Hackensack, NJ Community Message Boards
General Category => Hackensack Discussion => Topic started by: JSmith on November 08, 2004, 01:33:55 PM
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My daughter is soon to enter High School. I have an option of sending her to Hackensack or paying for private education. I know Hackensack can offer many oportunities, but I also hear so many negative things from time to time.
I recently heard of a young girl being assaulted by a freshman, but it is being kept quiet. Is this true?
Please help
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Do youself a favor...send your child to a private school, if at all possible. HHS is not like it used to be.
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My son described the following: A male student and a female student were arguing near the school parking lot. The argument got heated and the male student hit the female student in the head and pushed her to the ground. She was not injured and got back up immediately.
We have some horror stories of our own. Over the course of last year 8 kids were suspended for harassing my son for being white. This year the school has adopted a stronger racial harassment code and everything seems a little calmer.
I must admit I LOVED attending HHS (1982-1986) and even though all of this happened to my son last year, he too enjoys attending HHS.
However, If I could afford private education, he would be there tomorrow!!
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State Guide for Parents - http://www.state.nj.us/njded/parents/
http://hackensackhigh.org/hhsp.html
I can already tell where this chat is heading. Anytime there's a discussion about HHS - its always about the racial issues.
I only hope someone posts something about the education (or lack there of) students will get.
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My intention was to answer the question and state a fact about what happened to my child.
In NO way was it intended to spur a racial conversation. Hackensack has a diverse population, if that's not for you, you shouldn't be living in a city like Hackensack!!
Fact is, because of the events that occurred, I am concerned my son's ability to focus on his classwork is hampered by his fear for his safety. I wish the circumstances were different, but they're not. And again, if I could afford to have him in private school, it would be to improve his education and not an attempt to get him away from any particular racial population.
Your links have great info and lots of pretty graphs, but they do not relate true personal experiences, and that's what I was trying to do.
I'm sorry you feel as though this was a racial conversation, but I think that's on you!
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Quite the contrary...
I am graduate of the Hackensack School System. Maple Hill School / Nellie K Parker, Middle School and the High School. My own children will probably attend school here as well. Having supportive family and friends, any student can do well at HHS.
I did not intend to imply you were instigating a racial discussion. My apologies. I was trying to head off the topic from heading in the wrong direction. The initial posting was looking for positive influences of attending HHS. I enjoyed my time at HHS, but the initial posting probably is looking for more info from additional parents, students, supporters that are involved now.
I have several friends that are educators in school systems - teachers, vice pricipal, principal in Bergen and Passaic Counties, each can share negative stories.
Most of us would love to send our kids to private school, but rises taxes here will prevent most of us from having that as an option, but that's another topic to discuss.
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I, too, have attended HMS & HHS. I can speak of a time when both schools were a pride to this community. Academic excellence was at the core to these institutions. I have witnessed changes in our school system that begets the question: What happened to our desire for structure, commitment, pride and community?
We have seen over the years, an influx of educators who are not qualified to teach our youngsters, but rather have received their employment due to "friends in high places." We have seen more emphasis on sports rather than on academics, arts and music. We have seen administrators who have been incompetent in the classroom become principals and supervisors, while those who were dedicated, effective teachers being passed over because they "might rock the boat."
The BOE needs to reevaluate what our schools should be providing and work towards that end. It's a disservice to this community and the children to have the schools take the direction it has.
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I think it is a disservice to the community for people to post such negative things about HHS. I graduated from HHS, and I currently live in an apartment across the street. I'm not sure why people are concerned about the racial balance of the school, which is holding fairly steady. Statistics I have seen show that the school is about 35% white or Asian, about 30% Black, and 30% Latino, so everyone should feel welcome. I would bet that over 90% of the Black or Latino students come from middle-class families in good neighborhoods; the demographics do not show that this is an inner-city impoverished school. Things are not "out of control", by any stretch of the imagination. Conditions here are much lot closer to high schools in Northern Bergen County than they are to Paterson. Although I too would like to see more emphasis on education than sports, I also continue to believe that HHS provides an excellent education for any family that wants their children to attend a good college.
