Dear Editor:
While the school year comes to a close and kids look forward to summer fun, many parents reflect on the past year and review their options for next September. This appraisal can be quite challenging for parents of middle school students looking ahead to high school where, unlike the elementary grades, fewer public options exist. As our two children complete their sophomore year, I am compelled to share how very satisfied we have been with our choice: Hoboken High School.
As lifelong proponents of public education, it was clear which path our kids would take and they have benefited and grown stronger with every step, thanks to Hoboken’s public schools (both its core public district and charter schools). They got their start in the nurturing environment of the district Pre-K program and, later, that of Head Start. When special needs circumstances arose, they were treated with care and compassion. Kindergarten brought new choices and we did not take lightly our decision to go to Elysian. We couldn’t know then if its ‘child-centered’ method would benefit our kids (it absolutely did). But we did know that the relationships we established with faculty and families during Pre-K were important to us. So, we paid close attention to developments in the district schools, always keeping our options (and minds) open. After their fifth grade my work took me overseas, and we moved to Japan where the kids, again, attended public school (a challenging and enriching experience).
But the plan was always to come back for high school. So, upon return, we attended open houses and carefully considered each school we toured. HHS ultimately won us over for several reasons.
Extensive curriculum options accommodate a diverse student body. Top-performing students are challenged in a competitive academic environment while kids that learn at different paces or have special needs are given the time and attention required to achieve their potential. Career-focused programs such as media, theater, and culinary arts, among others, provide access to state-of-the-art facilities and multi-year coursework that teaches relevant professional skills. These programs provide graduates differentiation on college applications and an edge in the job market. We were also impressed by the committed and engaging faculty, panoply of extracurricular activities, strong athletics programs and, above all, the safe and supportive student community that is Hoboken High School.
A few recent accolades – Harvard Model Congress National Excellence Awards, Thespian Society Second Place Performance (statewide), Paper Mill Playhouse Young Critics Awards First/Second Place, Princeton University Distinguished Secondary Teacher of the Year (national) – and notable college placements including UPenn/Wharton, Penn State, U Pittsburgh, Denison, Drew, FIT, Drexel, and full scholarships to Stevens and Rutgers highlight some of these strengths.
Families facing this important decision do have choices. The best of these are public schools and HHS truly distinguishes itself among them. But don’t take my word for it and, please, disregard the rumors. Go see, for yourself, the great things happening at Hoboken High School. We did and we’ve never regretted it.
Jason Yoon-Hendricks