SCHOOLS

If you have just moved to Hoboken, or if you have a toddler who is ready to begin school -- this is the place to get the information you need. The city of Hoboken offers private and public schools with a variety of educational programs to meet the individual educational need of every family. The following is a list of the pre-schools in Hoboken and their contact information. Every attempt was made to provide current and accurate information, but please call the individual schools to reconfirm any dates, deadlines and tuitions. It is highly suggested that you contact the director of any programs you are interested in to arrange a meeting and tour of the school. Many of the private and charter schools offer open houses around December and January for prospective new students.

Registration for all programs is around March. For registration it is required that you have a birth certificate, proof of Hoboken residency (such as a lease or utility bill under your name) and an up-to-date immunization record. A Social Security number is also requested if it is available.

Day is as follows:
7:30 AM Early Drop Off
Regular School 8:30 to 2:30 with afternoon nap
2:30 to 5:30 PM After Care.
In the past, early drop off and after care were available on a flexible day-by day basis, but there is some discussion about making attendance to these programs less flexible... meaning if you enroll in them you must attend them regularly. Check with the school about the actual attendance requirements for these programs
Breakfast and lunch meals are available for an extra charge through the school, but many kids bring their own lunches. School lunches cost anywhere from free to $2.00 on a sliding scale depending on your income qualifications.

The two programs/providers are:

Mile Square
Run by the Mile Square Early Learning Center
Helen Hitlan, Director, (201) 659-6086

HOPES/Head Start
Run by HOPES Inc. (Hoboken Organization Against Poverty and Economic Stress)
Joselyn Estevez Vargas, Director (201) 795-3432 Ext. 18

HOPES received accreditation by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) for all of its classrooms last year, and is the only Abbott Preschool Provider in Hoboken that has received this accreditation. HOPES also receives funding from the federal government for the HOPES Head Start part of its programs. Therefore, the family income requirements of the Head Start program do not apply uniformly to all of the HOPES program as HOPES is also an Abbott provider. This means that all Hoboken residents are eligible to attend the HOPES program, regardless of income.

As of 2006 school year, program selection was done by a type of lottery. Parents were not allowed to select the program that they preferred. The curriculum or style of each program may vary slightly as determined by the provider, but they all follow the Creative Curriculum as their standard curriculum, which is accepted by and complies with NAEYC standards (the National Association for the Education of Young Children.) For the 2005-2006 school year, Hoboken Public Schools required a child entering Kindergarten to be 5 as of November.

Programs/locations for 3-year-olds
All the Abbott programs for three-year-olds are located at the Joseph F. Brandt Middle School at 9th Street between Park and Garden Streets. The Preschools are located on separate floors and have a separate entrance from the middle school students. There is always a posted guard at the entrance to the preschool. The four-year-olds

Programs/locations for 4-year-olds
The 4-year olds are housed in different locations. As of 2006, the program you will attend is chosen by lottery.

Wallace Primary School of Science
1100 Willow Avenue
Program run by Mile Square Early Learning Center
Helen Hitlan, Director, (201) 659-6086
Family Worker, (201) 659-0779
Must be 4 years old by November 30th.
Class size 15 children
1 teacher and 1 aide per class
Wallace Primary School Web Page