Clifton Public Schools

Clifton Public Schools
Address
745 Clifton Avenue
Clifton
, Passaic County, New Jersey, 07015
United States
Coordinates40°51′56″N 74°09′37″W / 40.865681°N 74.160278°W / 40.865681; -74.160278
District information
GradesPreK-12
SuperintendentDanny A. Robertozzi
Schools20
Students and staff
Enrollment10,514 (as of 2020–21)[1]
Faculty870.5 FTEs[1]
Student–teacher ratio12.1:1[1]
Other information
District Factor GroupCD
Websiteclifton.k12.nj.us
Ind. Per pupil District
spending		 Rank
(*)		 K-12
average		 %± vs.
average
1ATotal Spending$16,01715$18,891−15.2%
1Budgetary Cost11,412414,783−22.8%
2Classroom Instruction7,27058,763−17.0%
6Support Services1,720162,392−28.1%
8Administrative Cost1,226181,485−17.4%
10Operations & Maintenance95211,783−46.6%
13Extracurricular Activities17221268−35.8%
16Median Teacher Salary61,2343264,043
Data from NJDoE 2014 Taxpayers' Guide to Education Spending.[2]
*Of K-12 districts with more than 3,500 students. Lowest spending=1; Highest=103

The Clifton Public Schools is a comprehensive community public school district that serves students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade from Clifton, in Passaic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.[3]

As of the 2020–21 school year, the district, comprising 18 schools, had an enrollment of 10,514 students and 870.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.1:1.[1]

The district is classified by the New Jersey Department of Education as being in District Factor Group "CD", the sixth-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.[4]

History

The district established a high school in 1906, with 40 students, with a curriculum that covered "English, Latin, Greek, German, history, mathematics, physics, chemistry, bookkeeping, shorthand, [and] typewriting." By 1914, the school had 150 students. A new building was dedicated in April 1926, by which time the school served an enrollment of 1,100.[5]

The current high school building on Colfax Avenue was completed at a cost of $6 million (equivalent to $62.5 million in 2023) and opened in September 1962 with 3,000 students.[6]

An additional overflow site, the Clifton High School Annex, was constructed at a cost of $17 million (equivalent to $24.1 million in 2023) and opened in September 2009 to accommodate 540 of the school year's 850 incoming freshmen to alleviate overcrowding.[7]

Schools

Schools in the district (with 2020–21 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[8]) are:[9][10][11]

Preschool
  • Clifton Early Learner Academy[12] (377 students; in grades PreK)
    • Marissa Papamarkos, principal[13]
Elementary schools
  • School One[14] (245; K-5)
    • Maria Romeo, principal[15]
  • School Two[16] (385; K-5)
    • Jennifer Lucas, principal[17]
  • School Three[18] (282; K-5)
    • Linette Park, principal[19]
  • School Four[20] (141; K-5)
    • Ronnie Estrict, principal[21]
  • School Five[22] (373; K-5)
    • Stephen Anderson, principal[23]
  • School Eight[24] (169; PreK-5)
    • Wendy Munoz, principal[25]
  • School Nine[26] (285; K-5)
    • Joelle Rosetti, principal[27]
  • School Eleven[28] (415; K-5)
    • Dalia Shalaby, principal[29]
  • School Twelve[30] (616; PreK-5)
    • Rosmunda Kenning, principal[31]
  • School Thirteen[32] (447; K-5)
    • Rachel Capizzi, principal[33]
  • School Fourteen[34] (356; K-5)
    • Jason Habedank, principal[35]
  • School Fifteen[36] (310; PreK-5)
    • Luginda Batten-Walker, principal[37]
  • School Sixteen[38] (195; K-5)
    • Joanna Juarbe, principal[39]
  • School Seventeen[40] (476; PreK-5)
    • Laura Zargorski, principal[41]
Middle schools
  • Christopher Columbus Middle School[42] (1,172; 6-8)
    • Vanessa Gaba, principal[43]
  • Woodrow Wilson Middle School[44] (1,276; 6-8)
    • Andrew Jaeger, principal[45]
High school

