Montclair Public Schools

The Montclair Public Schools are a comprehensive community public school district that serves students in kindergarten through twelfth grade from the Township of Montclair, in Essex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.^[3] The district consists of seven elementary schools, three middle schools and one high school.^[4]

Montclair Public Schools
Address
22 Valley Road Montclair , Essex County, New Jersey, 07042 United States
Coordinates	40.815983°N 74.221447°W / 40.815983; -74.221447
District information
Grades	PreK-12
Superintendent	Jonathan C. Ponds
Business administrator	Christina Hunt
Schools	11
Students and staff
Enrollment	6,441 (as of 2020–21)[1]
Faculty	574.3 FTEs[1]
Student–teacher ratio	11.2:1[1]
Other information
District Factor Group	I
Website	www.montclair.k12.nj.us
Ind. Per pupil District spending Rank (*) K-12 average  %± vs. average 1A Total Spending $18,805 60 $18,891 −0.5% 1 Budgetary Cost 15,257 63 14,783 3.2% 2 Classroom Instruction 9,101 68 8,763 3.9% 6 Support Services 3,210 95 2,392 34.2% 8 Administrative Cost 1,324 29 1,485 −10.8% 10 Operations & Maintenance 1,308 17 1,783 −26.6% 13 Extracurricular Activities 261 58 268 −2.6% 16 Median Teacher Salary 67,819 71 64,043 Data from NJDoE 2014 Taxpayers' Guide to Education Spending.[2] *Of K-12 districts with more than 3,500 students. Lowest spending=1; Highest=103

As of the 2020–21 school year, the district, comprising 11 schools, had an enrollment of 6,441 students and 574.3 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.2:1.^[1]

The district is classified by the New Jersey Department of Education as being in District Factor Group "I", the second-highest of eight groupings. District Factor Groups organize districts statewide to allow comparison by common socioeconomic characteristics of the local districts. From lowest socioeconomic status to highest, the categories are A, B, CD, DE, FG, GH, I and J.^[5]

Each school has a magnet theme, which becomes the focus of the school's teaching style. Students have "freedom of choice" as to which school they want to attend.^[6] School selection is not dictated based on location of residence within Montclair.^[6] When registering in the district, parents rank their school preferences from highest to lowest, with preferences given for siblings of existing students and special needs.^[7] School preferences are accommodated as long as space is available.^[6]

History

In 1948, schools were racially integrated. One teacher was black.^[8]

Awards and recognition

Board of Education

In both the 1989–90 and 1993-94 school years, Watchung School was recognized with the National Blue Ribbon Award of Excellence from the United States Department of Education, the highest honor that an American school can achieve. Hillside School was recognized as a Blue Ribbon School for the 1987-88 school year.^[9]

The district was awarded the New Jersey Governor's Award for Performance Excellence – Silver in 2005,^[10] was commended by the United States Department of Education as one of six exemplary magnet school programs in the nation,^[11] was recognized by The Wall Street Journal for its public schools, and was certified by the New Jersey Department of Education during the 2004-05 school year.

Montclair Public Schools was cited for its magnet school program, as one of six school districts nationwide selected as the focus of Innovations in Education: Creating Successful Magnet School Programs, describing those schools whose "successful magnet programs offer a range of contexts, experiences, and perspectives".^[12]

Nishuane School was named as a "Star School" by the New Jersey Department of Education, the highest honor that a New Jersey school can achieve, in the 1993-94 school year.^[13] Watchung School was also named a Star School for 1993-94.^[14]

Schools

Schools in the district (with 2021–22 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics)^[15] are:^[16][17][18]

Elementary schools

• Bradford Elementary School^[19] (389 students; in grades PreK-5, Magnet Theme: The University Magnet)
  • Frances Aboushi, principal
• Charles H. Bullock Elementary School^[20] (434; K-5, Environmental Science)
  • Nami Kuwabara, principal
• Edgemont Montessori School^[21] (237; K-5, Montessori)
  • Briony Carr-Clemente, principal
• Hillside Elementary School^[22] (489; 3-5, Gifted and Talented)
  • Samantha Anglin, principal
• Nishuane Elementary School^[23] (428; PreK-2, Gifted and Talented)
  • Frank Sedita, principal
• Northeast Elementary School^[24] (390; K-5, Global Studies)
  • Terrence Sommerville, principal
• Watchung Elementary School^[25] (400; K-5, Science and Technology)
  • Patrick Krenn, principal

