Hoboken High School Weekly Update

Dear Redwing Families,

We have officially reached the halfway point of our first marking period! It is hard to believe how quickly the school year is moving along. With that milestone comes the release of interim progress reports, which are now available in OnCourse.

This is a wonderful opportunity to check in on your child's academic progress and ensure they are on track for a successful school year. Interim reports provide a snapshot of your child's current grade average in each class, along with teacher comments that highlight areas of strength and identify where additional support may be needed.

Our guidance team will be carefully reviewing interim reports and reaching out to families to schedule meetings when they feel additional support or collaboration would benefit a student.

I also want to remind everyone that we have academic support available every day after school from 3:00–4:00 p.m. Both our library and Academic Success Center are open and staffed by certified educators who are ready to help students with assignments, review challenging material, and strengthen their understanding of classroom concepts. I strongly encourage students to take advantage of these wonderful resources. Sometimes, a little extra help can make a tremendous difference!

If you would like to connect with your child's guidance counselor, please refer to the flyer below for contact information.

PSAT Testing – A Job Well Done!

On Wednesday, we successfully administered the PSAT to over 550 students in grades 9–11! Coordinating an assessment of this size is no small undertaking, and I am incredibly proud of how well our students handled the day. They remained focused, took the assessment seriously, and used their time appropriately.

I also want to thank our faculty, staff, and administrative team for their hard work in making the testing day run so smoothly. I look forward to receiving the results and using this valuable information to continue supporting our students' academic growth and college readiness.

NJGPA Testing for Seniors

Next week, a small group of our seniors will be participating in the New Jersey Graduation Proficiency Assessment (NJGPA) in English Language Arts and Mathematics. This provides an important opportunity for these students to demonstrate proficiency and meet their state graduation assessment requirement.

Mr. Terry met with the students today to inform them of their assigned testing dates. We wish all of our seniors the very best as they take this important step toward graduation!

Important Reminder: School Is in Session on Election Day!

Please remember that Tuesday, November 3, 2026, is a regular school day at Hoboken High School. Although it is Election Day, there are no polling locations within our high school building, so there is no need for us to close.

As always, thank you for your continued partnership and support. We have had a wonderful start to the school year, and I look forward to continuing that momentum as we move toward the end of our first marking period.

All the best,

Ms. Picc

Buy a Yearbook - for parents of grades 9,10,11 only

Don't miss your chance to buy your underclass Redwing a yearbook. They are on sale now through January in our online store. The price is $100.00. The yearbooks are delivered in June.

Go to www.yearbookforever.com, enter our school's name and click on "Buy yearbook."

We thank you for your support!

Dear parents of seniors,

As long as your senior pays their dues, they will automatically receive a yearbook. You do not need to order one for them.

However, you can help out the yearbook a lot by buying them an ad. Ads range in price from $40.00 for business card size to $150 for a whole page. You can design it yourself or have us design it for you.

Go to www.yearbookforever.com to get started. Feel free to reach out to Mrs. McGreivey (michelle.mcgreivey@hoboken.k12.nj.us) with any questions about the yearbook.

Thank you for your support!

The Hoboken High School PTO is excited to host our first meeting of the school year on Thursday, October 29 at 7:00 PM at Hoboken High School.

We’re looking forward to welcoming parents and sharing information about the exciting events and initiatives we have planned for the year ahead.

We are also pleased to welcome Superintendent of Schools Dr. Christine Johnson as our special guest speaker.

We encourage all HHS parents and caregivers to attend, get involved, and join us as we kick off a great year for our school community! Go Redwings!

Week of October 13th

FAFSA Information Night:

The FAFSA Information Night originally scheduled for October 20th has been postponed to Wednesday, October 28th. Unfortunately, the representative from the state of NJ had an unforeseen family conflict arise.

The event on October 28th will provide students and families with an opportunity to learn more about the FAFSA, federal aid programs, and state aid benefits for students applying to college in New Jersey. It will be your opportunity to learn about the process and ask any questions you may have. The event will kick off at 6:00pm.