With more than 3,300 students enrolled as of 2006, Clifton High School was the largest single-facility high school in New Jersey; Elizabeth High School had more students, but they were spread over multiple campuses before the school was split into separate academies.[48]

Administration

Core members of the district's administration are:[49][50]

  • Danny A. Robertozzi, superintendent of schools
  • Ahmed Shehata, Assistant Superintendent of Business/ Board Secretary

Board of education

The district's board of education is comprised of nine members who set policy and oversee the fiscal and educational operation of the district through its administration. As a Type II school district, the board's trustees are elected directly by voters to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with three seats up for election each year held (since 2012) as part of the November general election. The board appoints a superintendent to oversee the district's day-to-day operations and a business administrator to supervise the business functions of the district.[51][52][53]

References

  1. ^ a b c d District information for Clifton Public School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 15, 2022.
  2. ^ Taxpayers' Guide to Education Spending April 2013, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed April 15, 2013.
  3. ^ Clifton Board of Education District Policy 0110 - Identification, Clifton Public Schools. Accessed October 6, 2022. "Purpose: The Clifton Board of Education exists for the purpose of providing a thorough and efficient system of free public education in grades Kindergarten through twelve in the Clifton Public Schools. Composition: The Clifton Public Schools is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of the City of Clifton."
  4. ^ NJ Department of Education District Factor Groups (DFG) for School Districts, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed March 18, 2015.
  5. ^ "New Clifton High School Dedicated; Over 1,500 at Exercises Held in Auditorium of Building Last Night.", The Morning Call, April 15, 1926. Accessed March 14, 2022, via Newspapers.com. "Clifton high school was established in 1906 - and it was my good fortune to be connected with the schools of the city at that time. We had an enrollment of forty pupils with a very meager course of study embracing the following subjects: English, Latin, Greek, German, history, mathematics, physics, chemistry, bookkeeping, shorthand, typewriting. The growth of the school is insignificant from 1906 to 1924, but from 1914 to the present day it has been phenomenal as is evident from the following tabulation: In 1914 there were enrolled 150 pupils; 1915, 201; 1916, 240; 1917, 280; 1918, 297; 1919, 336; 1920. 379; 1921. 478; 1922, 614; 1923. 729; 1924, 778; 1925, 974, and at the present time, 1,103."
  6. ^ "Clifton High Has Smooth Opening", Herald News, September 10, 1962. Accessed March 14, 2022, via Newspapers.com. "The opening of the new $6 million Clifton High School on Colfax Avenue worked out without major problems or confusion this morning, according to Dr. J. Revis Hall, principal.... There are approximately 3,000 pupils enrolled."
  7. ^ Gicas, Tony. "Clifton High annex nearly ready", The Record, July 14, 2009. Accessed August 21, 2014. "The Clifton High School annex building, a lightning rod for controversy since its approval in 2004, is complete and almost ready to be occupied.... The $17 million school at 290 Brighton Road, in the renovated former Mayer Textile building, will hold about 540 of the total 850 freshmen expected to be enrolled for classes in September."
  8. ^ School Data for the Clifton Public Schools, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 15, 2022.
  9. ^ 2023–24 Public School Directory, Passaic County, New Jersey. Accessed March 1, 2024.
  10. ^ School Performance Reports for the Clifton School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed April 3, 2024.
  11. ^ New Jersey School Directory for the Clifton Public Schools, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024.
