Watchung Overview

The Watchung School Vision Statement: Watchung School students will graduate equipped with skills to be independent life-long learners. Students will demonstrate compassion for others and their environment through an understanding about the interdependence of all living things. Students will be critical thinkers, problem solvers and curious about how things work.

Watchung School is the proud recipient of three national Blue Ribbon awards (honored in 1989, 1993 and 201l) as well as being named a Reward School by the New Jersey Department of Education in 2013.

Watchung School serves over 400 students in Kindergarten through fifth grade. Students and their families are living in exponential times that require much from a public school. To best prepare our students for these ever evolving times, Watchung School integrates its curricula with the methods of problem-based learning. The science curriculum offers hands-on activities including weekly lessons in a state-of-the-art science lab and greenhouse. A Hydroponics system was recently installed in our greenhouse, which is a powerful addition to our magnet theme. Students will learn about this process of growing plants without soil, which is environmentally friendly and increasingly important to our sustainability. Our technology lab is equipped with over 25 Mac computers and is run by a full-time technology teacher. Our school currently houses four laptop carts with approximately 100 Mac Air books, which are utilized daily by students. Students produce and star in a daily news broadcast each and every morning. The core curriculum at Watchung School infuses problem-based learning activities at all grade levels to ensure students are learning to think critically and be problem solvers.

Watchung School has a long tradition of excellence serving a highly diverse population of students. Over the past decade, Watchung School has consistently led New Jersey elementary schools with high test scores in all tested areas. Our annual milestones include: a school-wide week-long Science Fair with Science Bee, an interactive Science Summit, a three-day environmental education camping trip, winter and spring musical concerts, a fully staged spring musical production, after-school enrichment programs and regular science-orientated field trips.

The Watchung School Related Arts program further enriches the educational experience for our students. These experiences include weekly offerings in music instruction with Yamaha keyboards, Orff percussion, recorders and vocal recording studio. Students also participate in a weekly art class which includes art history, appreciation and experiences that reference a wide range of mediums and expressions. The physical education program integrates a focus on health, nutrition and wellness into all activities. Our World Language Program infuses Spanish language within cultural themes such as music, dance and customs. Our Technology Program includes lessons in various technological areas including keyboarding, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.

Finally, the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) at Watchung School is very strong. Parents are considered active partners in establishing and maintaining the overall educational environment for all students. During the school year, the PTA sponsors a variety of events and works closely with the principal to ensure the events are aligned with curricular goals. Watchung School’s strong partnership with its PTA is further evidence for Watchung School’s highly effective program.

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