If I had the power to improve one thing at HHS, I would eliminate First Street between Beech and Central, and American Legion between 1st and 2nd. I would make Comet Way (behind the high-rises) two-way to handle some of the re-routed volume. There are enough north-south streets in Hackensack to accomodate the traffic of First Street, in fact Union Street and Railroad Avenue are both underused for their size. The HHS campus would be a better and safer place without a major road cutting through it. I don't like the idea of people "cruising" through the campus in their cars the way they do now, and as a taxpayer I don't want to pay for a crossing guard there. If anyone proposed putting a major road through another high school campus in Bergen County, people there would be in an uproar because it is clearly a negative condition for any high school campus. So why should we have it here. First Street is a county road, so getting this done wouldn't be easy.
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You're right about people coming onto the forum with negative stuff about the high school. There are far more important things to speak on concerning the high school such as improving educational standards. Even though the high school sends a high percentage of kids to college, you can always try to improve on those who don't go. Help them prep for life with better educational skills to take into the work place.
Eric, First St. would be safer if closed for the kids during school, but the street was there before the school. Also, it's a county road and a main road used by the county, the city and the hospital. It serves a greater role in the community and the county then just the high school.
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What's this we hear about possible State involvement due to the low scores on the Statewide tests Hackensack again has scored?
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I guess it's you job to create issues on the forum about Hackensack schools? Be a man or woman and put a name and facts about it every time you post. Only troublemakers hide behind the "unknown" tag.
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It's the message that's important, not the messenger. Check out the facts about the State on the precipice of coming into town to take control.
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Again unknown, I ask you to post the facts, but you haven't. See, it leaves the impression that you're lying about the complete facts. In this case, the messenger is just as important as the message when the messenger dances around the point. Also, I ask you to be a MAN or WOMAN and give yourself a screen name or something. Too many people can come on and post crap, then leave. Are you the guy that posts in the Record's editorial every year around the same time about Hackensack school systems? If you are, then I know it's personal because of you firing from the school system some time back.
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I agree with sayhey,post the facts and not a bunch of crap. The fact is my son attends one of the elementry schools , and 85% of the fourth graders past the state test in 2004.That might not be great,but look at the diversity in town. Then remember that all test scores are included now. That includes bi-lingual students and special ed students. At the beginning of the year I had a chance to put my son in another school because his was considered failing, only because the scores did not increase the % the state required. Yes, the schools need to do better, but don't make it sound like its a free for all at these schools. Maybe us parents should take some of the blame? Are the parents doing everything they can at home? The kids are only in school 6 1/2 hrs. a day and only 180 days a year. So as parents we also need to be teachers.
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Lab94 makes the important point. We could have the best teachers in the world in Hackensack and still have poor test grades if the children aren't getting the support, love and attention they should be getting at home.
Teachers can only work with what they have been given. If a child comes to school with too little sleep and having had nothing for breakfast, how are we to fault the teacher? The parents aren't always supplying teachers with children that are properly prepared to learn.
I think most of us would be surprised how low the scores would be if the State had a rating system for Parents!!!
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My daughter goes to HHS. Tells me the kids use the N, F words and ho, bitch etc, language is common place in hallways and all around the school. A month or two ago, police were there and had arrested someone. I have seen police cars there a few times this year.
it's not a nice place to send any kid. there are way to many distractions for a kid to learn.
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forgot to say. I could go on and on about HHS. Try to send your kid else where. The school is a *real world* experience on the lesser side/appects of things.
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Quite the contrary...
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I did not intend to imply you were instigating a racial discussion. My apologies. I was trying to head off the topic from heading in the wrong direction. The initial posting was looking for positive influences of attending HHS.
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what you were doing; was foretelling. which is ok. but read your quote and read the OP's, the OP was looking for thoughts on HHS, not just positives. I read your posts here, you seem to be way to positive, in the light of the many negitive asspects of HHS. but that's ok too.
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if you going to point out Hackensack High problems, well talk about neighboring towns such as Paramus, which has a higher number of incidents violent and non-violent according to the state stats.
Also, the reason you see the police around the school is because Hackensack is one of few (and I mean few) schools in Bergen County that employs police as school resource officers... could that be why there is limited crime or violent acts at Hackensack High? YES! I'm tired of people coming on the forum to bad mouth Hackensack High or the school system (yes the system could be improved) and having nothing to back it up but here say to prove their point. Look, if you don't like the school, don't send you children there. Go somewhere else, but grow up and stop the BS bad mouthing of a school system that others depend on because they choose to attend.
Children only act out what their see and if you child watches you...may god bless that child's soul for he or she will grow up with hate and stupidity because someone failed to show him or her right from wrong.
