School Superintendent's Letter To Parents

Montclair School District Superintendent Frank Alvarez emailed a letter to Montclair parents on Wednesday, warmly welcoming them to another school year while also noting the challenging economic times currently facing the Township.

Among the highlights of his letter:

"The first new school in Montclair in more than 50 years opens this month--The Charles H. Bullock School. This school is also the first in town to be named after an African-American. Mr. Bullock was the first executive director of the Washington Street Y, the site of the new school. He was a beloved member of the community who dedicated his time and energy to the children and families of Montclair. Bullock School is a state-of-the-art facility with several green components, making it an environmentally-friendly building and keeping with the school's magnet theme.  A ribbon-cutting ceremony is planned for Tuesday, September 14, at 4:00 p.m.
 
"Renaissance moves to Rand School this year. The school has undergone a few minor changes to accommodate middle school students, while the essence of Renaissance—its philosophy, extended-day schedule, Friday program, and external learning opportunities—remains."

In a curriculum update, Alvarez said that "elementary schools will be focused on implementing a more systemic reading and writing program through the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project. At the middle school level, the coordination of the middle and high school mathematics curriculum will be central to our discussions of reform. The high school is going through a series of changes to provide greater accountability and consistency of practice across departments.  This year it will also focus on strengthening its small learning communities and, perhaps, introducing a new one.

"I am also pleased to announce that we have received a $1.4 million federal grant to support the teaching of Mandarin in our schools. Montclair's program will teach Mandarin in an integrated approach using science, technology, engineering and mathematics as a foundation. In addition, we received a $20,000 grant from Montclair State University, thanks to the generosity of an alumnus. This grant will help support professional development and consultancy services during the next two years."     
 
In an update on enrollment, Alvarez reported that the district currently includes 6,615 students. Enrollment Information. "The new kindergarten class continues to reflect recent trends with over 480 students currently registered for September," he said.
 
School starts on September 13.