Middle schools

Glenfield School

• Buzz Aldrin Middle School^[26] (662; 6-8, The STEM Magnet)
  • Major Jennings, principal
• Glenfield Middle School^[27] (665; 6-8, Visual and Performing Arts)
  • Lisa Rollins, principal
• Renaissance Middle School at the Rand Building^[28] (243; 6-8, Liberal Arts)
  • Maria Francisco Jr., principal

High school

• Montclair High School^[29] (2,034; 9-12)
  • Jeffrey A. Freeman, principal

Former schools

• Grove Street Elementary School
• Southwest Elementary School
• George Inness Middle School

Administration

Core members of the district's administration are:^[30][31]

• Jonathan C. Ponds, superintendent of schools^[32]
• Christina Hunt, board secretary and school business administrator^[33]

Board of education

The district's board of education, composed of nine members, sets policy and oversees the fiscal and educational operation of the district through its administration. As a Type II school district, the board's trustees are elected directly by voters to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with three seats up for election each year held (since 2022) as part of the November general election. The board appoints a superintendent to oversee the district's day-to-day operations and a business administrator to supervise the business functions of the district.^[34][35][36] As a Type I school district until 2021, the board had had seven trustees who had been appointed by the mayor to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either two or three members up for reappointment each year. Of the more than 600 school districts statewide, Montclair was one of 15 districts with appointed school boards.

In 2009, voters rejected a referendum proposal that would have switched the district from a Type I (appointed) to a Type II (elected) board.^[37] In a 2020 referendum, after five separate times when voters supported retaining the Type I / mayoral appointment system, voters approved the switch to a Type II / elected board by a more than two-to-one margin.^[38] The change to an elected board meant that the size of the board increased to nine seats. In a March 2022 special election, voters elected two candidates to fill those added seats that will expire in December 2023, with three seats up for election each November as part of the general election, starting in 2022.^[39]

Elementary schools gallery

• Elementary Schools
• 
  Northeast Elementary School
• 
  Bradford Elementary School
• 
  Edgemont Elementary School
• 
  Hillside Elementary School
• 
  Watchung Elementary School
• 
  Previous Rand Elementary School, now Renaissance at Rand Middle School

Middle schools gallery

• Middle Schools
• 
  Buzz Aldrin Middle School
• 
  Glenfield Middle School
• 
  Renaissance Middle School's previous building, owned by Immaculate Conception

