Dear Editor:
I recently moved from Hoboken to Secaucus. I’m still in Hoboken every day since my children are in the Hoboken Charter School. Getting in and out of Hoboken is a lengthy process as any resident is well aware. I’m often asked if I’ll take my children out of the school. It certainly would make life easier.
I find the question a little ironic since one of the main requirements of our relocation was that we would be able to keep the boys in the school One of the little known secrets of Hoboken is that the Hoboken Charter School is a very special place. It’s not that they are teaching anything different from any other school. They don’t have any special funding. They don’t have a fantastic facility. They are simply a public school that is run by a group of dedicated educators.
The school has blended some educational philosophies like empowerment of the classroom teacher, individualized educational plans, community involvement and service learning. They have created an environment where the students are respected and are expected to reciprocate. But more than this, the school is a place where the students are gathering the tools to learn on their own. If there is any one most important thing a school can do, it is to instill a sense that mastering a new area of knowledge is possible and is enjoyable. The Hoboken Charter School is doing that.
Most afternoons I spend about 30 minutes to drive the five miles from Hoboken to Secaucus. The boys are excited about what went on in school that day. They quiz me about facts I vaguely remember. I can see that their school experience will allow them to grow into adults who have the toolset required to understand and contribute to an increasingly uncertain future. As I inch my way up the on-ramp to Route 3, I curse the traffic but never consider moving them to another school. With kids you soon learn that when things are going well don’t mess with it.
Michael Mozeika