developments and noted that many items will return to the board for formal approval in September.