NJ Schools to Watch – “Reboot”!

After briefly suspending activities because of the pandemic, Schools to Watch is back in action and better than ever!  The New Jersey Department of Education has rejoined forces as a partner through the Office of Career Readiness. David McNair returns as a liaison to NJ Schools to Watch.  We look forward to learning more about expanded opportunities for middle grade schools through the Perkins Act for Career and Technical Education. We welcome our NJDOE returning partner and its participation in the NJ Schools to Watch Program.

Applications for school year 2021-2022 will be accepted through November 1, 2021, and the criteria to become a NJ School to Watch are still the same.  We are continuing to look for schools that are on a trajectory of improvement and can demonstrate best practices in the following key areas:

• Academic Excellence
• Developmental Responsiveness
• Social Equity
• Organizational Leadership. 

Schools do not need to be “the best,” but they need to show continuous improvement, the use of best practices, and an ability to overcome unique challenges.  It is especially exciting for us to see applications from schools that face difficult circumstances, even low academic scores, but that are nonetheless schools that have found creative ways to address these challenges while demonstrating  significant progress.

The Schools to Watch criteria and application process can be found on our website:  njschoolstowatch.org.  For questions about your school’s readiness, please email the Directors of NJSTW at:  schoolstowatch@njamle.org.

NJSTW Information Sessions (virtual) will be offered on the following days:

May 13, May 24, July 15 and July 22, all at 3:30 pm.  

 Register for NJSTW Information Sessions

NJ Schools to Watch for 2020:

Edison Central Six Middle School, West Orange, NJ, Principal: Xavier Fitzgerald 

George Washington Middle School,  Wayne, NJ, Principal: Jack Leonard

The following schools are redesignated:

Black River Middle School, Chester, NJ, Principal: Andrew  White (Redesignation III)

Carl H. Kumpf Middle School,  Clark, NJ, Principal: Richard Delmonaco (Redesignation II)

William Annin Middle School, Basking Ridge, NJ, Principal: Karen Huddock  (Redesignation I)

Spotlight School:

Roosevelt Middle School, West Orange, NJ, Principal:  Lionel Hush