North Bergen’s New Freshman Annex Spurs Guttenberg to Rethink High School Plan

The Guttenberg Board of Education is evaluating a possible change in high school placement for its students, following structural changes within the North Bergen School District.

Currently, Guttenberg students in grades nine through twelve attend North Bergen High School. However, the opening of a new Freshman Annex on Tonnelle Avenue (formerly the Hudson County Vocational School) has prompted the Board to reassess this arrangement. Under the new structure, the Freshman Annex will serve students in grades seven through nine, while the existing high school will accommodate only grades ten through twelve.

The Board outlined two main concerns. First, the new arrangement introduces transportation issues. “Our ninth graders, who currently walk to the high school, would now require busing to the new Tonnelle Avenue facility,” the statement read. Second, the transition would add instability to students’ educational paths. “They would instead move from Klein (eighth grade) to the Freshman Annex (ninth grade), and then to North Bergen High School (tenth–twelfth grade). This would place them in three different schools in three years.”

In response, the Board is exploring the possibility of sending Guttenberg high school students to the West New York School District. “We are commissioning an independent company to conduct a feasibility study,” the statement said. “This study will review all aspects of our current agreement with North Bergen and carefully evaluate the potential benefits and challenges of establishing a new agreement with the West New York Board of Education.”

Once the study is completed, the Board plans to hold public meetings to share findings and gather community feedback. “Ultimately, the final decision will rest with the Commissioner of Education, who will review the study and determine the best course of action for our students.”

Superintendent Jolene Mantineo and Principal Keith Petry emphasized the district’s commitment to students. “Please be assured that throughout this process our priority will remain clear: to do what is best for the students of Guttenberg.”