However, when the last week of August arrives, there is always a sense of relief in Alvarez' mind.
"I know the summer is over and the kids are going back to school," Alvarez said. "When the kids are in school, I really don't have to worry about where they are and where they're going. I know that they're cared for, that they're learning and that they're doing well. Having them in school helps because the Weehawken schools are so good."
So Alvarez can have her piece of mind back on Wednesday morning when two of her children head off to Roosevelt School and the third attends Webster School for the first day of classes.
Weehawken's approximately 1,600 students will all return to school Wednesday morning for half-day sessions through Friday. The full-day sessions for students from pre-kindergarten through grade 12 will commence Monday, Sept. 11.
Weehawken Superintendent of Schools Kevin McLellan is also breathing a sigh of relief as the new school year begins. For the first time in three years, McLellan doesn't have to worry about construction difficulties in any of the district's three schools, such as Webster (pre-K through second grade), Roosevelt (grades 3 through 6), and Weehawken High School, which houses 7th and 8th grade students as well as the high school classes.
"We don't have any major construction going on and that is a huge relief," McLellan said. "Now all the renovations are completed and we can concentrate on the educational end."
The town has receives accolades recently for its school system. For one, the district learned that all of the three schools have met the federal requirements set forth by the No Child Left Behind Act. The test scores for math and language arts in the 3rd, 8th, and 11th grades all met the national standards.
"We're thrilled about that," McLellan said. "We've been trying to insure our students to meet the requirements set by the federal government and we reached those standards."
Secondly, in the latest rankings released by New Jersey Monthly Magazine, Weehawken High School is ranked as the No. 109 high school in the state out of the 320 schools listed, which places Weehawken in the upper third in the state.
Weehawken was ranked number three among Hudson County public high schools, trailing only McNair Academic in Jersey City and Secaucus.
However, Weehawken was number one in the magazine's district factor group, which puts economic background, enrollment, and municipality population into the equation.
"It was a concerted effort by everyone to reach those standards," McLellan said. "It's a great accomplishment. We're riding high on our accolades."
There will be some additions to the programs and curriculum for Weehawken students this year, such as the "College Knowledge" course for 9th and 10th graders to help them get ready for college.
"This will help them focus on what they need to do to prepare for college," McLellan said. "They'll learn about the application process, what to look for in a letter of recommendation, dealing in more depth about writing the right essay."
McLellan said that the "College Knowledge" sessions will be part of the students' general physical education classes and will be coordinated by the school's Guidance Department.
"They have to be able to think about what it takes to go to college," McLellan said. "It's the right time to have them at least start the process. It also helps them realize that they need to join social clubs, take certain courses, get involved more. Colleges are not just looking for the bookworms anymore. They want the well-rounded student."
The high school's Technology Department has received a substantial upgrade to keep up with the advances in computers.
"We're committed to offer the advances in technology," McLellan said.
There will be an addition to the district's already advanced music programs. McLellan wants to see a district-wide spring concert involving students from all three schools, not necessarily having separate events at each school.
"The district spring concert will allow parents to see all the other levels performing," McLellan said. "We're proud of our Music Department."
"The state motto is our strong public schools," McLellan added. "We plan on being even stronger than ever this year."
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