Elysian Charter School of Hoboken

What Elysian Charter School of Hoboken does

Elysian Charter School of Hoboken is a free, public K-8 charter school located at 1460 Garden Street in Hoboken, New Jersey. Founded in 1997 by the Mile Square Families parent collective, it was one of New Jersey's first 13 charter schools and currently enrolls approximately 288 students served by 51-100 staff. The school delivers education through a workshop-model pedagogy with small class sizes, individualized support, and arts integration, using Orton-Gillingham/IMSE for literacy, Bridges and enVision for mathematics, FOSS for science, and a Specials program covering music, art, dance, Spanish, and physical education. Middle school students additionally participate in a Seminar Program offering elective topics led by internal staff and outside professionals.

The school's revenue model rests on three streams: state per-pupil funding (noted as approximately 35% below Hoboken district school levels), private fundraising through the Friends of Elysian 501(c)(3) parent organization (Annual Party & Auction, Annual Appeal), and modest auxiliary program fees covering before/after-school care, meals, and enrichment clubs. Admissions are managed through a lottery system with preference for siblings, in-district Hoboken applicants, and a weighted lottery for qualifying low-income families. The school is governed by an elected Board of Trustees composed of parents and community members, and was ranked #1 K-5 school in Hoboken and a top 50 New Jersey Elementary School by U.S. News & World Report in 2026.

The institution is led by Executive Director Shana Wright (joined July 1, 2026), who succeeded prior leadership alongside Director Susan Grierson and Director of Operations Suzanne Heyman. Technology infrastructure is limited to standard education-sector tools (Lotterease for admissions, PaySchools Central for payments, Google Workspace, Zoom) with no disclosed AI, proprietary platform, or technology product of meaningful differentiation. The school's competitive position is anchored by its charter license, community-financing ecosystem, and brand recognition rather than technology or scale.

Name

Elysian Charter School of Hoboken

Legal name

Elysian Charter School of Hoboken

Website

https://ecsnj.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Elysian Charter School of Hoboken is a free public K-8 charter school founded in 1997, enrolling approximately 288 students in Hoboken, NJ. It operates a workshop-model, arts-integrated curriculum funded through state per-pupil aid, parent-led fundraising, and auxiliary program fees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-8 Charter School Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (61111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Independent Charter Schools (Single-Site) (EDAJACAB)

Keywords

• K-8 public charter school
• Elementary education programs
• Arts-integrated curriculum
• Before and after school care
• Lottery-based school admissions

Headquarters

HQ city

Hoboken

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Per-Pupil State Funding: As a public charter school, Elysian receives state per-pupil funding, though at approximately 35% less than Hoboken district schools. This funding gap must be bridged through private support.
2. Friends of Elysian Fundraising: Parent-led 501(c)(3) organization established in 1997 that raises funds through Annual Party & Auction, Annual Appeal, and social gatherings to support the school financially. Supports facilities improvements, technology, arts, school trips, athletics, and cultural events.
3. Auxiliary Program Fees: Fees for before/after school programs including Early Bird Drop-Off ($7 daily), Eagle's Nest After School ($25 daily), and after school clubs with available scholarships. Also includes breakfast ($3.75) and lunch ($4.75) program fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Elysian Charter School is a free public charter school providing K-8 education to approximately 288 students in Hoboken, NJ. Core offerings include kindergarten, elementary (grades 1-4), and middle school (grades 5-8) academic programs using a workshop-model instructional approach, plus a Specials program (Music, Art, Dance, Spanish, PE), auxiliary before/after care, meal programs, athletics, and enrichment clubs. The school's primary product is publicly-funded classroom instruction delivered through lottery-based admissions.

Product overview

Elysian Charter School of Hoboken is a free public charter school serving kindergarten through 8th grade with approximately 288 students. The school operates as a unified educational program featuring core academic programs (Elementary grades K-4 using workshop-based learning with Bridges/enVision math, and Middle School grades 5-8 with content-specific classrooms), a Specials program (Music, Art, PE, Spanish, Creative Movement), and supplementary programs including the Breakfast/Lunch meal program, Early Bird before-school care, Eagle's Nest after-school care, Sports, After School Enrichment Clubs, Musical Theater, Seminar Program for middle school, and Hoboken Heroes community service. The school is governed by a Board of Trustees and supported by the Friends of Elysian 501(c)(3) parent organization.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Friends of Elysian Charter School: Parent-led, volunteer-run 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to raising funds to support the school since 1997

