Woodbridge Township School District

The Woodbridge Township School District is a comprehensive community public school district that serves students in kindergarten through twelfth grade from Woodbridge Township in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. All schools are accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.

Woodbridge Township School District
Address
School Street
Woodbridge, NJ 07095
United States
Coordinates40.55521°N 74.280274°W / 40.55521; -74.280274
District information
GradesK-12
SuperintendentDr. Robert Zega
Business administratorBrian Wolferman
Schools26
Students and staff
Enrollment13,888 (as of 2018–19)[1]
Faculty1,122.7 FTEs[1]
Student–teacher ratio12.4:1[1]
Other information
District Factor GroupDE
WebsiteDistrict website
Ind.Per pupilDistrict
spending		Rank
(*)		K-12
average		%± vs.
average
1ATotal Spending$15,98914$18,891−15.4%
1Budgetary Cost12,9592314,783−12.3%
2Classroom Instruction8,186288,763−6.6%
6Support Services1,859242,392−22.3%
8Administrative Cost1,453521,485−2.2%
10Operations & Maintenance1,14381,783−35.9%
13Extracurricular Activities20635268−23.1%
16Median Teacher Salary69,2707664,043
Data from NJDoE 2014 Taxpayers' Guide to Education Spending.[2]
*Of K-12 districts with more than 3,500 students. Lowest spending=1; Highest=103

As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprising 26 schools, had an enrollment of 13,888 students and 1,122.7 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.4:1.[1] The high schools offer more than 150 courses, including Advanced Placement, college preparatory, business, vocational and cooperative work/study programs.

The district is classified by the New Jersey Department of Education as being in District Factor Group "DE", the fifth-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]

Awards and recognition

During the 2008-09 school year, Kennedy Park School #24 was recognized with the Blue Ribbon School Award of Excellence by the United States Department of Education,[4] the highest award an American school can receive.[5][6] Lynn Crest School was recognized as a "Blue Ribbon" School during the 2009-10 school year.[7]

For the 2005-06 school year, the district was recognized with the "Best Practices Award" by the New Jersey Department of Education for its "Blooming Buddies-The Garden Club" Science program at Matthew Jago Elementary School.[8]

For the 2004-05 school year, Matthew Jago Elementary School was named a "Star School" by the New Jersey Department of Education, the highest honor that a New Jersey school can achieve.[9]

Schools

Schools in the district (with 2018–19 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[10]) are:[11]

Elementary schools[12]
  • Mawbey Street School #1[13] (365; K-5 - built 1962)
  • Avenel Street School #4&5[14] (398; K-5 - built 1912)
  • Port Reading School #9[15] (392; K-5 - built 1962)
  • Ross Street School #11[16] (383; K-5 - built 1920)
  • Ford Avenue School #14[17] (247; K-5 - built 1924)
  • Indiana Avenue School #18[18] (514; K-5 - built 1955)
  • Menlo Park Terrace #19[19] (349; K-5 - built 1958)
  • Claremont Avenue School #20[20] (305; K-5 - built 1958)
  • Oak Ridge Heights School #21[21] (289; K-5 - built 1959)
  • Lynn Crest School #22[22] (336; K-5 - built 1959)
  • Woodbine Avenue School #23[23] (506; K-5 - built 1960)
  • Kennedy Park School #24[24] (317; PreK-5 - built 1960)
  • Lafayette Estates School #25[25] (483; K-5 - built 1960)
  • Robert Mascenik School #26[26] (312; K-5 - built 1960)
  • Pennsylvania Avenue School #27[27] (339; K-5 - built 1964)
  • Matthew Jago School #28[28] (406; K-5 - built 1969)
  • Oak Tree Road School #29[29] (524; K-5 - opened 2018[30])
Middle schools[31]
  • Avenel Middle School[32] (590; 6-8)
  • Colonia Middle School[33] (619; 6-8)
  • Fords Middle School[34] (653; 6-8)
  • Iselin Middle School[35] (748; 6-8)
  • Woodbridge Middle School[36] (516; 6-8)
High schools[37]

Administration

Core members of the district's administration are:[42][43]

  • Dr. Robert Zega, Superintendent
  • Brian Wolferman, Business Administrator / Board Secretary

Board of education

The district's board of education, with nine 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 three seats up for election each year held (since 2012) as part of the November general election.[44][45][46]

Controversy

Lois Rotella, former Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction, left her position in early August 2012. After her departure, "the district has been notoriously tight-lipped about matters since various schools have been under investigation by the State Board of Education's Office of Fiscal Accountability and Compliance... because of a high number of wrong-to-right erasures on the New Jersey Assessment of Skills and Knowledge (NJASK) standardized tests."[47]