If you would like to attend, please take a few seconds to RSVP through here. We hope to see you there, and once again apologize for the late change in schedule. If you have any additional questions, feel free to reach out to Mr. Terry.

Scholarship Opportunity:

Students are encouraged to apply for the Elks Most Valuable Student Award! Each year, our local Elks Lodge provides students with scholarships up to $500 for higher education. Select students may also be eligible for national scholarships that range from $4,000 to $30,000. Please click the link to apply by November 12.

SAT Registration & Test Dates:

Planning to take the SAT? Now is the time to review upcoming test dates and make sure you register by the appropriate deadline.

Students and families should visit the College Board SAT Suite to view upcoming SAT dates, registration deadlines, test locations, and registration information. Register & Learn More: https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/

Students are encouraged to register early, as test center availability may be limited. Please be sure to review all registration deadlines and requirements when signing up.

Juniors & Seniors:

Please review the list of colleges below that will be at our school the week of October 19th. Please note that due to PSAT’s, Montclair State University will be visiting us on October 20th during 7th period. If you are interested in attending, please fill out this Google Form. The Guidance Department will work with your teachers accordingly on excusing absences within reason, and you are welcome to bring lunch with you if it's your lunch period.

10/19: University of Delaware

10/20: Bloomfield College of Montclair State University

Binghamton University, State University of New York

Montclair State University

10/22: Iona University

10/23: Drew University

Rider University

The HHS Guidance Department is excited to share that our annual College Fair will be taking place on Wednesday, October 21st from 8:30 AM-12:30 PM. This event provides our students with the opportunity to meet with college admissions representatives, explore a variety of postsecondary options, and learn more about the programs and opportunities available to them after high school. Our goal is to encourage students to begin thinking about their futures and make informed decisions about their post-high-school plans.

Over the past several classes, our 9th-grade World History students have been examining a surprisingly powerful force in global history: sugar. Students explored how the production and trade of sugar helped connect Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas beginning in the 1400s. Through a document-based investigation, they analyzed how sugar influenced exploration, international trade, the growth of plantation economies, and eventually industrialization. They also learned that these growing global connections came with enormous human consequences, particularly through the forced migration and enslavement of Africans.

Students then worked through a Sugar Trade DBQ, analyzing historical excerpts dealing with topics such as the Atlantic slave trade, complex global trading networks, factory labor during the Industrial Revolution, the Haitian Revolution, and Indian indentured servitude. The documents showed students that sugar was much more than a consumer product—it influenced migration, labor systems, political change, and even ideas about freedom and resistance. Students also followed the story into the modern era by examining scientific changes in sweetener production and new uses for sugar crops.

To bring the unit together, students completed an evidence-based five-paragraph essay answering the question: How did the sugar trade transform the global economy and affect people's lives from the 1400s to the present? Students were required to develop a thesis, use evidence from multiple historical documents, incorporate at least five cited quotations, and explain how their evidence supported their arguments. This assignment gave students an opportunity not only to demonstrate their historical knowledge but also to practice the critical reading, evidence analysis, and argumentative writing skills that will remain important throughout the year.

Our Human Body Systems students stepped into the role of a radiologist to investigate bone fractures and dislocations! Working in teams, they examined X-ray images on illuminated viewing boxes and looked for clues about each injury. Students applied their knowledge of bone anatomy and fracture patterns to develop and discuss their diagnoses. They compared observations, explained their reasoning, and practiced using accurate medical terminology to describe their findings. This hands-on activity brought our bone unit to life, connecting classroom learning with the teamwork and problem-solving involved in patient care.

Ninth-grade PLTW Principles of Biomedical Science students continued the Anna Garcia investigation by conducting a Kastle–Meyer test on simulated crime-scene stains. Students practiced careful laboratory procedures, observed color-change results, and learned that a positive Kastle–Meyer result provides presumptive evidence of blood—not final proof of what the substance is or who it came from. This activity reinforced the importance of testing evidence and using multiple lines of investigation before drawing conclusions.