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If you review the posts it's clear, posts from parents with children attending HHS are not so favorable. While the posts of friends of Administration and Teachers claim everything's ok.
Let's get back to what's important here!!
Everythings not OK. Anyone claiming so is blind. In spite of it's problems, HHS provides students with an excellent foundation for any college they desire. As well, it has a diverse student population to interact with, further enhancing social education. But Yes Virginia, there are fights! There is police activity. If anyone can find a school where there isn't...send your kid there! (and then post this "mystical place" so we can all dream with you)
I have a child currently attending HHS. I worry that his education is hampered by his fear for his safety. But, he enjoys HHS very much (so did I...class of 86) He is on the Honor Roll and has EXCELLENT teachers that I believe truly care about my childs education. As I mentioned in a previous post, last year he had a rough time with some kids. Those issues were addressed immediately by the staff and handled. It's behind us, but shouldn't be covered up!!
I also mentioned "If I could afford to send my child to a private school, I would". It would only be to improve his future education opportunities. It's like a resume, a private school would look better on college apps.
HHS is a tough place that can be very intimidating to new students. But if you go to school with a desire to learn and a support network at home, you WILL get an excellent education.
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I attended St. Joseph Regional HS in Montvale. I begged my parents to let me go to HHS. My older brothers and sister went to HHS. I always felt like I was missing something. So many of my peers developed friendships at HHS that continue to this day It's harder to get that type of social interaction at regional, private schools where students come from miles away.
I hated St. Joe's. At the time, the school was very sports oriented. Many affluent parents dumped their boys there in hope they would develop discipline. Many failed out their first or second years, lacking moral support from home. For me, St. Joes was sterile and uninteresting, especially without girls. I would have much preferred to take my chances at HHS. While I have nothing to compare it to, I would guess that HHS resembles "the real world" more than the ivory towers of private schools.
Yes, going to St. Joe's probably helped me get into a better college and I am grateful to my parents who spent hard earned money for tuition. But, for the record, my older brothers and sister went to good colleges and are successful in their respective careers, having gone to HHS. I am certain our fates were much more dependent on our parents' commitment to see that we did well academically, regardless of where we attended. In this respect, I agree with the last post.
Thank you all for your participation in the boards.
Al
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Ouch, right to the point...you are right on that one...parents need to make the difference first. Well done Steve
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HHS remains one of the best schools around.School is only what you make of it.If all of Hackensack's offices &dept's ran as well as the High School we would live in a better community.
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I hated the school sooooo much! It was bad back in the 60s and got steadily worse and worse.....send her to private school without a doubt!
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I graduated in 75 and i think the high school was the best experience i have ever had...it prepared me for the outside world, without any hesitation or fears...and i believe its what you put into that makes all the difference. I did my share of goofing off and i also have my regrets, the education was there and it was excellent and i choice not always to put out what the teachers put in to it....I believe we should all be held accountable for our actions and choices, and if we go in not wanting to learn then we will not learn and its not the systems fault, its our own.........I have daughters and both attended the school systems up until we moved and i felt they received the best education possible, and with changing times i just felt that all it took to make sure there education was the best was more effort as a parent in being there for them and getting involved....which i did...the payoff was excellent...Hackensack High and Hackensack in general is the best........and i shall be back. ;D
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It was sooooooo bad, i was forced to quit school! I got a GED....
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My father graduated in 1932. My wife & I in 1973.My oldest in
2002 & my younger son will graduate in 2006.HHS remains one
of the best schools in the area.I never had a racial problem &
neither have my children.School is like anything else, you can only
get out what you put in. HHS is a well run diversified school.Drive
by anytime, the atmosphere & mood is calmer than many area schools.The faculty & staff deserve a lot of credit.
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a follow up to my post on 2-28. today's Record reports a 16yr old
Wayne Hills student arrested for rape. I can't remember anything similiar
at HHS.
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I went to Hack High School -
And my experiences of the school were good.
I don't want to say things are better or worse now.
Frankly forgetting the Political Correctness, I think they are mostly the same.
But, I attended H HS during the supposed Race Wars.
LOL Being there -! -
I don't personally remember most of this but I have read horrible reports of my school years:
According to what I have read I should have been beaten daily.
That did not happen.
Unfortunately Bad language, cursing, rape, violence are there and always will be.
Times ebb and times flow and whether the news is good or bad, and how it is reported depends.
That said; I know parents sending their children to private schools; rapes, abuse, drugs etc...
happens,,,,,.