In 2015, it was found out that Ford Avenue School #14 principal Cathie Bedosky was encouraging students to cheat on the NJASK standardized test. She also poorly trained test proctors, and hired unqualified people to administer the test. She was later suspended by vote at the Woodbridge Board of Education.[48]

References
  1. District information for Woodbridge Township School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed April 1, 2020.
  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 8, 2014.
  4. U.S. Department of Education Blue Ribbon Schools Program: 2008 Schools, United States Department of Education. Accessed September 23, 2008.
  5. "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."
  6. "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."
  7. 2010 Blue Ribbon Schools All Public and Private, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed June 27, 2011.
  8. New Jersey Department of Education Best Practices Award recipient for 2005-06, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed October 23, 2006.
  9. Star School Award recipients, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed May 23, 2006.
  10. School Data for the Woodbridge Township School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed April 1, 2020.
  11. New Jersey School Directory for the Woodbridge Township School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed December 29, 2016.
  12. Elementary Schools, Woodbridge Township School District. Accessed May 19, 2020.
  13. Mawbey Street School #1, Woodbridge Township School District. Accessed May 19, 2020.
  14. Avenel Street School #4&5, Woodbridge Township School District. Accessed May 19, 2020.
  15. Port Reading School #9, Woodbridge Township School District. Accessed May 19, 2020.
  16. Ross Street School #11, Woodbridge Township School District. Accessed May 19, 2020.
  17. Ford Avenue School #14, Woodbridge Township School District. Accessed May 19, 2020.
  18. Indiana Avenue School #18, Woodbridge Township School District. Accessed May 19, 2020.
  19. Menlo Park Terrace #19, Woodbridge Township School District. Accessed May 19, 2020.
  20. Claremont Avenue School #20, Woodbridge Township School District. Accessed May 19, 2020.
  21. Oak Ridge Heights School #21, Woodbridge Township School District. Accessed May 19, 2020.
  22. Lynn Crest School #22, Woodbridge Township School District. Accessed May 19, 2020.
  23. Woodbine Avenue School #23, Woodbridge Township School District. Accessed May 19, 2020.
  24. Kennedy Park School #24, Woodbridge Township School District. Accessed May 19, 2020.
  25. Lafayette Estates School #25, Woodbridge Township School District. Accessed May 19, 2020.
  26. Robert Mascenik School #26, Woodbridge Township School District. Accessed May 19, 2020.
  27. Pennsylvania Avenue School #27, Woodbridge Township School District. Accessed May 19, 2020.
  28. Matthew Jago School #28, Woodbridge Township School District. Accessed May 19, 2020.
  29. Oak Tree Road School #29, Woodbridge Township School District. Accessed May 19, 2020.
  30. Makin, Bob. "Woodbridge: Oak Tree Road School unveils $8M renovation", Courier News, September 8, 2018. Accessed May 19, 2020. "Oak Tree Road School No. 29 on Wednesday became the first fully-renovated township school district building to open in nearly 50 years. The school, which cost $8M to renovate, welcomed 520 first- through fifth-grade students."
  31. Middle Schools, Woodbridge Township School District. Accessed May 19, 2020.
  32. Avenel Middle School, Woodbridge Township School District. Accessed May 19, 2020.
  33. Colonia Middle School, Woodbridge Township School District. Accessed May 19, 2020.
  34. Fords Middle School, Woodbridge Township School District. Accessed May 19, 2020.
  35. Iselin Middle School, Woodbridge Township School District. Accessed May 19, 2020.
  36. Woodbridge Middle School, Woodbridge Township School District. Accessed May 19, 2020.
  37. High Schools, Woodbridge Township School District. Accessed May 19, 2020.
  38. Colonia High School, Woodbridge Township School District. Accessed May 19, 2020.
  39. Woodbridge High School, Woodbridge Township School District. Accessed May 19, 2020.
  40. Reaching Individual Student Excellence, Woodbridge Township School District. Accessed May 19, 2020.
  41. Woodbridge High School, Woodbridge Township School District. Accessed May 19, 2020.
  42. Central Administration, Woodbridge Township School District. Accessed May 19, 2020.
  43. New Jersey School Directory for Middlesex County, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed December 29, 2016.
  44. 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.
  45. Comprehensive Annual Financial Report of the Franklin Township School District, New Jersey Department of Education, for year ending June 30, 2019. Accessed May 19, 2020. "The Woodbridge Township School District (the 'District') is a Type II District located in the County of Middlesex, State of New Jersey. The District functions independently through a nine-member Board of Education. The purpose of the District is to educate students K-12."
  46. Board of Education, Woodbridge Township School District. Accessed May 19, 2020.
  47. Mystery Surrounds Woodbridge Assistant School Superintendent's Departure, Woodbridge Patch. August 3, 2012.
  48. "Woodbridge school principal encouraged cheating on standardized test, state says". NJ.com. Retrieved January 16, 2017.
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