Morris School District
Encyclopedia
The Morris School District is a comprehensive community public school district
that serves students in kindergarten through twelfth grade from three municipalities in Morris County
, New Jersey
, United States
. The communities in the district are Morristown
(2,443 students from a 2000 Census
population of 18,544) and Morris Township
(2,121 students from a population of 21,796), along with students from Morris Plains
(175 students) in grades 9-12 who attend the district's high school as part of a sending/receiving relationship
with the Morris Plains Schools
.
As of the 2007-08 school year, the district's 10 schools had an enrollment of 4,673 students and 398.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE
basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.7.
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. From lowest socioeconomic status to highest, the categories are A, B, CD, DE, FG, GH, I and J.
In addition to its preK-12 program, the Morris School District operates a Community School that offers an extensive adult school curriculum. The Community School also provides a before and after-school childcare program, Sunrise Sunset, for Morris School District children of busy parents. Housed in each of the District's elementary schools, Sunrise Sunset offers a supervised environment in which boys and girls can work and play before and after school. The Community School's summer program, Summer Plus, provides children with a local alternative to summer camp.
) are:
Preschool
Primary Schools (K-2)
Intermediate Schools (3-5)
Multiage Magnet School (K-5)
Middle School (6-8)
High School (9-12)
The superintendent is under contract with the school board for one year. He is paid a salary of $170,000.
School Board elections are held in April of each year. In addition to selecting members of the Board of Education, voters also are asked to vote on the proposed budget for the subsequent school year.
The budget for 2007-08 school year was $94,255,303.
From the early to mid-19th century, local schools included the Franklin Street, Bridge Street, Mt. Kemble, and Washington Valley Schools.
The Maple Avenue School opened in 1869 on land donated by George T. Cobb.
An early school (18th century) located three miles west of Morristown was described as follows: ”The building was constructed of logs, and instead of glass window, sheep skins were stretched over apertures made by sawing off an occasional log.
In 1971, the district was regionalized under an order by the New Jersey Supreme Court
, which ruled that the Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Education
can cross district lines for desegregation purposes.
School district
School districts are a form of special-purpose district which serves to operate the local public primary and secondary schools.-United States:...
that serves students in kindergarten through twelfth grade from three municipalities in Morris County
Morris County, New Jersey
Morris County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey, about west of New York City. According to the United States 2010 Census, the population was 492,276. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Morristown....
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The communities in the district are Morristown
Morristown, New Jersey
Morristown is a town in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 18,411. It is the county seat of Morris County. Morristown became characterized as "the military capital of the American Revolution" because of its strategic role in the...
(2,443 students from a 2000 Census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
population of 18,544) and Morris Township
Morris Township, New Jersey
Morris Township is a township in Morris County, New Jersey, USA. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 21,796. It is known as the "doughnut" around Morristown since it completely encapsulates it, and has at least five times the area...
(2,121 students from a population of 21,796), along with students from Morris Plains
Morris Plains, New Jersey
Morris Plains, billing itself "the Community of Caring," is a Borough in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 5,236....
(175 students) in grades 9-12 who attend the district's high school as part of a sending/receiving relationship
Sending/receiving relationship
A sending/receiving relationship is one in which a public school district sends some or all of its students to attend the schools of another district. This is often done to achieve costs savings in smaller districts or continues after districts have grown as part of a historical relationship...
with the Morris Plains Schools
Morris Plains Schools
The Morris Plains Schools are a comprehensive community public school district that educates students from kindergarten through 8th grade from Morris Plains, in Morris County, New Jersey, United States....
.
As of the 2007-08 school year, the district's 10 schools had an enrollment of 4,673 students and 398.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE
Full-time equivalent
Full-time equivalent , is a unit to measure employed persons or students in a way that makes them comparable although they may work or study a different number of hours per week. FTE is often used to measure a worker's involvement in a project, or to track cost reductions in an organization...
basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.7.
The district is classified by the New Jersey Department of Education
New Jersey Department of Education
The New Jersey Department of Education administers state and federal aid programs affecting more than 1.4 million public and non-public elementary and secondary school children in the state of New Jersey. The department is headquartered in Trenton.The Department is responsible for ensuring that...
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. From lowest socioeconomic status to highest, the categories are A, B, CD, DE, FG, GH, I and J.
In addition to its preK-12 program, the Morris School District operates a Community School that offers an extensive adult school curriculum. The Community School also provides a before and after-school childcare program, Sunrise Sunset, for Morris School District children of busy parents. Housed in each of the District's elementary schools, Sunrise Sunset offers a supervised environment in which boys and girls can work and play before and after school. The Community School's summer program, Summer Plus, provides children with a local alternative to summer camp.
Schools
Schools within the District (with 2007-08 enrollment data from the National Center for Education StatisticsNational Center for Education Statistics
The National Center for Education Statistics is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district finance information in the United States...
) are:
Preschool
- Lafayette Learning Center with 103 students
Primary Schools (K-2)
- Alfred Vail School with 338 students
- Hillcrest School with 294 students
- Woodland School with 329 students
Intermediate Schools (3-5)
- Alexander Hamilton School with 237 students
- Thomas Jefferson School with 286 students
- Sussex Avenue School with 327 students
Multiage Magnet School (K-5)
- Normandy Park Magnet School with 339 students
Middle School (6-8)
- Frelinghuysen Middle School with 934 students
High School (9-12)
- Morristown High SchoolMorristown High SchoolMorristown High School is a four-year public high school serving students in grades 9 - 12 from three communities in Morris County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Morris School District...
with 1,486 students
Administration
Core members of the district's administration are:- Dr. Thomas Ficarra, Superintendent
- Susan Young, Business Administrator / Board Secretary
The superintendent is under contract with the school board for one year. He is paid a salary of $170,000.
Board of education
The Morris School District Board of Education has ten members; five from Morris Township, four from Morristown, and one from Morris Plains. The representatives from Morris Township and Morristown are elected by the voters of each individual municipality to three-year terms of office. The Morris Plains Board of Education appoints a representative to the Morris School District Board to represent Morris Plains on issues affecting Morristown High School, who is also eligible to vote on district-wide issues.School Board elections are held in April of each year. In addition to selecting members of the Board of Education, voters also are asked to vote on the proposed budget for the subsequent school year.
The budget for 2007-08 school year was $94,255,303.
History
Two schools are known to have operated in near the Green in Morristown in the 18th century. One was in use from 1732–1767; the other, known as the “Steeple School,” stood from 1767 - 1799.From the early to mid-19th century, local schools included the Franklin Street, Bridge Street, Mt. Kemble, and Washington Valley Schools.
The Maple Avenue School opened in 1869 on land donated by George T. Cobb.
An early school (18th century) located three miles west of Morristown was described as follows: ”The building was constructed of logs, and instead of glass window, sheep skins were stretched over apertures made by sawing off an occasional log.
In 1971, the district was regionalized under an order by the New Jersey Supreme Court
New Jersey Supreme Court
The New Jersey Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It has existed in three different forms under the three different state constitutions since the independence of the state in 1776...
, which ruled that the Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Education
New Jersey Department of Education
The New Jersey Department of Education administers state and federal aid programs affecting more than 1.4 million public and non-public elementary and secondary school children in the state of New Jersey. The department is headquartered in Trenton.The Department is responsible for ensuring that...
can cross district lines for desegregation purposes.
External links
- Morris School District
- Data for the Morris School District, National Center for Education StatisticsNational Center for Education StatisticsThe National Center for Education Statistics is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district finance information in the United States...