Students will be able to apply to 2 new schools for Sept. 2018
By Lixangelys Ruiz ‘20
The first time that I had heard about the changes occuring for students in Passaic in the upcoming school year was when I overheard the student council president, Diana Tiburcio, talking to my friend about it in the school library.
I did not think much of it, and quickly dismissed it because I believed that these changes would not happen at all. I just thought they were rumors. The next day in my pre-calculus class, my teacher, Mrs. Savinskaya, started talking about how our high school will be split into three schools.
That is when I began to ask my teachers about it and then shortly after, we got letters in the mail about the changes. For a while, many people, including teachers, were confused about the new educational plan. Even now, many people do not have a clear understanding of the changes that will take place in the Passaic educational system. This is what is going to happen next year:
The following schools are going to be serving students Kindergarten-Grade 8.
● School 1
● School 2
● School 9
● School 3
● School 5 (and School 5 annex)
● School 6
● School 7
● School 19
● School 8 (and School 8 annex)
● School 10 (and School 10 annex)
● School 11
The following schools will become early childhood centers:
● School 15 (and School 15 annex)
● School 16
The Redesign of Passaic High School: (see graphic below)
• Each school will have its own Principal and Assistant Principals
• Students can apply to all three schools. Board rules will decide which students are selected into which schools.
• A “High School Selection Brochure” will be provided for students and our community
• All three schools have AP and Dual Enrollment classes
• Students will have the option of having 10 periods of classes in each school
• Bilingual and Special Education classes will be offered at each of the three schools
The PHS Marching Band and Athletics:
• Will perform and compete under the Passaic High School banner
Clubs and Programs:
• Each school will have its own choir
• Each school will have its own play/ theatre program
Here is what YOU can do to be involved:
● Talk with the student council. They usually meet each week on Tuesdays, after school.
● Here is what the student council president, “Tibs,” had to say: “We’re anticipating good results from this change because Passaic kids have always seemed to adapt to changes that come our way, and that the student council will tell everyone the latest news once we have that meeting.”
● The student council e-board is going to have a meeting about the next year’s plan. Ask them about it. Be involved!
●Ask staff members. They are here to help you and answer questions, or to help you find the answer to your questions as well.
Here are some opinions from some of our teachers!
Mr. Meltzer (Interact Club Advisor and geometry teacher):
“Club Interact is a small but mighty club that serves the youth of our community through our visits to #3 school. Next year I would like to be able to work with students from each of the three high schools. I do not know how clubs will operate next year. Perhaps we will have co-advisors and/or assistant advisors in each school.”
Mrs. Benedetti (English teacher):
“I am very excited about the upcoming changes for the Passaic School District. I feel as though the changes will provide more opportunities for students to earn college credits and certifications in a field of study that interests them. Also, students will be able to gain experience and determine if they wish to pursue a particular concentration as a career or as a major in college. All of these factors will better prepare students for the increased competition in the workforce and in college admissions.”
Ms. Huze (History teacher):
“I believe that the changes for next year are positive. I have heard others say negative comments about these changes but I believe they are fueled by apprehension about change overall. PHS is overcrowded and creating two new schools will alleviate this problem. Class sizes will decrease enabling more personalized student support, encouraging more student successes. Each school will focus on different pathways, which will support students’ strengths while still meeting the standard course requirements for the state. We are living in a constantly evolving world and in order to meet its demands we must prepare at an earlier age. We no longer have the leisure of waiting until our third year of college to choose a possible direction for our lives. By choosing a pathway in middle or high school students are prepared earlier for our high demanding society. Even if students ultimately change their minds, having direction is preparation in and of itself. I am excited about these changes. I will be affected in several ways– I may move buildings or be required to teach different courses – but I will embrace these changes and use them to help me be a better teacher for the students of my hometown, Passaic.”
Here are some opinions from some students:
● “I believe that the plans for the school system that will begin next year are unorganized. Students are not given any information on how the system will work and what programs are available to them. Where will AP classes take place? What are the graduation requirements? How many credits are needed to graduate? What are the school hours? What grade levels are available in each school? The answer to the questions are still unclear and there are few months until students have to decide which school they will apply to.
