On January 12, 2024, I received a letter from one of New Jersey's Assistant Commissioners of Education for Teaching and Learning Services, Jorden Schiff. The letter informed me that the NJ Department of Education recognized the Joseph F. Brandt Elementary School as a "positive outlier" with "positive student learning outcomes" for Mathematics achievement after a statewide quantitative analysis of pre- and post-pandemic performance. As a result, the Principal of the Joseph F. Brandt Elementary School, Mr. Charles Bartlett and his staff, along with Hoboken Public School District's Mathematics Supervisor, Ms. Donna D'Acunto have been asked to participate in The Promising Practices Project, in partnership with the New Jersey State Policy Lab and a research team from the Rutgers University Joseph C. Cornwall Center for Metropolitan Studies in the upcoming months to share our best practices. Congratulations goes out to the entire Brandt School community.

On January 16, 2024, I received an email from Executive Director of the Division of Educational Services from the New Jersey Department of Education, Ms. Diana Pasculli. In this email, the Hoboken Public School District was recommended to participate based upon our students' academic performance and efficient uses of ARP ESSER funds and invited to share best practices at a state-wide roundtable on Wednesday, January 24th. Over the past few days, Assistant Superintendent Ms. Rodriguez-Gomez and I have been finalizing our presentation that will highlight technology and academic initiatives, as well as social and emotional support during and post-COVID.

Kudos goes out to our dedicated and talented teachers and administrators for their continuous hard work and unwavering belief that each day our district progresses, our students grow more and more.

Sincerely,

Christine Johnson, D.Litt.

Superintendent of Schools

Hoboken Public School District