Teachers in the Hoboken high school said it is no good,

Grasping at straws? Let's change the district YET AGAIN so low test scores can be blamed on reconfiguration. Just keep things changing and in flux so the district can always be in a state of make believe improvement. Kids First wanted to go to the K-8 model, then middle schools, now they want to put 12 years old with 19 year olds-- any wonder the district is in free fall?

I was against 8th grade being added to the high school. Kids aren't ready just yet and now you want to add 7th graders? Crazy. These kids are NOT ready.

I have a child at Hoboken High School and am favorably impressed with what they are doing there. For example, the move from the IB to AP was a great idea.

However, I'm wondering if this need to reshuffle things on such a regular basis isn't counterproductive. Maybe we'd be better off focusing on incremental changes for awhile and giving the changes brought about from the last reshuffling a little time to work?

The plan all along was to put both 7th and 8th grades in the high school, but after moving the 8th graders, the previous super didn't follow through, got distracted by other issues, and the 7th graders never moved. You really need to move both grades there to make it work. The 8th graders are orphaned there now. For switching classes and having a full complement of middle school teachers and programs, the two grades really must be together. There are many, many high schools around the state using this system--including in Weehawken and Jersey City, not to mention the Hudson School right here--and they don't encounter problems. The junior high grades are effectively segregated from the high school grades, the greater facilities and programs make for a richer education, and the initial objections quickly fade away. Hoboken High's central location is ideal for this set-up. Back when Gagliardi was super and also HS principal, all Hoboken public school kids wore uniforms. Kids First never liked uniforms and got rid of them, even after a vote of the parents and children overwhelmingly voted for uniforms in 2009. Bringing back uniforms would help because the junior high kids could wear a different color from the high school kids and be clearly differentiated from each other for staff to keep tabs on. Curious Gal, I'm usually with you, but this may be the first time Kids First and Super Toback will actually do the right thing.

The only reason for this move is to make room for the huge number of Pre K - 1 classes. The older kids are being shuffled around because some of our public school buildings are occupied by Charter and Private schools that rent space. Take back Rue and Demerast and make them Pre K-8 and there will be no more overcrowding issues. Everytime parents ask why our kids can not use Demerast we get "the Charter school and BOE are there". Last I checked they were public school buildings and should be available for the public school children that need them. 7th and 8th graders do not belong in the high school. As for the Hudson School, they have about 200 students from 5th - 12th grade. The public school has about that many in just 7th and 8th grade. It may work fine for a school that is small, but we are talking about 700-800 students.

I agree ...

I don't believe parents would be willing to entertain sending their 7th grade children to HHS if they were aware of the violence and vandalism in that school. Since January, four students have been suspended for hitting teachers

Did anyone hear or read about if Dr. Toback took this job? Or, has applied to other districts?

http://www.wmur.com/news/nh-news/Manchester-superintendent-finalists-meet-the-public/-/9857858/19467146/-/12iwxuo/-/index.html

i hear hes up for new job in NH