Paramus Public Schools
Encyclopedia
The Paramus Public Schools are a comprehensive community public school district
that serves students in Kindergarten through twelfth grade from Paramus
, in Bergen County
, New Jersey
, United States.
As of the 2008-09 school year, the district's eight schools had an enrollment of 4,222 students and 322.2 classroom teachers (on an FTE
basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 13.1.
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.
, the highest honor that an American school can achieve: Paramus High School in 1988-89, Parkway Elementary School in 1987-88 and Ridge Ranch Elementary School in 1998-99.
For the 1995-96 school year, Ridge Ranch Elementary School was named as a "Star School" by the New Jersey Department of Education
, the highest honor that a New Jersey school can achieve.
The district was selected as one of the top "100 Best Communities for Music Education in America 2005" by the American Music Conference, and was selected again for this honor in 2006.
NAMM named the district in its 2008 survey of the "Best Communities for Music Education", which included 110 school districts nationwide. The district was also named in NAMM's 2009 survey of the "Best Communities for Music Education", which included 124 school districts nationwide.
) are:
Elementary Schools (K-4)
Middle Schools (5-8)
On May 30, 2007, Westbrook Middle School was shut down due to soil found on the grounds of the school that was contaminated with pesticides at levels up to 39 times that allowed by safety guidelines. School officials have faced criticism that they knew of the contamination in January 2007, but waited until late May to inform parents. The school has since reopened.
Westbrook Middle School has since fallen short of No Child Left Behind Act Standards in the 2010-2011 School Year. Like the other of the district's schools, it has fallen in decline within recent years.
High School (9-12)
, dieldrin
, and chlordane
on the campus of Westbrook, a middle school in the system. Responding to local outrage, the superintendent, Janice Dime, assured in a letter addressed to the public that the chemicals were not hazardous, however, town mayor, James Tedesco described Dime's statement as being either misinformed or deliberately misleading. Because of public pressure, on June, 06, 2007, the district's board of education placed Janice Dime on an extended leave and shut down Westbrook Middle School for decontamination and testing. On June 13, test results done by a town contracted firm revealed that two of the thirty tested areas on campus had levels of chlordane that exceeded state safety standards. Still, officials and specialists are pushing for more tests. Since the incident more soil tests have been conducted around the area and in other parts of Paramus, with some yielding positive for excessive presence of pesticide. Westbrook has been decontaminated and reopened to students, while Janice Dime has resigned from her position as superintendent.
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 Paramus
Paramus, New Jersey
Paramus is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 26,342. A suburb of New York City, Paramus is located between 15–20 miles northwest of Midtown Manhattan and approximately west of Upper Manhattan.Paramus is one of...
, in Bergen County
Bergen County, New Jersey
Bergen County is the most populous county of the state of New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 905,116. The county is part of the New York City Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Hackensack...
, 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.
As of the 2008-09 school year, the district's eight schools had an enrollment of 4,222 students and 322.2 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 13.1.
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.
Awards and recognition
Three of the district's schools have been formally designated as National Blue Ribbon SchoolsBlue Ribbon Schools Program
The Blue Ribbon Schools Program is a United States government program created in 1981 to honor schools which have achieved high levels of performance or significant improvements with emphasis on schools serving disadvantaged students. The program centers around a self-assessment conducted by the...
, the highest honor that an American school can achieve: Paramus High School in 1988-89, Parkway Elementary School in 1987-88 and Ridge Ranch Elementary School in 1998-99.
For the 1995-96 school year, Ridge Ranch Elementary School was named as a "Star School" 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...
, the highest honor that a New Jersey school can achieve.
The district was selected as one of the top "100 Best Communities for Music Education in America 2005" by the American Music Conference, and was selected again for this honor in 2006.
NAMM named the district in its 2008 survey of the "Best Communities for Music Education", which included 110 school districts nationwide. The district was also named in NAMM's 2009 survey of the "Best Communities for Music Education", which included 124 school districts nationwide.
Schools
Schools in the district (with 2008-09 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:
Elementary Schools (K-4)
- Memorial Elementary School (321 students)
- Midland Elementary School (250)
- Parkway Elementary School (322)
- Ridge Ranch Elementary School (358) was named 1998-1999 Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education
- Stony Lane Elementary School (219)
Middle Schools (5-8)
- Eastbrook Middle School (657)
- Westbrook Middle School (736)
On May 30, 2007, Westbrook Middle School was shut down due to soil found on the grounds of the school that was contaminated with pesticides at levels up to 39 times that allowed by safety guidelines. School officials have faced criticism that they knew of the contamination in January 2007, but waited until late May to inform parents. The school has since reopened.
Westbrook Middle School has since fallen short of No Child Left Behind Act Standards in the 2010-2011 School Year. Like the other of the district's schools, it has fallen in decline within recent years.
High School (9-12)
- Paramus High SchoolParamus High SchoolParamus High School is an American four-year comprehensive public high school, located in Paramus, New Jersey, operating as part of the Paramus Public Schools...
(1,359)
Controversies
In late May 2007, The Record broke a story in which Paramus Public School officials knowingly failed to report the presence of the banned pesticides aldrinAldrin
Aldrin is an organochlorine insecticide that was widely used until the 1970s, when it was banned in most countries. It is a colourless solid. Before the ban, it was heavily used as a pesticide to treat seed and soil...
, dieldrin
Dieldrin
Dieldrin is a chlorinated hydrocarbon originally produced in 1948 by J. Hyman & Co, Denver, as an insecticide. Dieldrin is closely related to aldrin, which reacts further to form dieldrin. Aldrin is not toxic to insects; it is oxidized in the insect to form dieldrin which is the active compound...
, and chlordane
Chlordane
Chlordane, or chlordan, is an organochlorine compound that was used as a pesticide. This white solid was sold in the U.S. until 1983 as an insecticide for crops like corn and citrus and on lawns and domestic gardens.-Production and uses:...
on the campus of Westbrook, a middle school in the system. Responding to local outrage, the superintendent, Janice Dime, assured in a letter addressed to the public that the chemicals were not hazardous, however, town mayor, James Tedesco described Dime's statement as being either misinformed or deliberately misleading. Because of public pressure, on June, 06, 2007, the district's board of education placed Janice Dime on an extended leave and shut down Westbrook Middle School for decontamination and testing. On June 13, test results done by a town contracted firm revealed that two of the thirty tested areas on campus had levels of chlordane that exceeded state safety standards. Still, officials and specialists are pushing for more tests. Since the incident more soil tests have been conducted around the area and in other parts of Paramus, with some yielding positive for excessive presence of pesticide. Westbrook has been decontaminated and reopened to students, while Janice Dime has resigned from her position as superintendent.
Administration
Core members of the district's administration are:- Dr. James Montesano, Superintendent
- Steven Cea, Business Administrator / Board Secretary
External links
- Paramus Public Schools
- Paramus Public Schools, 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...