The Caldwell-West Caldwell Public Schools is a regional public school district serving students in kindergarten through twelfth grade from two communities in Essex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The communities in the district are Caldwell and West Caldwell.Caldwell-West Caldwell Board of Education District Policy 0110 - Identification, Caldwell-West Caldwell Public Schools. Accessed December 15, 2022. "Purpose: The Board of Education exists for the purpose of providing a thorough and efficient system of free public education in grades Pre-Kindergarten through twelve in the Caldwell-West Caldwell School District. Composition: The Caldwell-West Caldwell School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of Caldwell-West Caldwell."
As of the 2020–21 school year, the district, comprising seven schools, had an enrollment of 2,669 students and 226.4 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.8:1.District information for Caldwell-West School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 15, 2022.
The district is classified by the New Jersey Department of Education as being in District Factor Group "I", the second-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.NJ Department of Education District Factor Groups (DFG) for School Districts, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed December 7, 2009.
History The roots of the district date back to 1872, though formal consolidation of the districts was established in 1904. Caldwell High School, established in 1910, served students from Tuition students from Essex Fells, Fairfield Township, Hanover Township, Livingston, North Caldwell, Roseland and Verona all attended the school. who attended as part of Sending/receiving relationships.A Brief History, Caldwell-West Caldwell Public Schools. Accessed November 6, 2012. "The Borough of Caldwell and the Township of West Caldwell have played a prominent role in the development of the Caldwell-West Caldwell school system and the quality of education it provides. Cooperation of the two communities began in 1872 when state laws governing school districts permitted the villages of Caldwell, Franklin and Westville to consolidate into a 'School Borough.' ... West Caldwell became a borough February 24, 1904. On March 30, 1904, a special school meeting was held to vote on the consolidation of Caldwell and West Caldwell into one school district. The vote was in favor of consolidation.... Tuition students from Hanover, Roseland, Livingston, Essex Fells, Verona, North Caldwell and Fairfield (Caldwell Township) all attended the school."
Schools There are four elementary schools between the two municipalities, all of which are named after American presidents. Students are districted to attend a certain one of the four elementary schools between Kindergarten and fifth grade, based on where they live. Based on the local boundaries, and where the schools lie in relation to the borders of the two communities, students from portions of both municipalities attend Lincoln, Jefferson, and Washington schools, which are all located quite close to the border between the two Caldwells. Wilson School, however, is located in the middle of southern West Caldwell near its border with Roseland and relatively far from Caldwell; so its students are exclusively from West Caldwell, in its westernmost neighborhoods. All students attend the district's middle school, named for the President, and all attend the high school, which is named after the Reverend James Caldwell, the same American Revolutionary War hero that both communities are named for.
Schools in the district (with 2020–21 enrollment data from the National Center for Education StatisticsSchool Data for the Caldwell-West Caldwell Public Schools, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 15, 2022.) are:School Performance Reports for the Caldwell-West School School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed April 3, 2024.New Jersey School Directory for the Caldwell-West Caldwell Public Schools, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024. Preschool Harrison SchoolHarrison School, Caldwell-West Caldwell Public Schools. Accessed December 15, 2022. (West Caldwell; 23 students; grades K-PreK) Erin Madara, principal Elementary schools Jefferson Elementary SchoolJefferson Elementary School, Caldwell-West Caldwell Public Schools. Accessed December 15, 2022. (West Caldwell; 266; K-5) Timothy Ayers, principalWelcome, Jefferson Elementary School. Accessed December 15, 2022. Lincoln Elementary SchoolLincoln Elementary School, Caldwell-West Caldwell Public Schools. Accessed December 15, 2022. (Caldwell; 260; K-5) Adam Geher, principalPrincipal Page, Lincoln Elementary School. Accessed December 15, 2022. Washington Elementary SchoolWashington Elementary School, Caldwell-West Caldwell Public Schools. Accessed December 15, 2022. (West Caldwell; 374; K-5) Thomas Adamo, principalContact Us, Washington Elementary School. Accessed December 15, 2022. Wilson Elementary SchoolWilson Elementary School, Caldwell-West Caldwell Public Schools. Accessed December 15, 2022. (West Caldwell; 252; K-5) Frank Lincoln, principalContact Us, Wilson Elementary School. Accessed December 15, 2022. Middle school Grover Cleveland Middle SchoolGrover Cleveland Middle School, Caldwell-West Caldwell Public Schools. Accessed December 15, 2022. (Caldwell; 626; 6-8) John Bertollo, principalAdministrative Team, Grover Cleveland Middle School. Accessed December 15, 2022. High school James Caldwell High SchoolJames Caldwell High School, Caldwell-West Caldwell Public Schools. Accessed December 15, 2022. (West Caldwell; 829; 9-12) Jim Devlin, principalAdministrative Team, James Caldwell High School. Accessed December 15, 2022.
Administration Core members of the district's administration are:Central Office Staff, Caldwell-West Caldwell Public Schools. Accessed December 15, 2022.New Jersey School Directory for Essex County, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024. Christopher Conklin, superintendentSuperintendent, Caldwell-West Caldwell Public Schools. Accessed December 15, 2022. Brian McCarthy, business administrator and board secretaryBusiness Administrator, Caldwell-West Caldwell Public Schools. Accessed December 15, 2022.
Board of education The district's board of education is composed of five 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 either one or two 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.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.Annual Comprehensive Financial Report for the Caldwell-West Caldwell School District, New Jersey Department of Education, for year ending June 30, 2023. Accessed April 9, 2024. "The Board is an instrumentality of the State of New Jersey, established to function as an educational institution. The Board consists of elected officials and is responsible for the fiscal control of the District. A superintendent is appointed by the Board and is responsible for the administrative control of the District."Board of Education, Caldwell-West Caldwell Public Schools. Accessed December 15, 2022.
References
External links Caldwell-West Caldwell Public Schools
School Data for the Caldwell-West Caldwell Public Schools, National Center for Education Statistics