Tragically it happens. It doesn't matter where you go,
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Rich i too graduated in 70's i was in l975 ;D and i agree i never had any problems, i couldn't agree any more on your post....it's what you make of it....which part of hackensack did you live in???
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As a current student of HHS, Some of the comments amaze me about what some people thing about the high school. But if some were at the school today and saw the reaction to the news of Mr. DeFalco's death, you would not believe the unity... We all became one family, and I am proud to be a part of it.
Rest In Peace Mr. Joe DeFalco
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To see other posts about Joe DeFalco, go here: Joe DeFalco (http://www.hackensacknow.org/forums/index.php/topic,486.0.html).
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Latest story: Department chairman named Hackensack High principal (http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjczN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk2MDkmZmdiZWw3Zjd2cWVlRUV5eTY3MTE3MDYmeXJpcnk3ZjcxN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXkz)
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Latest story:
Hackensack grads join board (http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjcxN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXkyJmZnYmVsN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk2NzI4MzY5)
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I went to HHS in the early 80's (9/79-6/83), and I remember when I was a freshman there was a big fight between some blacks and whites. Other than that I dont remember any kind of racial tensions at the school. As for violence, it was actually quite minimal, compared to what I used to hear about towns like Paterson and Newark. In fact, in my junior and senior years we had an influx of students coming to school from Paterson schools due to the violence going on there. This was the pre-Joe Clark days. Joe Clark was the principal of one of the HS's in Paterson who inspired the movie Lean on Me starring Morgan Freeman. To the editor, you wrote that you went to St. Joe's in Montvale, while your siblings went to HHS. It's funny you mention St. Joe's because my brother went to St.Joes in Montvale. He was there on a basketball scholarship. I'm wondering if you were there the same time he was there
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Latest story: Hackensack gets new assistant principals (http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjcxN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXkyJmZnYmVsN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk2NzY4NTg2)
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Kudos to the much improved Hackensack High School Band. I had a chance to listen to them at the last three high school games and really enjoyed the halftime. For a small band, they are packing a big punch.
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Students from around the state match their wits in brain game (http://www.nj.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news-2/1142142054303950.xml?starledger?nnj&coll=1)
Gabriella Angione, 17, a junior at Hackensack High School, spent her lunch hour preparing to give a speech on the nature of time and the theory of relativity.
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Latest story: Hackensack High hosts stress seminar (http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjcxN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXkyJmZnYmVsN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk3MDUzNjUy)
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Latest story: Job swap to be learning experience (http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjcxN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk0JmZnYmVsN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk3MDY0MDEx)
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Vincent Vespole, 81; teacher of vocal music (http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjcxN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXkxMiZmZ2JlbDdmN3ZxZWVFRXl5NzA3NzA1NA==)
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Latest story: More minorities taking AP classes (http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjcxN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk0JmZnYmVsN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk3MDgwNjUz)
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This is a good change, and the Record article should have credited whoever was behind the push. My guess is that the new Principal, Mark Porto, deserves at least some of the credit. He took over after the untimely demise of Joseph DeFalco in 2005. It's very disturbing to learn that African-Americans and Latinos were steered away from Advanced Placement Courses at recently as a few years ago.
It's also well worth noting that the demographic statistics are virtually unchanged from 1995, that's 12 years ago. There are some people who believe that integration doesn't work and eventually all the white families will move away. Those people may have been right in the 1980's, but not any more. The stability of these numbers over a long time period shows that integration can and does work. And that's the future. Integration will come to every neighborhood of every city and town in Bergen County, and more and more mixed race children will enter the school system. In 30 years, Hackensack won't be as different from the rest of the County, demographically, as it is today, and there might not be any neighborhoods more than 50% of any one race.
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Latest story: Aaron: Giving students a boost on the road to college (http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjcxN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk5JmZnYmVsN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk3MjAzOTY1)
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Latest stories:
No stopping tech invasion of schools (http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjcxN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk0JmZnYmVsN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk3MjA4NjUw)
Keep electronic devices out of school (http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjcxN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk0JmZnYmVsN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk3MjA4ODU2)
PDAs great for business, not for school (http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjcxN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk0JmZnYmVsN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk3MjA4ODU0)
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Chemical fears shut 2 classrooms (http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjcxN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXkzJmZnYmVsN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk3MjIxNjkw)
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Traces of mercury found in Hackensack High School (http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjcxN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXkzJmZnYmVsN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk3MjI0MzEx)
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They should test the science classrooms on the 4th floor, especially where the floors meet the walls. Science teachers used to think it was fun to drop teaspoon of mercury on the floor and let the students see how it "runs" the the wall and "disappears" in the crack between the floor and the wall.
