THINKING BIG ON EDUCATION WITH A NEW HIGH SCHOOL COMPLEX

The current administration and some others have spread an errant notion during this campaign that the city can’t have any effect on our schools. I’m proud to say that we’ve shifted the conversation on this issue by highlighting the real steps we can take to leverage the city’s land-use authority to encourage major investments in our K-8 facilities, or even in building a new high school. Every child in Hoboken deserves access to a top-notch public education, and we also need to help families feel confident in staying in Hoboken over the long term. We need to think big, and we can accomplish it by using public-private partnerships to create additional funding options for the Board of Education.

All around our city families are making a major investment in Hoboken, and these are the types of grand advances they deserve for choosing our city as their home.  A project of this magnitude won’t happen overnight, and as our younger grades expand exponentially year after year, we must begin planning for the future of those children, now.  Some may question the costs, but the benefits are far more significant.  Providing an excellent public education is the yardstick by which great cities are measured, and we owe our families this return on their investment in Hoboken.

While the City government is not directly responsible for our schools, the Mayor and Council are the sole land use authorities and can author redevelopment plans and negotiate for land.  We must provide the leadership and set the tone to help advancements like this happen.  Working with county, state and federal agencies and fostering public/private partnerships can bring funding opportunities to help defray costs.  

However, without proactive planning for financing, location, and other logistics, we will never see this concept become an attainable goal.  If we chart the right course, I’m confident our superintendent and school board will take the opportunity to do what is best for our students.  We need to give our children the tools they need to thrive, and combined with the incredible work so many of our teachers are already doing every day, this new public high school complex will make that a reality.

Hoboken has the kind of unique amenities and resources that are not seen anywhere else and that can make this new High School a destination that parents seek out and students can’t wait to attend. By partnering with Stevens Institute of Technology, we can bring world-class research and engineering capabilities right into our classrooms, giving our kids an advantage as they try to gain acceptance to college and become ready for high-tech jobs. With Manhattan only a PATH ride away, we will seek additional partnerships with universities, businesses, performing arts institutions and much more to give our children an incredible educational experience.