HUDSON COUNTY, N.J. – In an effort to continue providing quality Career and Technical Education program opportunities for Hudson County Schools of Technology high school students, County Prep High School/ATD and High Tech High School/ACTE will be coordinating to strengthen specialization of Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs across both campuses. The program enhancement is set to take effect at the beginning of the 2022-23 school year in September.
Beginning next school year, all Music Technology programs will be hosted at the Earl W. Byrd Center at County Prep High School/ATD in Jersey City. Dance and Theatre Arts/Drama students will be based out of the Frank J. Gargiulo Campus at High Tech High School/ACTE in Secaucus. This transition will ensure that students have the opportunity to pursue their focused, chosen CTE programs of study with access to a specialized academy setting with state-of-the-art facilities and a commitment to grow and progress in a sustainable way.
“As the County’s Career and Technical Education vocational school district, it is our obligation to offer a more concentrated program of study for our talented students by combining our district resources and faculty,” said HCST Superintendent Amy Lin-Rodriguez. “This specialized enhancement will ensure that all of our students and faculty have access to state-of-the-art studios, equipment, and technology. We are committed to working closely with our CTE Advisory Committees, staff, students, and their families to ensure this transition is a smooth one that minimizes disruptions while enhancing these CTE programs - benefitting our students’ overall learning experience.”
Each HCST campus offers unique career opportunities for the students within their program of study. At the Earl W. Byrd Center, CPHS/ATDs music technology wing recently underwent a significant upgrade: professionally featuring a radio broadcasting station, recording booths, instrumental music classroom, control rooms equipped with industry standard technology used by leading recording artists and engineers. The Frank J. Gargiulo Campus’ facilities include a professional black box theater, performance auditorium, musical theatre classroom, rehearsal rooms, and a 2,500 square feet dance studio equipped with sprung flooring; all including cutting edge technology. Students from across Hudson County who are pursuing careers in music, theater, drama and dance will all have access to industry-grade resources and enhanced instruction.
All Freshman, Sophomores, and Juniors will have the option to transfer to the new designated campus and continue in their current program, or remain at their current school and change programs of study. In order to make the transition as smooth as possible for students and their families, the District is offering a shared-time model across the two campuses for current Juniors, to pursue their program of study at the new campus assignment, and complete the rest of their classes where they are studying now.