In 1997, the Elysian Charter School of Hoboken, one of the earliest charter schools in New Jersey, was founded. Soon thereafter, the Friends of Elysian Charter School, a 501(c)(3) organization, was formed with the mission of raising funds that will benefit the school.
Charter School Challenges: As a charter school, Elysian has specific financial challenges. The State of New Jersey does not assist charter schools with building or maintaining school facilities (in Elysian’s case, two floors of a mixed-use building). And so, as compared with the Hoboken public schools, on average, Elysian receives 35% less funding per student. Each year there is a financial gap that needs to be filled so that Elysian has the funds needed to continue delivering educational excellence for every one of its 288 students.
Past Funding: Over the years, funds raised by the Friends of Elysian have been used for a variety of school needs, including facilities improvements; technology, arts, and science resources; school trips; athletics; and cultural events. More recently, the Friends of Elysian completed a three-year capital campaign in partnership with Elysian’s PTSO and Board of Trustees to support the school’s 2015 move to a new building and to assist with general financial stability.
Present & Future Funding: Our current focus is on supplementing the school’s facilities and operational budget — which increased with the new location — and providing additional support that is in alignment with our overall mission. Recent funding has included the installation of a state-of-the-art emergency notification system and the purchase of 64 Chromebooks, enabling each student in grades 3 to 8 to have a computer in the classroom.
We do more with less, but with your help Elysian will continue to thrive in our new home.
Thank you for your support!
Donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law and are accepted from individuals, corporations and foundations.
For more information on how you can volunteer or contribute, please contact us at friends@ecsnj.org.
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The 2022-2023 officers of the Friends of Elysian Charter School of Hoboken are:
Timothy Beringer, Chairperson
Jenifer Semenza, Treasurer
Danielle Moss, Secretary
Nick Falzon, Communications Director
Elissa Aaronson, Trustee
Jayme Rothman, Trustee
Priya Vyas, Trustee