References

1. District information for Montclair Public School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed April 1, 2020.
2. Taxpayers' Guide to Education Spending April 2013, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed April 15, 2013.
3. Montclair Board of Education District Policy 0110 - Identification, Montclair Public Schools. Accessed May 9, 2020. "Purpose: The Board of Education exists for the purpose of providing a thorough and efficient system of free public education in grades Pre-Kindergarten through twelve in the Montclair School District. Composition: The Montclair School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of Montclair."
4. About Our District, Montclair Public Schools. Accessed May 9, 2020.
5. NJ Department of Education District Factor Groups (DFG) for School Districts, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed September 15, 2014.
6. Montclair Magnet System Archived 2011-07-19 at the Wayback Machine, Montclair Public Schools. Accessed April 10, 2011.
7. Magnet School Report: Excerpt from Report Describing Montclair System Archived 2006-10-09 at the Wayback Machine, Montclair Public Schools. Accessed December 26, 2006.
8. Jensen, Noma (Winter 1948). "A Survey of Segregation Practices in the New Jersey School System". The Journal of Negro Education. 17 (1). Journal of Negro Education: 84–88. JSTOR 2966093. - CITED: p. 86.
9. Blue Ribbon Schools Program: Schools Recognized 1982-1983 through 1999-2002 (PDF), United States Department of Education. Accessed May 9, 2020.
10. Aleman, Lillian M. "School district recognized for quality; Montclair receives third honor for performance excellence", The Montclair Times, April 28, 2005. Accessed May 3, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "The Montclair School District can add another notch to its belt of success. After it volunteered for a lengthy performance review in February, the district was named a recipient of the Governor's Award for Performance Excellence.... This isn't the first time the district has been awarded an honor by QNJ. Montclair was presented Bronze ratings in 2001, the first time a school district received a QNJ honor, and in 2002. This time around, Montclair's level of achievement rose to a Silver rating."
11. Innovations in Education: Creating Successful Magnet School Programs - Montclair Public Schools, United States Department of Education, updated August 8, 2006. Accessed May 3, 2021.
12. Work With Parents & The Community - Innovations in Education: Creating Successful Magnet School Programs, accessed December 26, 2006.
13. Star School Award recipient detail, New Jersey Department of Education, Archived December 18, 2006. Accessed November 25, 2009.
14. Star School Award recipient detail, New Jersey Department of Education, Archived December 18, 2006. Accessed November 25, 2009.
15. "Search for Public Schools - Search Results". nces.ed.gov. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
16. School Feeder Pattern, Montclair Public Schools. Accessed May 9, 2020.
17. School Performance Reports for the Montclair Public Schools, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed April 3, 2024.
18. New Jersey School Directory for the Montclair Public Schools, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024.
19. Bradford Elementary School, Montclair Public Schools. Accessed February 26, 2014.
20. Charles H. Bullock Elementary School, Montclair Public Schools. Accessed February 26, 2014.
21. Edgemont Montessori School, Montclair Public Schools. Accessed February 26, 2014.
22. Hillside Elementary School, Montclair Public Schools. Accessed February 26, 2014.
23. Nishuane Elementary School, Montclair Public Schools. Accessed February 26, 2014.
24. Northeast Elementary School, Montclair Public Schools. Accessed February 26, 2014.
25. Watchung Elementary School, Montclair Public Schools. Accessed February 26, 2014.
26. Buzz Aldrin Middle School, Montclair Public Schools. Accessed February 26, 2014.
27. Glenfield Middle School, Montclair Public Schools. Accessed February 26, 2014.
28. Renaissance Middle School at the Rand Building, Montclair Public Schools. Accessed February 26, 2014.
29. Montclair High School, Montclair Public Schools. Accessed February 26, 2014.
30. New Jersey School Directory for Essex County, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024.
31. "Central Office Who's Who". www.montclair.k12.nj.us. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
32. "Superintendent". www.montclair.k12.nj.us. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
33. "Business Office". www.montclair.k12.nj.us. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
34. New Jersey Boards of Education by District Election Types - 2018 School Election, New Jersey Department of Education, updated February 16, 2018. Accessed January 26, 2020.
35. Annual Comprehensive Financial Report for the Montclair Public Schools, New Jersey Department of Education, for year ending June 30, 2023. Accessed April 20, 2024. "With the change from a Type I school district to a Type II school district, also comes changes to the funding of capital projects for the school district.... With the change to a Type II school district, the Montclair Public Schools will need to prepare a referendum question for the voters of Montclair to vote on during the election cycle to have capital projects approved and then the school district would assume the debt for such funding.... The Board is an instrumentality of the State of New Jersey, established to function as an educational institution. The Board consists of elected officials and is responsible for the fiscal control of the District. A superintendent is appointed by the Board and is responsible for the administrative control of the District." See "Roster of Officials" on page 12.
36. Board of Education, Montclair Public Schools. Accessed May 9, 2020. "The Montclair Board of Education consists of seven volunteers from the community who are appointed by the Mayor (see below)."
37. Roll, Erin. "Montclair Parents Debate Appointed Vs. Elected School Board", Montclair Local, April 4, 2019. Accessed May 9, 2020. "Montclair is one of 11 school districts in New Jersey in which the board of education is appointed by the mayor, rather than elected. And a debate is ensuing among some Montclair residents over whether Montclair should stick with an appointed board, or switch to an elected board.... As of 2018, Montclair was one of only 11 Type I school districts in New Jersey. The other 10 are Ventnor, Port Republic, Rockleigh, Pine Valley, East Orange, East Newark, Union City, Harrison, Trenton and Summit.... In 2009, Montclair had a debate over whether to continue with an appointed board or switch to an elected board. The question was put to a vote in October of that year. Voters opted to continue with an appointed board."
38. Hochman, Louis C.; Wiener, Talia; and Winters, Jaimie, Julia. "In overwhelming vote, Montclair chooses to have an elected school board", Montclair Local, November 2, 2021. Accessed April 11, 2022. "The referendum question before voters Tuesday (and in the weeks leading up to it, through early voting and mail-in balloting) was the latest version of a proposal Montclairians rejected five times since the 1960s. When Montclair last put a referendum question on a change to an elected board before voters in 2009, the question was defeated 57% to 43%.... In unofficial results reported by the Essex County Clerk's office around 11:30 p.m. on Election Night, 8,187 backed the change to a Type II school system with an elected board — 70.69% of the vote tallied to that point. Just 3,394 voted to keep the current Type I system with a mayor-appointed board."
39. Martin, Julia. "In historic vote, Montclair elects two new school board members", The Record, March 8, 2022. Accessed April 11, 2022. "During the special election, voters chose two new board members from among nine candidates for a one-year and a nine-month term. Beginning this fall, they will choose three new members every year during November elections."

External links

• Montclair Public Schools
• School Performance Reports for the Montclair Public Schools, New Jersey Department of Education
• School Data for the Montclair Public Schools, National Center for Education Statistics