The Old Tappan Public Schools is a comprehensive community public school district serving students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade from Old Tappan in Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.Old Tappan Board of Education District Policy 0110 - Identification, Old Tappan Public Schools, adopted June 29, 2020. Accessed November 11, 2025. "Purpose: The Board of Education exists for the purpose of providing a thorough and efficient system of free public education in grades Kindergarten through eight in the Old Tappan School District. Composition: The Old Tappan School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of Old Tappan."
As of the 2023–24 school year, the district, comprised of two schools, had an enrollment of 771 students and 65.9 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.7:1.District information for Old Tappan Public School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed December 15, 2024.
The district had been 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.District Factor Groups (DFG) for School Districts, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed December 1, 2024.
Students in public school for ninth through twelfth grades attend Northern Valley Regional High School at Old Tappan, together with students from Harrington Park, Northvale and Norwood,Home page , Northern Valley Regional High School at Old Tappan. Accessed October 14, 2014. "Welcome to Northern Valley Regional High School at Old Tappan, home of the Golden Knights. Although our students reside in four different towns; Harrington Park, Northvale, Norwood, and Old Tappan, once they arrive here they are treated as one." along with students from Rockleigh who attend the high school as part of a sending/receiving relationship.Rockleigh Public Services , Rockleigh, New Jersey. Accessed October 14, 2014. "Rockleigh Borough is a 'sending district' in that there is no public school within the Borough, except for three special-education schools administered by Bergen County.... The Northern Valley Regional High School at Old Tappan, a nationally ranked high school, receives older children from Rockleigh Borough." As of the 2023–24 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 1,068 students and 102.3 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 10.4:1.School data for Northern Valley Regional High School At Old Tappan, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed December 15, 2024. The school is one of the two schools of the Northern Valley Regional High School District, which also serves students from the neighboring communities of Closter, Demarest and Haworth at the Northern Valley Regional High School at Demarest.Northern Valley Regional High School District 2016 Report Card Narrative , New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed December 12, 2017. "Located in the upper North Eastern corner of the state, Northern Valley Regional is comprised of two high schools, Northern Valley at Demarest and Northern Valley at Old Tappan.... Our long standing successful and cost efficient Pre-K-12 consortium remains an exemplar model of shared services including seven local Pre-K-8 districts that send their students to the regional high schools: Closter, Demarest, Harrington Park, Haworth, Northvale, Norwood and Old Tappan."Our Communities, Northern Valley Regional High School District. Accessed November 11, 2025. "The seven towns that make up the Northern Valley Regional High School District - Closter, Demarest, Harrington Park, Haworth, Northvale, Norwood, and Old Tappan - are situated in the northeast corner of Bergen County, New Jersey."
The district participates in special education programs offered by Region III, one of seven such regional programs in Bergen County. Region III coordinates and develops special education programs for the students in the region with learning disabilities, which also includes the Alpine, Closter, Demarest, Harrington Park, Haworth, Northvale, Norwood and Old Tappan districts, as well as the Northern Valley Regional High School District.Region III Overview, Northern Valley Regional High School District. Accessed November 11, 2025. "Responding to this the Bergen County Superintendents Council almost 25 years ago, divided and reorganized the county into seven regions for special education. Bergen County Region III is comprised of nine participating districts: Alpine, Closter, Demarest, Harrington Park, Haworth, Northern Valley Regional High School District, Northvale, Norwood, and Old Tappan."
Schools Schools in the district (with 2023–24 enrollment data from the National Center for Education StatisticsSchool Data for Old Tappan Public Schools, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed December 15, 2024.) are:Contact Us, Old Tappan Public Schools. Accessed June 10, 2020.School Performance Reports for the Old Tappan Public Schools, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed September 1, 2025.New Jersey School Directory for the Old Tappan Public Schools, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024. T. Baldwin Demarest Elementary SchoolT. Baldwin Demarest Elementary School, Old Tappan Public Schools. Accessed November 11, 2025. with 399 students in grades PreK–4 Kathleen Boyce, principalPrincipal, T. Baldwin Demarest School. Accessed November 11, 2025. Charles DeWolf Middle SchoolCharles DeWolf Middle School, Old Tappan Public Schools. Accessed November 11, 2025. with 359 students in grades 5–8 Jennifer Santa, principalPrincipal, Charles De Wolf Middle School. Accessed November 11, 2025.
Administration Core members of the district's administration are:New Jersey School Directory for Bergen County, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024. Danielle M. Da Giau, superintendentSuperintendent's Office, Old Tappan Public Schools. Accessed November 11, 2025. Douglas Barrett, business administrator and board secretaryBusiness Office, Old Tappan Public Schools. Accessed November 11, 2025.
Board of education The district's board of education, comprised of five members, sets policy and oversees 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 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 of the Old Tappan School District, New Jersey Department of Education, for year ending June 30, 2024. Accessed November 11, 2025. "The Old Tappan 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 five 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." See "Roster of Officials" on page 12.Board of Education, Old Tappan Public Schools. Accessed November 11, 2025.
References
External links Old Tappan Public Schools
Data for Old Tappan Public Schools, National Center for Education Statistics Northern Valley Regional High School at Old Tappan