Linwood Public Schools

Linwood Public Schools
Address
Belhaven Avenue School
Linwood
, Atlantic County, New Jersey, 08221
United States
Coordinates39°20′50″N 74°34′30″W / 39.3472°N 74.574999°W / 39.3472; -74.574999
District information
GradesPreK-8
SuperintendentBrian M. Pruitt
Business administratorPatricia Swanson
Schools2
Students and staff
Enrollment809 (as of 2020–21)[1]
Faculty71.0 FTEs[1]
Student–teacher ratio11.4:1[1]
Other information
District Factor GroupGH
Websitewww.linwoodschools.org
Ind. Per pupil District
spending		 Rank
(*)		 K-8
average		 %± vs.
average
1ATotal Spending$18,08958$18,891−4.2%
1Budgetary Cost15,6487014,15910.5%
2Classroom Instruction9,227648,6596.6%
6Support Services2,493632,16715.0%
8Administrative Cost1,804721,54716.6%
10Operations & Maintenance1,956741,61221.3%
13Extracurricular Activities1697710462.5%
16Median Teacher Salary61,4754561,136
Data from NJDoE 2014 Taxpayers' Guide to Education Spending.[2]
*Of K-8 districts with more than 750 students. Lowest spending=1; Highest=84

The Linwood Public Schools are a comprehensive community public school district that serves students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade from Linwood, in Atlantic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.

As of the 2020–21 school year, the district, comprised of two schools, had an enrollment of 809 students and 71.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.4:1.[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.[3]

Students in public school for ninth through twelfth grades attend Mainland Regional High School, which also serves students from Northfield and Somers Point.[4] The high school is located in Linwood. For the 1997–98 school year, Mainland Regional High School was recognized by the United States Department of Education as a National Blue Ribbon School.[5] As of the 2020–21 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 1,239 students and 108.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.5:1.[6]

Awards and recognition

During the 2008–09 school year, Seaview Elementary School was recognized with the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program Award of Excellence by the United States Department of Education,[7] the highest award an American school can receive.[8][9]

The district was selected as one of the top "100 Best Communities for Music Education in America 2006" by the American Music Conference.[10]

Schools

Schools in the district (with 2020–21 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[11]) are:[12][13][14][15]

Elementary school
  • Seaview Elementary School[16] with 429 students in grades PreK-4
    • Lori Care, principal
Middle school
  • Belhaven Middle School[17] with 378 students in grades 5-8
    • Jennifer Luff, principal

Activities

Belhaven hosts a series of events throughout the year, including the Pep Rally, the People's Choice Awards, and the Blue and Gold Game. In the Pep Rally, every grade level puts on an act, and kids and teachers are presented awards for their outstanding achievement. In the People's Choice Awards, students get picked from their grade level teachers based on their achievements. In the Blue and Gold Game, the Blue (newer) teachers play basketball against the Gold (older) teachers, with each side including some eighth graders.

Administration

Core members of the district's administration are:[18]

  • Brian M. Pruitt, superintendent[19]
  • Patricia Swanson, business administrator and board secretary[20]

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 2017) 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.[21][22][23]

In the November 2016 general election, voters approved a referendum changing the district from an appointed (Type I) school board to a (Type II) board elected by voters.[24][25]

References

  1. ^ a b c d District information for Linwood City 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. ^ NJ Department of Education District Factor Groups (DFG) for School Districts, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed November 28, 2014.
  4. ^ Mainland Regional High School 2016 School Report Card, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed May 17, 2017. "Mainland is a comprehensive, four-year public high school with an enrollment of approximately 1,351 students serving the communities of Somers Point, Northfield and Linwood. Mainland is recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence by the United States Department of Education."
  5. ^ Blue Ribbon Schools Program: Schools Recognized 1982-1983 through 1999-2002 (PDF), United States Department of Education. Accessed May 29, 2016.
  6. ^ School data for Mainland Regional High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 15, 2022.
  7. ^ U.S. Department of Education Blue Ribbon Schools Program: 2008 Schools, United States Department of Education. Accessed September 23, 2008.
  8. ^ "CIBA cited as one of the best by Education Department", Journal Inquirer, November 16, 2006. "The Blue Ribbon award is given only to schools that reach the top 10 percent of their state's testing scores over several years or show significant gains in student achievement. It is considered the highest honor a school can achieve."
  9. ^ "Viers Mill School Wins Blue Ribbon; School Scored High on Statewide Test", The Washington Post. September 29, 2005. "For their accomplishments, all three schools this month earned the status of Blue Ribbon School, the highest honor the U.S. Education Department can bestow upon a school."
  10. ^ Best 100 Communities for Music Education in America, 2006 Archived 2007-09-28 at the Wayback Machine, American Music Conference. Accessed December 12, 2006.
  11. ^ School Data for the Linwood Public Schools, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 15, 2022.
  12. ^ Our Schools, Linwood Public Schools. Accessed July 19, 2022.
  13. ^ Public School Directory 2023–2024, Atlantic County, New Jersey. Accessed March 1, 2024.
  14. ^ School Performance Reports for the Linwood City School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed April 3, 2024.
  15. ^ New Jersey School Directory for the Linwood Public Schools, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024.
  16. ^ Seaview Elementary School, Linwood Public Schools. Accessed July 19, 2022.
  17. ^ Belhaven Middle School, Linwood Public Schools. Accessed July 19, 2022.
  18. ^ New Jersey School Directory for Atlantic County, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024.
  19. ^ Superintendent, Linwood Public Schools. Accessed July 19, 2022.
  20. ^ Business Office, Linwood Public Schools. Accessed October 16, 2023.
  21. ^ 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.
  22. ^ Annual Comprehensive Financial Report of the Linwood Public Schools, New Jersey Department of Education, for year ending June 30, 2022. Accessed October 16, 2023. "The City of Linwood School District is a Type II district effective November 9, 2016 located in the County of Atlantic, State of New Jersey. As a Type II district, the Board of Education members are elected. The Board is comprised of nine members appointed or elected to three-year terms. The purpose of the district is to educate students in grades PreK -8."
  23. ^ Board of Education, Linwood Public Schools. Accessed October 16, 2023.
  24. ^ "Nov. 8 Election Results: 1,533 School Board Seats, 19 Public Questions", New Jersey School Boards Association, updated November 10, 2016. Accessed February 2, 2020. "Linwood (Atlantic County) – Approved – Voters acted on a proposal to reclassify the school district from one with an appointed board of education to one with an elected school board."
  25. ^ Board of Education Meeting Agenda for December 19, 2016, Linwood Public Schools. Accessed October 16, 2023. "WHEREAS, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:9-9, the Linwood Board of Education will now be comprised of a nine member board upon becoming a Type II District;"