Students in Pre-AP English 10 have recently been practicing the skills of observing closely, making inferences, and drawing conclusions in order to form arguments about visual images. This week, students are applying these skills to a written text: an excerpt from Jane McGonigal’s Reality Is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World. Students first practiced summarizing what the text says. They are now analyzing what the text does, commenting on how the author’s choices work to advance her argument. This work supports a central goal of the course: helping students move beyond understanding a text to examining how it is constructed and why it is effective.

AP Seminar students are preparing to present their mock Team Multimedia Presentations. In preparation, students have conducted research using scholarly databases, shared and synthesized their findings with their teams, and identified a problem along with a proposed solution. Next week, teams will present to their peers and receive feedback. This experience will help prepare them for Performance Task 1, which begins at the end of the month.

In our geometry classes, students are actively exploring the foundational relationships between lines and angles by analyzing parallel lines cut by a transversal. They are investigating how a single line intersecting two parallel paths creates predictable angle pairs, such as alternate interior, alternate exterior, and corresponding angles. Besides investigating the relationships between angles, students are working on reinforcing their understanding of the vocabulary that surrounds these angles.

Building directly upon these angle relationships, the class is also uncovering the mechanics behind the triangle sum theorem. By drawing a parallel line through one vertex of a triangle, students can apply their knowledge of transversals to visually and mathematically prove that the interior angles of any triangle must always add up to exactly 180 degrees. This connection bridges the gap between parallel lines and polygon properties, enabling students to solve for missing variables and tackle algebraic geometry challenges with confidence.

Next up……Translations.

This week in Intro to Engineering Design we covered lessons on Design Briefs, Peer Review, Game Inspector and Decision Matrix. Everyone chose a design for their Carnival Game Project and began sketching the preliminary details of their carnival game on poster board. Next, the students will start to add color and additional features for their teams' carnival games along with any extra features that each game might have. In addition freshmen, sophomores and juniors have also completed their PSATs this week.

This week in Intro in Principles of Engineering we began the week with lessons on Simple and Compound Machines. The concepts of torque on a fulcrum were covered further. Students were introduced to the names and uses of preliminary VEX components that are used to build automated mechanical devices. This introduction will be continued and lead into basic mechanical machines where the students test input and output characteristics. In addition freshmen, sophomores and juniors have also completed their PSATs this w

Career Pathways Students Take on a Silent Challenge

Students in the Career Pathways elective put their teamwork and problem-solving skills into practice during a small-group Square Puzzle Challenge. Their task was to assemble puzzle pieces into a square—with every student contributing at least one piece and all communication taking place without words! Students initially thought the task would be easy, but quickly discovered it was more challenging than expected.

The challenge encouraged students to explore how gestures, facial expressions, and body language communicate ideas and support collaboration. Afterward, groups reflected on the nonverbal messages each member sent and discussed which were most effective in completing the task. The activity reinforced an important workplace skill: effective communication involves more than what we say—it also requires paying attention to the messages we send and receive without speaking.

Exploring Possibilities After High School

Hoboken High School welcomed Zymir Mobley from Lincoln Tech, who teamed up with the Guidance Department and Career Pathway elective to discuss career planning and postsecondary options. The visit encouraged students to consider how their interests, strengths, and goals can guide their next steps, including opportunities for career-focused education and hands-on training.

Thank you to Mr. Mobley for helping our students explore the possibilities ahead as they plan for life after high school!

Exploring the Spanish-Speaking World Through Music in our AP Spanish Language and Culture class!

What better way to explore the Spanish-speaking world than through music, a universal medium of cultural expression? As part of their Spanish language and culture studies, students engaged in “La Gozadera AP,” an interdisciplinary learning experience inspired by the vibrant song La Gozadera by Gente de Zona and Marc Anthony. Using music as an entry point to cultural inquiry, students explored 21 Spanish-speaking countries, examining their geographical contexts, musical traditions, cultural practices, and diverse identities.

