Westfield NJ Schools

by Jackie on January 5, 2012

WESTFIELD, NJ, SCHOOLS

The Mission of the Westfield Public School District is “A system built on successful cooperation among family, school and community, to prepare all students to reach their highest potential and to become productive, ethical and responsible citizens, through rigorous educational programs, that respect individual differences and diversity.”

The Westfield NJ School System is known for its excellent Public School System.  Over 90% of recent graduates of Westfield High School continue their education with over 80% entering four-year colleges.  Average SAT scores of Westfield’s High School students are well above State and National levels in both Verbal and Mathematics categories.


Elementary Schools are on both the North and South sides of Westfield.  There are two Intermediate schools, one on each side of Westfield and Westfield High School is on the south side of town, close to the town center.

A  Washington Elementary, 900 St. Marks Avenue

B  Wilson Elementary, 301 Linden Avenue

C  Franklin Elementary, 700 Prospect Avenue

D  McKinley Elementary, 500 First Street

E  Lincoln School, Early Childhood Learning Center, 728 Westfield Avenue

F  Tamaques Elementary, 641 Willow Grove Road

G  Jefferson Elementary, 1200 Boulevard

H  Roosevelt Intermediate, 301 Clark Street

I   Edison Intermediate, 800 Rahway Avenue

J  Westfield HIgh School, 550 Dorian Road

The following is a little information regarding each school:

Washington Elementary School

This school has an average number of students of 360 and a student-to-teacher ration of 1:13.5.  It is open to Grade Levels 1 to 5. It features an auditorium/stage, infirmary and library.  There is a very active parent/teacher organization that works on a variety of programs.   The programs have included bringing in authors and writers to work with the students and coordinate a program having student-written plays performed by a  youth group,  Parents also volunteer to provide art enrichment, a school store and an after-school chess club for the students.

Wilson Elementary School

Wilson Elementary has an average number of students as 552 and a student-to-teacher ratio of 1:14.2.  It is open to Grade Levels of 1 to 5.  It features an auditorium/stage, infirmary and library.  The school has a “Sharing and Caring Program” which raises money for needy Westfield families.  There is also a student postal service to help improve students’ writing skills.  The very active parent/teacher organization is involved in many activities, including the book fair, cultural assemblies, pizza and bagel day, a beautification committee, author day and writers in residence.

Franklin Elementary School

Franklin Elementary is a very busy school that keeps its students hopping!  The average number of students runs around 629 with a 1:13.6 student-to-teacher ratio.  It caters to Grade Levels 1 through 5.  The school prides itself on maintaining an outdoor garden where the Habitat Club plant shrubs, vegetables, herbs and flowers that are studied by all the students.  There is also a character education program and volunteer service opportunities for students.  These include the “Two Lunch Tuesday” program which has the families of Franklin School donating meals to the needy.  All classrooms in 3rd to 5th Grades have interactive white boards designed to incorporate technology into the classroom.  There is also an active Student Council and a Student Newspaper.  Added to all of this the parent/teacher organization also runs a book fair, the annual Pumpkin Fair, the school store and cultural assemblies.

McKinley Elementary School

McKinley Elementary School has a average student population of 364 which translates into a student-to-teacher ratio of 1:12.1.  It’s an elementary school for Grades 1 through 5.  They also offer Special Education.  McKinley is known for a commitment to community service which includes students who are working with the Rotary Club to assist a Head Start program in East Harlem.  The parent/teacher organization includes volunteers in classrooms, library and evening programs, including a Family Reading Night and other fundraisers.  The school features an auditorium/stage, infirmary and library.

Lincoln School, Early Childhood Learning Center

The Lincoln School is home to the Westfield School District’s pre-K and Kindergarten programs.  This is where the children of Westfield start their public school experience and the program is town-wide.  They then graduate to the 6 public elementary schools located throughout the  town.  There are two sessions:  mornings from 9:05 to 11:40 and afternoon session from 12:45 to 3:20.

Tamaques Elementary School

Tamaques Elementary has an average student population of 438 which translates into a student-to-teacher ratio of 1:14.5.  It caters to the Grades 1 to 5 and offers special education.  This school is very technology oriented and offers fully networked computers and multimedia capabilities in the library.  The school also is active with community service programs throughout the town and 5th Graders coordinate school recycling programs and also serve as “recess buddies” for 1st Graders.  An active parents/teacher organization plans Math Night, Family Fun Night and food-free in-school birthday parties to promote healthy diets.  They also hold weekly town halls with the school principal.