  12. ^ Clifton Early Learner Academy, Clifton Public Schools. Accessed October 6, 2022.
  13. ^ Administration, Clifton Early Learner Academy. Accessed October 6, 2022.
  14. ^ School One, Clifton Public Schools. Accessed October 6, 2022.
  15. ^ Administration, School One. Accessed October 6, 2022.
  16. ^ School Two, Clifton Public Schools. Accessed October 6, 2022.
  17. ^ Administration, School Two. Accessed October 6, 2022.
  18. ^ School Three, Clifton Public Schools. Accessed October 6, 2022.
  19. ^ Administration, School Three. Accessed October 6, 2022.
  20. ^ School Four, Clifton Public Schools. Accessed October 6, 2022.
  21. ^ Administration, School Four. Accessed October 6, 2022.
  22. ^ School Five, Clifton Public Schools. Accessed October 6, 2022.
  23. ^ Administration, School Five. Accessed October 6, 2022.
  24. ^ School Eight, Clifton Public Schools. Accessed October 6, 2022.
  25. ^ Administration, School Eight. Accessed October 6, 2022.
  26. ^ School Nine, Clifton Public Schools. Accessed October 6, 2022.
  27. ^ Administration, School Nine. Accessed October 6, 2022.
  28. ^ School Eleven, Clifton Public Schools. Accessed October 6, 2022.
  29. ^ Administration, School Eleven. Accessed October 6, 2022.
  30. ^ School Twelve, Clifton Public Schools. Accessed October 6, 2022.
  31. ^ Administration, School Twelve. Accessed October 6, 2022.
  32. ^ School Thirteen, Clifton Public Schools. Accessed October 6, 2022.
  33. ^ Administration, School Thirteen. Accessed October 6, 2022.
  34. ^ School Fourteen, Clifton Public Schools. Accessed October 6, 2022.
  35. ^ Administration, School Fourteen. Accessed October 6, 2022.
  36. ^ School Fifteen, Clifton Public Schools. Accessed October 6, 2022.
  37. ^ Administration, School Fifteen. Accessed October 6, 2022.
  38. ^ School Sixteen, Clifton Public Schools. Accessed October 6, 2022.
  39. ^ Administration, School Sixteen. Accessed October 6, 2022.
  40. ^ School Seventeen, Clifton Public Schools. Accessed October 6, 2022.
  41. ^ Administration, School Seventeen. Accessed October 6, 2022.
  42. ^ Christopher Columbus Middle School, Clifton Public Schools. Accessed October 6, 2022.
  43. ^ Administration, Christopher Columbus Middle School. Accessed October 6, 2022.
  44. ^ Woodrow Wilson Middle School, Clifton Public Schools. Accessed October 6, 2022.
  45. ^ Administration, Woodrow Wilson Middle School. Accessed October 6, 2022.
  46. ^ Clifton High School, Clifton Public Schools. Accessed October 6, 2022.
  47. ^ Administration, Clifton High School. Accessed October 6, 2022.
  48. ^ Alex, Patricia. "Clifton High's hallway gridlock", The Record, December 6, 2006, backed up by the Internet Archive as of December 24, 2007. Accessed February 18, 2020 "Clifton High School, circa 1962, is the largest single high school in the state. Only Elizabeth High School has more students, but they are spread out over five campuses."
  49. ^ Administration, Clifton Public Schools. Accessed October 6, 2022.
  50. ^ New Jersey School Directory for Passaic County, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024.
  51. ^ New Jersey Boards of Education by District Election Types - 2018 School Election, New Jersey Department of Education, updated February 16, 2018. Accessed January 26, 2020.
  52. ^ Board of Education Commissioners, Clifton Public Schools. Accessed October 6, 2022.
  53. ^ Annual Comprehensive Financial Report for the Clifton Board of Education, New Jersey Department of Education, for year ending June 30, 2023. Accessed April 9, 2024. "The Clifton Board of Education (the 'Board' or the 'District') is an instrumentality of the State of New Jersey, established to function as an education institution. The Board consists of nine elected officials and is responsible for the fiscal control of the District. A Superintendent of Schools is appointed by the Board and is responsible for the administrative control of the District. A School Business Administrator/Board Secretary is also appointed by the Board and oversees the business functions of the District."