For the second time in two weeks, Hoboken residents packed City Hall to ask questions about Mayor David Roberts’ and Stevens Institute of Technology President Dr. Harold Raveche’s innovative Hoboken-Stevens Partnership for Public Education (HSPPE).
The partnership between the city and the Stevens Institute of Technology will be charged with creating a new public school in town and offering development training to local teachers.
The mission of the Hoboken-Stevens Lab School for students in grades six to 12 is to be a world-class mathematics and science school with outstanding programs in all disciplines, using technology in innovative ways to enhance teaching and learning.
According the project’s manager, former city Director of Human Services Robert Drasheff, when finished, the school will house between 700 to 800 students. It could open by 2004 with sixth and seventh graders and expand a grade each year after that.
While the concept of the new school is quickly gathering steam in local political circles and it is at the top of Roberts’ wish list, it’s still in its infancy and there are many in the community who have questions.
Some of the topics that were covered at Wednesday night’s information session were funding for the project, the effect it will have on the city’s charter schools, and the school’s location.
Questions
Some of the residents wondered if the school would be open to all Hoboken students.
“What’s the criteria for a student to go to this school?” asked resident Richard Markle.
“They have to be a committed student who wants to attend this school,” said Joyce Baron, who heads the Education Policy Working Group for HSPPE. “We will offer open enrollment to Hoboken residents.”
That prompted resident Carl Kirshen to ask, “What percentage of those spots will be filled by Hoboken students?”
Baron responded, “I hope 100 percent. If there are a 100 Hoboken students that want to enroll in this school and there are 100 available spots, they will fill them all.”
Another parent asked how the new school would affect the charter school students. “I have children in a Hoboken charter school and we are very happy with the education they are getting there,” he said. “What will the opportunity be for a student that finishes middle school at the charter school, but would then like to enroll at the new school in ninth grade instead of sixth?”
Baron said even though students may be a bit behind because they are entering a couple of years into the school’s special “International Baccalaureate” curriculum, there would be opportunities for students who might want to enroll mid-program. The school will follow the academic standards set by the International Baccalaureate Organization (IB). The IB curriculum is a challenging and difficult middle/high school curriculum that was developed to help children of diplomats who move around a lot have the same academic standards. It already has been used for many years for top achievers at Hoboken High School. The program begins in sixth grade and ends with the students receiving a special IB diploma.
“I’m sure there will be entry points throughout the program,” said Baron. “It will be a little more difficult for those students because they missed a couple of years of the IB curriculum. We have been in contact and are willing to work with the [administrators of the charter schools] to make sure that such a transition will be a smooth as possible.”
Some in the audience also asked how the funding from the state Economic Development Authority (EDA) works. “I thought the EDA and Abbott [“special needs” school] funds couldn’t be used for land acquisition,” questioned Frank Raia, who is the developer of the city’s Northwest Redevelopment area, one of possible sites for the school.
“That used to be true,” said Drasheff. “But since [Gov. James McGreevey] has come into office, there has been legislation to provide for six state ‘Demonstration Projects.’ Those six can use the EDA funds for land acquisitions.”
Drasheff added that none of the $54 million in Abbott Funds, that the city has already been granted, would be used, and that money for land acquisition and construction would come from a new application for the EDA.
“Hoboken is fortunate because it has such a high profile in the state,” added Drasheff. “We also have an excellent relationship with our state elected officials, especially state Sen. Bernard Kenny, so I believe that our effort to become a so-called ‘Demonstration Project’ will be successful.”
He added that the application process for those additional Abbott Funds is going to take four to five months, and by that time the HSPPE must have a definite site selected. If chosen, the new funds will pay for all land acquisition and construction costs without an added cost to the Hoboken taxpayer.
“Our goal is to have a great school that doesn’t overburden the taxpayer, but at the same times sets a new standard for education in Hoboken,” said Drasheff.
Buying the land
While it may appear that funding to buy the land is shaping up, it’s still a thorny subject regarding which land the city will be able to buy with that money. Joining the public Wednesday night were Daniel Gans and George Vallone, the private developers and owners of the Maxwell House Property, which extends from 10th to 12th streets along the waterfront.
Drasheff and Mayor David Roberts have gone on record to say that the old property would be the best site for the new school. Gans and Vallone currently have an application before the Planning Board to build 982 units of residential development, which is currently being presented with no variances to the city’s zoning or planning codes (see cover story.) After the meeting, Vallone reiterated that the city and Stevens have not made a monetary offer for the property, and he and Gans intend to proceed with their current application.
Raia, also in the audience, was designated by the city in May 1999 to develop the Northwest area of town and is currently in negotiations with the owners of several of the blocks in that section of town. According to Drasheff, a block in the Northwest area would be the first alternative if Stevens and the city cannot acquire the Maxwell House site. Raia contended that if the city were to bid on property, the competition would force the escalating property values even higher. “In all fairness, if the city were to look to buy a block, it may change the whole apple cart,” said Raia.
“We do not want to be in competition with you,” said Drasheff to Raia. “You were designated the developer of the Northwest Redevelopment plan in May of ’99. It’s been three years and you haven’t done anything with the land other than the Shop-Rite [currently under construction].”
If the Maxwell House property or a site in the Northwest part of the city do not work out, Drasheff said that the city would look to the buildings it already owns. In the order of preference, the buildings would be the Multi-Service Center at 124 Grand St., the A. J. Demarest Middle School at Fourth and Clinton streets, and the Joseph F. Brandt Middle School at Ninth and Garden streets.
Roberts to appear on TV
Roberts recently taped a segment for the television program Technogenesis, an education and technology public affairs program jointly produced by Stevens Institute of Technology and the Comcast network, to discuss the HSPPE. The topic of the program is “Improving Today’s Public Education System,” and it will explore how the public and private sectors can work together to improve public schools. “
The program is scheduled to air at 7 p.m. March 17, March 31, and April 14 on CN8 (channel 45). For more information, visit www.technogenesis.tv.
The final hearing on the Stevens-Hoboken partnership will take place in City Hall on April 1 at 6 p.m.