Beyond exploring music and geography, students engaged in evidence-based cultural investigation using authentic resources and informational infographics. They analyzed information, synthesized findings, established connections across cultures, and used textual and visual evidence to support their interpretations. Through this process, students examined the three Ps of culture—Products, Practices, and Perspectives—to investigate how cultural artifacts, traditions, and shared values reflect the experiences, identities, and worldviews of Spanish-speaking communities.

The experience also provided meaningful opportunities to strengthen students’ Spanish communication skills through written and oral expression. Students practiced interpreting authentic materials, communicating ideas with clarity, and supporting their conclusions with relevant evidence. These activities encouraged students to move beyond identifying cultural facts toward developing a deeper understanding of the relationships among language, culture, identity, and perspective.

Connecting Cultural Exploration to Personal Perspectives

The experience culminated in an engaging intercultural reflection: If you could study in any Spanish-speaking country, where would you go, and why?

Students selected a destination and considered how living and studying in that cultural context might broaden their perspectives. Drawing on their research, they reflected on the cultural traditions, lifestyles, and musical expressions they hoped to experience, connecting their classroom learning to real-world possibilities. This culminating activity encouraged students to apply their knowledge, articulate personal interests, and recognize the value of engaging with cultures beyond their own.

Through this culturally rich, inquiry-based experience, students discovered that language learning extends far beyond vocabulary and grammar. It involves interpreting meaning, evaluating information, communicating thoughtfully, and developing intercultural competence—the ability to understand and engage respectfully with different cultural perspectives.

¡La música nos conecta, la cultura nos inspira y el aprendizaje nos abre las puertas al mundo!

Rising Red Wings: Grand Opening of Our Weekly Staff Luncheon!

This week marked an exciting milestone for our Rising Red Wings Life Skills and Vocational Program as we celebrated the grand opening of our weekly staff luncheon!

Our students worked hard to prepare, cook and serve a delicious meal featuring BBQ pulled pork sandwiches, a variety of sides, lemonade, iced tea and dessert.

Throughout the process, students practiced essential life skills and vocational skills, including meal preparation, food safety, teamwork, communication, customer service and following multistep directions. Students took pride in their responsibilities as they welcomed staff, served meals and helped make our grand opening a success!

This exciting new school-based business provides our students with meaningful, hands-on work experiences while building independence, confidence and valuable skills for the future.

We are incredibly proud of our students and grateful to our school community for supporting our program. We look forward to continuing our weekly Wednesday luncheons!

This week in vocational/life skills, we budgeted for a rice krispie recipe made using fruity pebbles and cocoa pebbles. We calculated the approximate cost of all of the ingredients and then calculated the profit we would make if we sell out. Tomorrow we plan on making the rice krispies, cutting, bagging and selling them at the common grounds cafe during lunches. In English I introduced The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, which we will be reading next week and watching clips from the film adaptations for visual support. We also worked on our second vocab unit. In history, we read about the colony in Jamestown and their early struggles including the starving times. The students had a round-table discussion about options and decisions during a famine and we also discussed early colonial life. Next week we will continue our discussion of early US history. In Math, we started a unit on converting fractions to decimals to percents and back again. We will be continuing this unit for the remainder of the quarter in varying degrees of difficulty and real world application.

This week, our class looked a little different. With new students in the room, we went back to the basics and worked on establishing routines. Our morning expectations include coming in calmly and jumping into the do-now task. Throughout the week, we worked on expressing ourselves through clear and respectful communication. In terms of academic skills, students began argumentative writing and practiced how to make a stance that is backed by evidence from the text. After closely reading passages, they used a paragraph outline template to organize their ideas. In math, our 9th graders worked on one and two-step algebraic equations. Students created their own resumes that include a personal statement, their education experience, skills and interests, and reputable references. They also applied for jobs within our new school lunch business. First, we went through job descriptions as a class so students could determine how they would be interested in contributing to our business. Then, they practiced filling out personal contact information and writing short-response answers to questions regarding the job. In Life Skills, we reviewed expectations in our 108 apartment space and continued to reinforce daily living skills, working on skills like sweeping, vacuuming, and mopping while engaging in conversations about why these skills are essential to carry out regularly in any functioning space.

