We support the existing public schools of Hoboken and oppose the addition of a fifth publicly funded school district. Hoboken is only a mile square in area, yet it contains nine separate, independently administered elementary school districts: the Hoboken Public School District, three charter schools and five private schools. Clearly, Hoboken parents do not lack choice. The creation of another school district, a fourth charter school, will require either a reduction in existing public school programs and services or an increase in the municipal tax levy above the 2% cap (as charters are funded almost exclusively through local taxes). Neither of these options is acceptable to the public school students and taxpayers of Hoboken. Additionally the creation of another, separate school district will impact not only the budget of the Hoboken Public School District, but negatively affect enrollment and limit the district’s ability to continue to offer the wide variety of academic and extracurricular activities (athletics, theater, band, field trips and summer camp). As residents of Hoboken we support Superintendent Dr.Toback and his leadership of the Hoboken Public School District. In his short tenure of just one year, Dr.Toback has focused the district’s mission on student achievement by strengthening existing programs and introducing new initiatives, including: • Longer school days and year • An In-school Gifted and Talented Program • Additional math and language arts teachers • The hands-on FOSS science program • New hybrid math curriculum providing individualized instruction • An Advanced Placement program and Culinary Arts program • A full-day Academics and Arts Summer Enrichment Camp • An expanded field trip program • Genesis, a student/parent/school information system He has also put in place an aggressive capital improvement plan, including the creation of new science labs, Smart Boards, security cameras, laptops and a new commercial café. Dr. Toback has also announced a major movement of district staff and students to better accommodate students, create more efficient staff spacing and create a new special needs/autism center. All of these will play a vital part in helping our district achieve its goals. See what's happening in the Hoboken Public School District: http://www.hoboken.k12.nj.us/