Products and services

• Kindergarten Program Foundational early childhood education program using play-based learning, hands-on exploration, and the workshop framework. Introduces literacy, math, social studies, and science through guided mini-lessons and collaborative activities for incoming K students and their families.
• Elementary Program (Grades 1-4) Elementary education program for grades 1-4 emphasizing the workshop model for literacy and math (Bridges/enVision programs), science, social studies, and social-emotional learning. Each grade builds on prior skills with increasing independence and complexity.
• Middle School Program (Grades 5-8) Upper-grade program for grades 5-8 with content-specific classrooms and teacher cohorts. Includes Language Arts Literacy, Mathematics (enVision), Science (FOSS/Liberty Science Center), and Social Studies, plus a Seminar Program for grades 7-8.
• Specials Program Specialist-taught enrichment subjects including Music, Art, Dance, Spanish, and Physical Education. Integrated into academic learning with student showcases through performances and exhibits throughout the year.
• Breakfast and Lunch Program Federally-funded meal program (NSLP and SBP) providing nutritious breakfast and lunch daily. Includes free and reduced-price meal options, pre-ordering through PaySchools Central, with grab-and-go breakfast served 8:00-8:20 a.m. Full price breakfast: $3.75; full price lunch: $4.75.
• Early Bird Drop-Off Program Before-school care program offering supervised table games and gym play from 7:30 a.m. until 8:20 a.m. daily. Daily drop-in rate of $7 with $5 sibling rate; 50% discount for reduced-price lunch families; no charge for free lunch families.
• Eagle's Nest After School Program After-school care providing nurturing environment with monthly themes, art and STEM activities, outdoor play, free exploration, and homework assistance. Students grouped by grade with daily drop-in rate of $25 ($15 for siblings).
• Sports Program Athletic program complementing classroom learning through basketball, track and field, flag football, and volleyball. Teaches sport principles/rules, enhances skills, and encourages sportsmanship and teamwork.
• After School Enrichment Clubs Three-session per year enrichment program (Fall, Winter, Spring) offering clubs including fencing, ping pong, debate, cooking, Mad Science, jewelry making, sewing, animals, rock climbing, and chess. Each session runs 8 weeks, with scholarships available to ensure all students can participate.
• Musical Theater Program Theater program producing two plays per year where students engage in acting, costuming, set design, stage management, singing, and dancing. Includes a school chorus performing at events throughout the year.
• Seminar Program Dynamic program for grades 7-8 with one seminar period daily, four days per week. Students choose topics of interest from offerings led by Elysian staff and outside professionals including artists, designers, and college students.
• Hoboken Heroes Community Service Voluntary community service group for grades 7-8 meeting twice monthly to engage in Hoboken community projects including toilet paper drives, gift bag creation for children's hospitals, and Toys for Tots collections.

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Friends of Elysian Charter SchoolcoreOthersParent-led, volunteer-run 501(c)(3) organization established in 1997 to raise funds supporting the school. Helps bridge the funding gap of 35% less per student than Hoboken district schools. Supports facilities improvements, technology, arts, school trips, athletics, and cultural events through events such as the Annual Party & Auction and Annual Appeal.
• PaySchools CentralcoreTechnology or IntegrationPayment portal used by Elysian for managing school-related transactions including lunch orders, field trips, before-and-after school programs, clubs, and free/reduced meal applications.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Hoboken Dual Language Charter School: Public K-8 dual-language charter school also located in Hoboken, NJ. Direct geographic and structural peer competing for the same Hoboken-area families through a similar lottery-based admission model and arts/integrated curriculum.

Regional players

• Jersey City Community Charter School: K-8 public charter school serving Jersey City, NJ families — adjacent Hudson County market. Operates a similar lottery-based admissions model, arts-and-SEL integrated curriculum, and parent fundraising arm to bridge NJ's per-pupil funding gap.
• Learning Community Charter School: New Jersey K-8 public charter school with a project-based, arts-integrated curriculum. Comparable single-site model serving a similar NJ urban-suburban family segment with lottery-based enrollment.
• Princeton Charter School: Long-standing NJ K-8 public charter school. Comparable single-site, lottery-driven NJ charter serving families seeking an alternative to district schools with a strong arts and project-based orientation.
• Robert Treat Academy Charter School: K-8 public charter school based in Newark, NJ. Comparable single-network NJ charter operator using lottery admissions and enrichment programming to serve a similar urban-family demographic.
• Foundation Academy Charter School: Trenton, NJ-based K-12 public charter school. Comparable New Jersey charter operator with lottery-based enrollment, arts and character-education focus, and parent-driven fundraising to supplement per-pupil funding.

Broad incumbents

• North Star Academy Charter School (Uncommon Schools Newark): Operated by Uncommon Schools, North Star Academy is a multi-campus NJ charter network serving Newark students. Comparable NJ public-charter operator with similar lottery admissions and a college-prep, extended-day model serving lower-income families.
• KIPP New Jersey: Multi-campus K-12 charter network operating across Newark and other NJ cities. Comparable public-charter operator with weighted lottery admissions, extended day, and an explicit mission around college readiness for low-income families.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/elysiancharter

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Elysian Charter School of Hoboken