A+ Ideas, Programs, and Practices

The Fair Lawn Board of Education and the Fair Lawn Town Council have saved both entities time and money through collaborative efforts such ordering and purchasing equipment collectively and sharing services. Representatives of the school district and the borough have insight on the history of how the collaboration began, and can share specific examples of … Continued

Three Bloomfield entities – the Bloomfield Public Schools, the Bloomfield Department of Recreation, and Bloomfield College – have partnered to create positive effects for Bloomfield students. The partners created positive learning environments, shared professional collaboration and classroom learning space. The collaboration helps each student, pre-K through high school, achieve success in an individualized program. Local … Continued

A public school program for children diagnosed on the autism spectrum, the Valley Program educates children from Northern Valley Regional’s two high schools, as well as the seven elementary districts that send students there. Students range in age from 3 to 16. Program features include nationally certified staff, masters-level speech therapists, training for parents and … Continued

January 2015 was a milestone in Passaic County’s Manchester Regional High School and Haledon Public School Districts. The month marked the midpoint, of the 12th year, that the two districts have shared a superintendent and business administrator. To say the two districts are pleased with the arrangement is an understatement. Over the years, the shared … Continued

The Mount Ephraim School District recently acquired its municipality’s library building. Plans were to turn the building into a performing arts center. But estimates from private contractors for the work needed for the conversion were very high. So, the district was looking for a different solution. That solution came from the school district’s partner in … Continued

Many districts have the need to provide families and their children costly Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) home-based programs. These programs are anticipated to be in place for long periods. However, some parents have little or no involvement in these programs. To address this concern, the Pascack Valley Council for Special Education, Region II, offers its … Continued

The Bergenfield Public School District and Bergen County Special Services together operate the Tri-Valley Academy, whose mission is to provide comprehensive education services for students with autism, from ages K-21. One way is through “Cooking up Confidence.” Students at all grade levels take part in daily cooking activities as a way to develop knowledge and … Continued

In 2006, a group of 23 Bergen County school boards in 2006 created a consortium for shared commercial banking services, now known as “BC Banc.” Still going strong, the consortium now includes 42 districts, most in Bergen County. The consortium is not a pooled investment, and district funds are not co-mingled. Rather, it is a … Continued

The Ability Awareness Collaboration creatively raises awareness about disabilities by partnering students from the Wall High School Peer Leaders with students from the Ladacin-Schroth School, a private school for disabled students. The program’s purpose is threefold: The Schroth students have the opportunity to socialize with students from their sending school districts; the Wall students, some … Continued

January 2015 was a milestone in Passaic County’s Manchester Regional High School and Haledon Public School Districts. The month marked the midpoint, of the 12th year, that the two districts have shared a superintendent and business administrator. To say the two districts are pleased with the arrangement is an understatement. Over the years, the shared … Continued