“I believe that the opinions of students were not at all considered in this decision. In fact, most students are upset at this new school system. This has ultimately caused confusion for the students as to how the high schools will function. As a student, this new system will create a couple of obstacles because I will not be able to participate in certain activities that I am interested in because they will be in other schools. Additionally, this will limit students to studying only one career field, rather than exposing them to multiple options. Overall, I believe this system limits the students’ learning experiences.”
– Madeline Urena
● “I believe that the plans for next year will ultimately lead Passaic on the right path to achieving the Vision, Mission, and Focus of Passaic which is ‘Passaic Public Schools will become the best urban school system in New Jersey. Passaic Public Schools will provide an excellent education that prepares our students for college and to earn high paying jobs. Passaic Public Schools will provide all students the opportunity to graduate high school with a career certification and/or a minimum of 15 college credits.’ With these new academies opening up, one geared towards stem which is Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, and the other for the Arts, I feel that we are progressing. With the opening of these two schools of course the original Passaic High School hallways will be less crowded. As a PHS student this is something I am extremely happy about. Nobody likes getting pushed in those hallways when you’re trying to get to class, am I right? But there still is the question about AP courses. Will the same AP courses that are offered in the original building travel with the people that do decide to go to the academy? How will the classes be structured? What grades will this school be offered to? The schools I believe are a very good idea but very limited and students are torn between what to do. For example you want to go to the Arts academy but you are in ROTC and that stays in the main building. You’re making the student decide between these two things they like. But overall I am extremely happy to see the progression of the Passaic Public Schools System and when I am a senior I can’t wait to see what awaits that round of freshmen.”
– Elisa Matos
After reading these opinions…How do you feel? What are some questions that you have? Think about which school is best for you and how to make the best of it. Talk about it, think about it.
Common questions that we all most likely have:
• How will clubs work next year?
• Will there be three separate classes graduating each year, or will the students that graduate in the same year from each school, be considered one class?
• How will clubs such as National Honors Society work next year? Will each school have an NHS club?
• Will each of the three schools have the same clubs?
• Will the class of 2019 (juniors in 2018) have to stay in Passaic High School? (This has been a popular statement that many have heard)
• Will the graduation requirements be the same for each high school?
Advice and Conclusion:
I advise all high school students to begin thinking about which school they would like to attend. Go where YOU want to go, and don’t let anyone else make the choice for you. If you do not like the changes, or agree with them, try to see how these changes can benefit you and how you can work around the things you do not like. I will admit, that I did not like the new plan in the beginning. However, after doing more research on it, I realized that it was not so bad.
Make sure that you stay informed and updated about possible new information. Ask your peers that are in the student council, teachers, your principals, etc. I believe that they should try their best to keep us informed as well to avoid confusion (I suggest an assembly/presentation for students and parents). However, don’t stress! Just simply think about which option is best for you and go with the flow.
Many people have faith in this plan, including the Board of Education’s Vice President, Peter T. Rosario. He stated, “As the parent of a graduate of Passaic High School, I have been vocal in my belief that our students will succeed if we, as a City and a Board of Education, make the right decisions. This is a true transformation of our school system that will place our students on the right path toward success in their college and career choices after high school.”
All of our questions will be answered in time, and maybe the changes will not be so drastic after all. On the bright side, Passaic High School will no longer be extremely crowded. I do admit that I will miss the crowded halls of Passaic High.
This graphic shows how students will be placed in one of three locations for next school year, depending on their interests and their future goals. (Hilltop Star graphic)
Sources and where the plan comes from:
The plan for next year is called, “Becoming the Best”
The plan for the changes was approved by the Board of Education on November 20, 2017. The Board of Education has provided resources about the plan on the Passaic Public Schools Website, but most people (including myself) were not aware of it! Be sure to check it out! Find out more on the Passaic Public Schools website (Check out the “Celebrating our Success, Planning our Future” pdf. Here you will be able to examine our academic statistics and more.
