The Hoboken school district is looking for student inventors as part of the first ever Hoboken Young Inventor’s Challenge.
“It’s a brand new program designed to promote students’ appreciation and understanding of innovation,” said Superintendent Dr. Mark Toback.
The contest is open to students from all over the state, but preference will be given to Hoboken residents. Registration for the program will be open on Jan. 18 until March 24, the day of the event. The cost for each entry is $10 for individual students and $25 per team, and it is possible to enter multiple competitions.
The competitions are open to students from all schools in grades two through eight.
To register for the Young Inventor’s Challenge, visit Hoboken.k12.nj.us.
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Toback said the district is in need of judges and sponsors. The issue was addressed during the school board meeting of Jan. 10.
“Everything is in place,” Toback said during the meeting. “We just need to distribute materials to schools…we also need some judges. Stevens Institute has agreed to circulate the idea [among faculty] to help judge some of the different competitions.”
To register for the Young Inventor’s Challenge, visit Hoboken.k12.nj.us.
Board of Education members pass background checks
Although one source said it came down “to the final buzzer,” all nine of the Board of Education members were able to sit at the dais on Tuesday evening, meaning they all complied with new state legislation, cosponsored by local Assemblyman Ruben Ramos Jr. (D – Hoboken), that requires school board members to pass criminal background checks.
Board member Maureen Sullivan’s eligibility was called into question by some members of the public before the meeting. However, on the day of the meeting, Sullivan received an e-mail from a state representative, also addressed to Toback, indicating that she was eligible to sit at the dais for the Tuesday meeting.
Approximately 350 Board of Education members throughout the state did not complete background checks before the Dec. 31 deadline, according to media reports. Failure to complete the test by Dec. 31 disqualified Board of Education members from serving. A list of disqualified members from the state shows that there are several in neighboring towns, including Jersey City.
New Election Day for board?
The board will have to decide if they wish to change future school board elections from April to November.
Newly-passed state legislation allows school boards across New Jersey to decide whether or not Board of Education elections should be moved from April to November. This might increase the turnout that is normally low.
Board member Frances Rhodes-Kearns said she believes the issue should come up for a public vote to “let the voters decide” if a switch should be done.
Besides luring more voters, holding one election in November would also save money on Election Day workers and poll setup. But the elections were separated years ago so candidates for local office could not ride the coattails of state or national officials, and a separate election keeps the issues localized.
Last year’s school board election drew only approximately 3,400 voters out of 36,000 registered Hoboken voters.
In 2009, the city also spent approximately $160,000 for the May and June mayoral and council elections. Hoboken pays approximately $200 for each poll worker every Election Day.
Hoboken’s City Council passed legislation to move municipal elections in July 2011 from May to November, but withdrew the change after more than 3,000 residents signed a petition to let the voters decide on the switch. Thus, mayor/council elections are staying in May for now.
Food service costs briefly addressed
At the December Board of Education meeting, district officials spoke about financial problems stemming from the food services program. At the Jan. 10 meeting, board member Peter Biancamano said he wants to see an action plan from the district on how to recoup the losses. Part of the problem is that parents are not paying bills for their children’s food.
The district failed to collect approximately $130,000 in food bills from parents in the past school year. The food service program lost $700,000 in the last academic year, according to an audit. Officials have said they are examining ways to improve the financial health of the food services program.
“I would have hoped that after a month the district could have come up with a solution to help collect the debt,” Biancamano said after the meeting. “There are parents who can pay that aren’t paying.”
Biancamano said he believes the district should send reminders to parents about outstanding food bills.
“Parents have been coming up to me and asking ‘Do I owe money?’ ” Biancamano said, adding that some people are unaware of their debts.
Students of the month announced
The following students were recognized at the meeting as the December, 2011 Students of the Month:
Calabro School: Johanna Sexton, Grade 1
Connors School: Jesus Velasquez, Grade 7
Wallace School: Jaidah Morales, Grade 4
Hoboken High School: Alexandria Yoon-Hendricks, Grade 10
New report cards, budget talk, other business
• Elementary students in Hoboken are receiving new kinds of report cards. The new format provides more specific information about student performance, as well as a place for teacher comments. The style of the report cards is aligned with new learning standards adopted by the state of New Jersey.
• Toback is expected to present the board with the next proposed budget at the Feb. 14 meeting, according to business administrator Robert Davis. Davis said that the tax levy is expected to be stable, near the state minimum once again. The public can vote on the budget each April during the school board elections.
• The board approved approximately $12,000 in stipends for various positions for the upcoming Hoboken High School production of “Footloose,” which will be performed on April 13, 14, and 15.
• The board approved class field trips to the Newark Museum, Liberty Science Center, Montclair State Theater, Ellis Island, and the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark.
Ray Smith may be reached at RSmith@hudsonreporter.com