Dear Editor:
I am writing to reply Mrs. Branco’s odd letter which made wild and false accusations against me and the Hoboken Public School District.
The salacious title she chooses “Poor kids can learn” was followed by bizarre conjecture and innuendo made up out of the whole cloth. The only conclusion I can make is that she did it to purposely mislead those in the public about me and the Hoboken School District. The letter then continues with Mrs. Branco contradicting her own premise against me by claiming that she also understands that the effects of poverty can impact a child’s academic success.
Yes, then we (and other education experts) agree, poverty can impact student success. Not limit – impact!
It is with this understanding that I have worked hard over the past five years to provide the children of the Hoboken Public School district with the tools they need to fill the gaps and provide a challenging and supportive school environment specifically to negate this possible impact.
We lengthened the school day, increased free, after school tutoring and provided up to date materials and technology equally across all district schools. We increased both remedial and enrichment programming with the implementation of response to intervention beginning in Kindergarten to catch struggling readers, aim to assist students in the upper grades regain credits and added many gifted and college level programs across the district.
We have also provided many ways for parents to receive the information and assistance they need to help their child in school.
Parents can now easily interact with teachers and staff, get real time information of their child’s progress and benefit from the strengthened PTO’s, which often provide informational workshops.
We have provided full support to all staff, students and parents in implementing these and other initiatives and created a warm, positive atmosphere throughout all our schools where the high expectations have been met with great results.
It is certainly unfortunate that Mrs. Branco has attacked me and the district in such a way, but I am grateful for the opportunity to set the record straight. If anyone wishes to speak to me directly about my views and the district’s progress, please feel free to contact me at ruth.tyroler@hoboken.k12.nj.us.
With kind regards,
Ruthy Tyroler
President,
Hoboken Board of Education