Hoboken HS Choir

On October 6th, the Hoboken HS Choir had the privilege of performing at the Hudson County Columbus Day Ceremony honoring Italian-Americans from in and around Hoboken. The ensemble sang the National Anthem ahead of the ceremony, and our Barbershop Quartet performed “Come Fly With Me” in honor of Chairman Anthony Romano’s final ceremony as Chairman of the Hudson County Board of Commissioners.

Frisbee is an excellent activity for high school Physical Education because it combines physical fitness, skill development, teamwork, and friendly competition. Playing Frisbee helps students improve hand-eye coordination, agility, balance, cardiovascular endurance, and overall athletic ability while keeping them active and engaged.

Beyond the physical benefits, Frisbee encourages students to develop communication skills, cooperation, sportsmanship, and strategic thinking. Students practice throwing, catching, moving into open space, and working together to achieve a common goal. The activity can be adapted for different skill levels, making it an inclusive option for students with varying levels of athletic experience.

Over the next couple of weeks, Frisbee will be one of several activity options students can choose from during Physical Education. This gives students the opportunity to explore different activities, discover new interests, challenge themselves, and stay physically active in an enjoyable environment.

Whether students are experienced players or beginners, Frisbee offers a fun way to build confidence, develop athletic skills, and strengthen teamwork.

The Hoboken High School boys soccer team lost to North Bergen 2-1 in the Hudson County boys soccer tournament. The team beat Empowerment on Monday in Lincoln Park in Jersey City by a score of 6-2.

The Hoboken High School girls soccer team beat Mcnair 9-0 in the Hudson County girls soccer tournament. The team moves into the semifinal game against Union City on Saturday at home at 3 PM. Junior Wren Napolitani scored her 100th goal of her career! Congratulations to and we are so proud of you!

The team plays Union City on Thursday night for their senior night game at home.

The Hoboken High School football team beat Weequahic High School by a score of 25-7. The team has improved to 6-1 and plays Westwood High School on Friday Night on the road at 7 PM

Our Vision

The Hoboken Public School District will be recognized as a premier educational choice and widely known as a best-practice model for academic growth, high quality instruction, innovative and equitable programs, engagement, facilities and personalized pathways that are essential for college, career and life-preparedness in our ever-changing, interconnected global society.

Our Mission

The Hoboken Public School District will prepare confident and resilient graduates who value academic achievement, embrace challenge, honor diversity, appreciate collaboration, and respectfully contribute to their local and wider communities.

Our District Goals

The Hoboken Public School District will implement a rigorous, relevant and responsive curriculum that meets the needs of all students, fosters personalized pathways for learning, and ensures continuous academic growth.

The Hoboken Public School District will support its diverse staff in professional growth, encourage them to serve as role models, and empower them to provide the highest quality of instruction for our students.

The Hoboken Public School District will develop and implement unique and innovative programs that promote global learning, ensure equitable access, and foster the social, emotional and academic growth of each student.

The Hoboken Public School District will engage and communicate with families and the wider community to bridge understanding and advance partnerships.

The Hoboken Public School District will operate well-maintained and safe facilities that respond to our growing student enrollment, support our academic and co-curricular programs, and promote pride across the city.

Email: District@Hoboken.k12.nj.us
Website: www.hoboken.k12.nj.us
Location: 524 Park Avenue, Hoboken, NJ, USA
Phone: (201) 356-3600
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hoboken.schools/
Twitter: @HobokenSchools

https://sites.google.com/hoboken.k12.nj.us/guardians/home