Hoboken Charter School now has a permanent home.
After years of leasing space in the Demarest Building at Fourth and Garden streets, the school has finally purchased 713 Washington St., previously Sacred Heart Academy.
Educational Consultant Donald DePascale said the school began the $750,000 renovations process July 2010 and moved in September 2010. On August 11, they closed the deal on the building in time for the new school year, which began Monday.
DePascale called the school's quick renovation and acquisition of the building the "Miracle on Washington Street."
"For the past four or five years, owning our own building has always been on the burner," said DePascale. "In Hoboken, it's so hard to get property. We lucked out on this one."
K-8 Principal Deirdra Grode said the purchase put her mind at ease. "It's important to know we have this facility as a permanent home. Before, we didn't know how long we would be here and we had less incentive to spend money to create the environment most geared towards educating our students because we didn't know if we needed to save it to move to a new place or make renovations."
The school claims to be the first charter school in Hoboken to own their own building and pointed out that most charter schools lease their facilities.
"It's a future investment - why put money in leasing when you can own?" said DePascale. "And now, we will always have a place for our children. There is a guarantee that future generations of Hoboken Charter School students will have somewhere to go."
Both DePascale and Grode said that teachers, kids, parents and administrators feel a sense of ownership which adds to the students' experience. The pupils' school pride is incredibly important, especially in a small school with just under 300 K-12 students (the school also has a high school program which is currently still located in the Demarest Building.)
Looking around the school, the kids seem happy in their new home. They already know the building like the backs of their hands and easily move from one classroom into another. They run up to DePascale when they see him, call him "Papa" and give him hugs. The halls are fully decorated and reflect what the kids have been studying.
For example, in an art class, the kids are learning about visual narratives in art, both figurative and literal. Teacher SK Duff asks a student what the artist might be saying in a pointillist painting of a sea port with several ships that the child chose. "Maybe he likes boats?" the boy guesses.
Later, the kids study more literal narrative by creating cartouches with their names in hieroglyphics like the pharaohs did. "They all have cartouches because they're all royalty," said Duff, noting that Egyptian art can be seen all around the art room.
The school has come a long way since it was founded in 1997, but still has room to grow. The basement and top floor of the fourth-floor building still must be renovated and they currently lack an auditorium, a gymnasium and a cafeteria. Grode says, however, that they "find off-site, creative ways to have a full P.E. program" and other activities.
"We go to the parks when it's nice out and the children are bussed to the Boys and Girls Club," she said.
DePascale noted that every space is utilized in multiple ways and said he hopes to one day have a permanent gymnasium as well. "We're moving one step at a time. It could become a reality."
Until then, the free public school is doing other things to serve their diverse student body. For example, Grode and the staff recently revamped the middle school program and pushed for more cross-age activities like "Reading Buddies," theater and sports.
Grode said the school owes its successes to all the people involved.
"Everyone knows each other. The teachers, kids, parents and administration all work together," she said. "It's a very tight-knit community."