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Newsweek ranks Hackensack High School as one of the country's best:
The Top of the Class (http://www.newsweek.com/id/39380/?q=2008/rank/1101)
The complete list of the 1,300 top U.S. high schools
Public schools are ranked according to a ratio devised by Jay Mathews: the number of Advanced Placement, Intl. Baccalaureate and/or Cambridge tests taken by all students at a school in 2007 divided by the number of graduating seniors. All of the schools on the list have an index of at least 1.000; they are in the top 5 percent of public schools measured this way.
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Hackensack High School improves standing under federal law
Monday, December 14, 2009
BY MONSY ALVARADO
The Record
STAFF WRITER
HACKENSACK — Hackensack High School is no longer on a state list of schools in need of improvement under the federal No Child Left Behind Act. The school's state test scores met adequate yearly progress (AYP) for two consecutive years, which is required for the school to be removed from the list.
Administrators, who found out about the test scores last summer, credit several changes, including more students taking advanced placement courses and a stronger push for students to think about career goals early.
Mark Porto, the principal of the school, which serves more than 1,700 students from Hackensack, Maywood, Rochelle Park and South Hackensack, talks about some of the new programs at the school.
Q. What are some of the biggest changes that have contributed to the improvement in test scores?
I think the biggest change was a cultural change with the teachers. The teachers really committed themselves to saying to the students you have to go to college, you have to consider 21st century careers and college as your primary goal and if you are able to do that, meeting the demands for the test will come naturally. And I think that has happened.
Q. How has not tracking students at Hackensack High School helped?
The math department was the last bastion of what we call tracking. I insisted, with the staff on board, to all students that there is no reason why all students can't be doing college level algebra. Meaning algebra that will prepare them for math in college, and the students have risen to the occasion. The staff is requiring that type of work, and it's really paying off in the test scores as well. It could not have been accomplished without a complete buy in by our teachers. Our teachers have come to realize that there should be no different expectation of any students in our schools. Even our special education students, their curriculum, their resource center classes, are being modeled from the regular education classes.
Language Arts was my area, and we did the same thing in 2004-05.
Q. In the past you have said that even though the number of students taking AP courses has increased, scores on those tests have been low. Is there anything that the school is doing to try to improve those scores?
Yes, actually what we've been doing now is asking students to stay after school. We are offering practice tests, by doing sample advanced placement tests on Saturday. We've been encouraging more students to take one advanced class and more students to take fewer.
When we went from seven advanced placement classes to 26, we had a number of students taking three or four advanced placements. More students are in advanced placement, but they are taking one class as opposed to taking three or four. You will always have high achieving students who are taking four or five who want to try and improve rank to get into tough schools.
Students who you would say would never take an advanced placement … they are experimenting with, let's say, AP biology, taking one course, but the problem is that the rigor is so very challenging. Even the kids with one test, they may or may not be passing the test, so we are trying strategies.
Q. What are of the challenges in implementing some of the changes that have helped boost test scores?
The challenges we face are similar to the challenges that many urban districts with similar subpopulations face. Media stereotypes that our kids embrace — that rapping and basketball are more important careers than careers in health care and medicine, engineering, or education. Unfortunately, our students buy into these stereotypes and believe that swaggering and posturing is more important than carrying books to class. However, we are consistently battling these stereotypes that impact negatively on student achievement.
These stereotypes are also embraced by local "non-diverse" communities — our kids and HHS is thought of as a "ghetto" school, with violence and problem students. Ironically, I believe our diversity prepares HHS students for the incredibly diverse 21st century economy and workplace better than many other non-diverse high schools. And to match our diversity, we have incredibly diverse course offerings with technical education (auto shop, wood shop, metal shop, home construction courses, Web page, law, culinary arts) which equals the advanced placement offerings. So our diverse students are getting an incredibly diverse preparation for 21st century careers.
Q. Is Hackensack High School still partnering with Fairleigh Dickinson University and Bergen Community College in offering classes to students where they can earn college credit?
We are partnershipping more than ever with FDU Middle College, BCC with drop-out prevention program and GED … with Hackensack University Medical Center, and with local businesses and Rotary Club for internships and mentoring.