About Upper School

The Upper School, within the Englewood Cliffs School District, offers a high-quality program of education for all of its students, Grades 3-8. There is continuous emphasis on collaboration between administration, teachers, and parents that results in a nurturing, child-centered environment.

The educational program at Upper School is enhanced by small class sizes and grade level common preparations periods which allows collaboration among teachers and administration. The District’s web-based curriculum is employed in an environment where well-trained staff implements strategies such as cooperative learning and differentiated instruction to ensure the success of all students.

Instructionally, Upper School staff has embraced new research-based mathematics and a reading program that will provide a foundation for the success of our students in these subject areas. Professional staff development, through partnerships with colleges and universities, provides our teachers with the resources to successfully implement these new programs in a purposeful and systematic way. Additional support classes in mathematics and reading and writing are offered to our students during an activity period and through Basic Skills support.

Technology has been an ongoing initiative and has been widely accepted and utilized in the school’s classrooms. Through support of the instructional technology teacher as well as through attendance at professional staff development, technology-related strategies and programs are incorporated to enhance the instructional program of all of the classes in the school. Upper School students are provided with a 1 to 1 laptop computer program to enhance their studies both inside and outside of the classroom, and each classroom is equipped with its own SMART board.
Students are taught civic pride and become aware of their civic responsibilities beginning in the early grades. They are taught to respect themselves and respect the rights of others, thus creating a pleasant, tension-free school environment. Our character education program is very helpful in making our students aware of their responsibilities towards themselves as well as other individuals. Through various in-school programs our students become involved in community service, which helps create global citizens that make a positive impact on our larger community.
Upper School continues to emphasize varied educational opportunities. Our Related Arts and Cultural Heritage projects are outstanding yearly themes that fuel the enthusiasm of all the children. Connecting these programs with our school play, community events, and social/emotional learning are important components of every school year. We continue to prioritize and highlight multiple cultural appreciation activities, assemblies, field trips, and holiday programs that foster the celebration of the wonderful diversity found in our district. As a Responsive Classroom district, we work hard to intertwine social/emotional competencies including cooperation, assertiveness, responsibility, empathy, and self-control with a set of academic competencies that highlights perseverance, learning strategies, and academic behaviors. Strengthening these skills helps create more well-rounded young people that have all the tools needed to excel beyond their time in Englewood Cliffs.

 

Updated 8/17/21