School #16 has good character! Friendship is contagious!
School #16, which is located in the center of Passaic City’s business district, is comprised of 22 Pre-Kindergarten homerooms and 11 Kindergarten homerooms. Currently, our school is home to 505 students and 110 employees. School #16 has a unique building design with six floors of classrooms, an all-purpose area, roof top playground, school lending library for staff and parents, staff resource area, and a student cafeteria.
Our dedicated staff embraces the opportunity to educate our students. Teachers strive to differentiate the curriculum in as many ways as possible in order to meet the varied needs of our students. Pre-Kindergarten teachers and paraprofessionals have extensive training in the High/Scope curriculum, which provides activities that are implemented based on the students’ expressed interests. Best practices are incorporated into the curriculum in order to further develop cognitive, physical, emotional, and social skills based on each child’s developmental abilities. The Child Observation Record (C.O.R.), which is the Pre-Kindergarten assessment, uses observation, individual anecdotal records, and work samples to help drive instruction. Pre-Kindergarten staff meets in small learning cohorts with their master teacher to reflect on and implement instructional practices. School #16 also works in partnership with the National Institute for Early Educational Research (NIEER). Through NIEER, selected Pre-Kindergarten staff members are participating in a Dual Language Staffing Study for the 2010-2011 school year.
Our Kindergarten teachers provide students with rigorous Literacy and Math instruction through the use of the Reading Streets Literacy Curriculum and the Everyday Math Curriculum. Skills are taught and reinforced through the implementation of whole group instruction, mini-lessons, small group instruction, and independent work centers. Evidence of school-wide progress and growth is measured with authentic student work, walkthroughs, benchmark assessments, and portfolio work. Kindergarten students are learning about Social Studies through the Nystrom Curriculum and Science through the FOSS Curriculum. Kindergarten teachers participate in weekly grade level meetings conducted by the literacy or math coach.
At School #16, parent participation is encouraged and valued. Our school based social worker, literacy and math coaches regularly share information with our parents. Throughout the school year, parents are invited to attend workshops on topics such as: nutrition, instructional practices, transition to Kindergarten, and maximizing community resources. We strive to foster the connection between home and school.
The entire staff at School #16 is committed to working collaboratively to provide high quality instruction and positive experiences to all of our students. We value the opportunity to develop the ‘whole child’ – which includes the academic, emotional, and social components during the early years of education. School #16 believes that every child who walks through our doors deserves the opportunity to learn and receive the tools to achieve lifelong success.
Janet Drago, Principal
(973) 815-8516
jdrago@passaic-city.k12.nj.us
Emmanuel Morales, Vice Principal
(973) 815-1869
emmorales@passaic-city.k12.nj.us
To go to harassment, Intimidation & Bullying lesson plans
please go to http://www.bullyfree.com/access-bully-free-lesson-plans
District Anti-Bullying Coordinator
Edward Rowbotham
(973)470-5217
erowbotham@passaic-city.k12.nj.us
Anti-Bullying Specialist
Marie Setti
(973)815-8600
mhung@passaic-city.k12.nj.us
