West Orange Board of Education: Shaping Education in a Diverse Community
The West Orange Board of Education plays a vital role in shaping the educational landscape of West Orange, New Jersey. This article explores the district's mission, structure, financial aspects, and commitment to providing a comprehensive education to its diverse student body.
A Legacy of Education
The West Orange Public School District has a rich history, educating students since 1895 with the opening of the historic Washington Elementary School. Today, the district consists of 12 schools, serving approximately 6,700 students from Pre-K through 12th grade.
Mission and Purpose
The Board of Education exists to provide a thorough and efficient system of free public education in grades Pre-Kindergarten through twelve in the West Orange School District. The district is committed to fostering a culturally responsive staff and prides itself on the diversity of its student body.
Governance and Structure
The West Orange Board of Education is comprised of five members elected directly by voters to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis. Elections are held as part of the November general election. As a Type II school district, the board sets policy and oversees the fiscal and educational operation of the district through its administration.
The Board of Education (the 'Board' or the 'District') is an instrumentality of the State of New Jersey, established to function as an education institution and is responsible for the fiscal control of the District.
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Schools
West Orange Public Schools operates 12 schools. These include:
- Betty Maddalena Early Learning Center
- Gregory Elementary School
- Hazel Avenue Elementary School
- Kelly Elementary School
- Mount Pleasant Elementary School
- Redwood Elementary School
- St. Cloud Elementary School
- Washington Elementary School
- Thomas A. Edison Middle School
- Liberty Middle School
- Roosevelt Middle School
- West Orange High School
Financial Overview
The West Orange Board of Education is responsible for the fiscal control of the district. A look at past spending provides insight into the district's priorities:
| Category | Amount |
|---|---|
| Total Spending | $22,317 |
| Budgetary Cost | $16,188 |
| Classroom Instruction | $10,664 |
| Support Services | $2,011 |
| Administrative Cost | $1,583 |
| Operations & Maintenance | $1,605 |
| Extracurricular Activities | $260 |
| Median Teacher Salary | $82,623 |
These figures are based on data from the NJDoE Taxpayers' Guide to Education Spending.
District Factor Group
The district is classified by the New Jersey Department of Education as being in District Factor Group "GH", the third-highest of eight groupings. District Factor Groups organize districts statewide to allow comparison by common socioeconomic characteristics of the local districts.
Curriculum and Instruction
The West Orange Board of Education emphasizes educating the ‘whole’ child, and each ‘individual’ student with an educational program tailored to meet each student’s needs.
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Extracurricular Activities and Programs
The West Orange school district provides hundreds of extracurricular activities and clubs, after school programs and sports programs. The West Orange Board of Education is committed to a strong cultural arts program. Physical fitness and health awareness remains an important focus for the West Orange Board of Education. Health and Physical Education programs are mandatory for every student in all grades. Nutrition and wellness programs are a district priority integrated through a nutrition-conscious food service with healthy lunches and snacks served in every school. The athletic program offers a broad range of award winning sports programs that prepare each student athlete for excellence.
Commitment to Excellence
The Public Schools of West Orange provide each resident family with an extraordinary educational value. The district has received recognition as a "Best Communities for Music Education" by the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM).
A Look Back at Former School Locations
The evolution of school buildings in West Orange reflects the changing needs of the community. Three schools once occupied the same location on Gaston Street. The first was the original West Orange High School, built in 1898. It burned down in 1913, was rebuilt, and linked by a shared auditorium to Fairmount Avenue Elementary School. In 1922, when a new high school was constructed on Northfield Avenue (now Seton Hall Prep), the old high school was transformed into Gaston Street Junior High School.
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