Jefferson Elementary School

Jefferson Elementary School has an average student population of 451, equating into a student-to-teacher-ratio of 1:12.4. It caters to Grades 1 to 5 and offers special education.  Since 2006, the school has been very aware of environmental matters.  This has included both lessons and field trips designed to teach the children appreciation of natural resources.  The school also collects lunches for the Elizabeth Homeless Coalition.  The parent-teacher organization is very active with 290 parents having been listed on the Parent Honor Roll.

Roosevelt Intermediate School

Roosevelt is located on the north side of Westfield and has an average student population of 758, equating into a student-to-teacher ratio of 1:12.6.  The school offers many extracurricular programs including a peer leadership program, anti-bullying workshops, etc.  The Teddy Roosevelt Scholars Program facilitates students to carry out independent study projects and there are many recognition programs, including an honor roll breakfast, Rough Rider Awards and Praise from the Principal Awards. There are also an array of  student clubs covering everything from the arts to athletics to the sciences.

Edison Intermediate School

Edison is the south side’s intermediate school.  The school has an average student population of 766, equating to a 1:11.6 student-to-teacher ratio.  The school promotes the increased use of technology in the classroom, along with fine arts and community service.  The Student Council is active in raising money and the Peer Leadership Program is recognized as a model for the State of New Jersey.  There are numerous recognition programs such as the Edison Sparks Award, the Edison Attitude Award and the Honor Roll.  Extracurricular activities include an outstanding student newspaper and there are many student clubs.

Westfield High School

Westfield High School is located on the south side of town and serves the entire 9th to 12th Grade population in Westfield.  There are approximately 1,800 students and the teacher-to-student ratio is 1:11.6.  The school offers over 170 courses in college prep and has over 80 clubs.  Fifty percent of the students take Advanced Placement classes and 68% take honors classes.  In the class of 2009, there were six National Merit Semi-Finalists. Westfield High School constantly appears in lists of the Top 50 Schools in New Jersey.  The Westfield High School students produce a number of different publications, including the weekly Hi’s Eye student newspaper (and monthly Iris Entertainment section), which has gained national recognition for more than thirty years. It is the only non-censored, self-funded high school newspaper in New Jersey. Since 1983, Westfield High School students have operated a public-access cable TV station producing award-winning live and single-camera productions.  Westfield High School has 27 varsity athletic teams, many of which are of championship level.  The school offers numerous clubs and organization which cater to students’ interests across the board.

 

For those who are interested in Private School Education or religious schools, there are plenty of choices:

Pre-Schools:

Westfield YMCA Children’s Center

Westfield Day Care Center.

St Paul’s Day School

Kinderprep

Precious People Early Learning

Christopher Academy Montessori

Cradle to Crayons Learning Center

Wesley Hall Nursery School

Westfield Co-op Nursery School

Presbyterian Nursery School

Temple Emanuel Early Childhood Education

Willow Grove Pre-School

JCC of Union County

 

There are also other Private Schools, in or just outside of Westfield, that cater to older students:

Holy Trinity Catholic School In Westfield

Redeemer Lutheran School in Westfield

Pingry Lower School in Short Hills

Pingry Upper and Middle School in Martinsville

Union Catholic High School in Scotch Plains

Kent Place School in Summit

Mount St. Mary Academy in Watchung

Newark Academy in Newark

Wardlaw Hartridge School in Edison

St Joseph’s School (for Boys) in Metuchen

Rutgers Preparatory School in Somerset

 

Westfield students attend Colleges throughout the country.  However some colleges and universities within New Jersey are:

Kean University in Elizabeth

Seton Hall in South Orange

Drew University in Madison

Farleigh Dickinson University in Madison

New Jersey Institute of Technology in Newark

Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken

University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey

There is also the highly regarded Rutgers University with campuses in New Brunswick, Piscataway, Newark and Camden.  It is the largest institution of higher education in New Jersey and is the State University.

Princeton University in Princeton is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League and is a world renowned school and the fourth oldest college in the United States.

 

 

 

 

 


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