Verona Public Schools

The Verona Public Schools is a comprehensive community public school district that serves students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade from Verona, in Essex County, New Jersey, United States.[3] The Verona Public Schools (VPS) consist of six campuses: four neighborhood elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school.

Verona Public Schools
Address
121 Fairview Avenue
Verona, New Jersey
, Essex County, New Jersey, 07044
United States
Coordinates40.840756°N 74.248713°W / 40.840756; -74.248713
District information
GradesPreK-12
SuperintendentDiane DiGiuseppe
Business administratorJorge Cruz
Schools6
Students and staff
Enrollment2,211 (as of 2020–21)[1]
Faculty182.3 FTEs[1]
Student–teacher ratio12.1:1[1]
Other information
District Factor GroupI
Websiteveronaschools.org
Ind.Per pupilDistrict
spending		Rank
(*)		K-12
average		 %± vs.
average
1ATotal Spending$16,21912$18,891−14.1%
1Budgetary Cost11,632414,783−21.3%
2Classroom Instruction6,77648,763−22.7%
6Support Services1,836162,392−23.2%
8Administrative Cost1,370171,485−7.7%
10Operations & Maintenance1,25871,783−29.4%
13Extracurricular Activities3803226841.8%
16Median Teacher Salary64,1283864,043
Data from NJDoE 2014 Taxpayers' Guide to Education Spending.[2]
*Of K-12 districts with 1,800-3,500 students. Lowest spending=1; Highest=68

As of the 2020–21 school year, the district, comprised of six schools, had an enrollment of 2,211 students and 182.3 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.1:1.[1]

The district is classified by the New Jersey Department of Education as being in District Factor Group "I", the second-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.[4]

The schools provide students with a liberal education that meets and exceeds the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards. With nearly 95% of Verona's graduates pursuing a college education, most curricular offerings are oriented to college preparation. Vocational programs and transitional services are offered through the schools of the Essex County Vocational Technical Schools for those planning on heading directly to the working world. The schools offer special education programs to support students with learning disabilities including one of the state's model pre-school intervention programs.

Awards and recognition

For the 2004-05 school year, Laning Avenue School was named a "Star School" by the New Jersey Department of Education, the highest honor that a New Jersey school can achieve.[5] Other schools in the district recognized as Star Schools are Verona High School for 1995-96[6] and Forest Avenue Elementary School for 1998-99.[7]

The district has been recognized on three occasions with the Best Practice Award, honoring specific practices implemented by a district for exemplary and/or innovative strategies. Initiatives recognized include "Citizenship / Character Education: Teaching Responsibility Through Involvement" in 1997-98,[8] "World Languages: Mandarin and Me" in 1998-99[9] and "Educational Technology: Rain Forest Robotics" in 2001-02.[10]

Schools
Middle School

Schools in the district (with 2020–21 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[11]) are:[12][13]

Elementary schools
  • Brookdale Avenue School[14] with 131 students in grades K-4
    • Nicole Stuto, principal
  • Frederic N. Brown School[15] with 274 students in grades K-4
    • Dr. Anthony Lanzo, principal
  • Forest Avenue School[16] with 213 students in grades K-4
    • Jeffrey Monacelli, principal
  • Laning Avenue School[17] with 233 students in grades PreK-4
    • Howard Freund, principal
Middle school
  • Henry B. Whitehorne Middle School[18] with 643 students in grades 5-8
    • David Galbierczyk, principal
High school

Administration

Core members of the district's administration are:[20]

  • Diane DiGiuseppe, superintendent of schools[21]
  • Jorge Cruz, school business administrator and board secretary[22]

Board of education

The district's board of education, comprised of five 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 either one or two seats up for election each year held (since 2012) as part of the November general election. The board appoints a superintendent to oversee the district's day-to-day operations and a business administrator to supervise the business functions of the district.[23][24][25]

References
  1. District information for Verona Public School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 15, 2022.
  2. Taxpayers' Guide to Education Spending April 2013, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed April 15, 2013.
  3. Verona Board of Education District Policy 0110 - Identification, Verona Public Schools. Accessed September 2, 2020. "Purpose: The Board of Education exists for the purpose of providing a thorough and efficient system of free public education in grades Pre-Kindergarten through twelve in the Verona School District. Composition: The Verona School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of Verona."
  4. NJ Department of Education District Factor Groups (DFG) for School Districts, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed December 23, 2014.
  5. Star School Award recipient detail, New Jersey Department of Education, archived by the Internet Archive as of December 18, 2006. Accessed November 30, 2009.
  6. Star School Award recipient detail, New Jersey Department of Education, archived by the Internet Archive as of December 18, 2006. Accessed November 30, 2009.
  7. New Jersey Department of Education Star School Award recipient for 1998-99, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed August 20, 2006.
  8. New Jersey Department of Best Practice Award recipient for 1997-98, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed August 20, 2006.
  9. New Jersey Department of Best Practice Award recipient for 1998-99, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed August 20, 2006.
  10. New Jersey Department of Best Practice Award recipient for 2001-02, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed August 20, 2006.
  11. School Data for the Verona Public Schools, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 15, 2022.
  12. School Performance Reports for the Verona Public School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed July 13, 2022.
  13. New Jersey School Directory for the Verona Public Schools, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed December 29, 2016.
  14. Brookdale Avenue School, Verona Public Schools. Accessed July 13, 2022.
  15. Frederic N. Brown School, Verona Public Schools. Accessed July 13, 2022.
  16. Forest Avenue School, Verona Public Schools. Accessed July 13, 2022.
  17. Laning Avenue School, Verona Public Schools. Accessed July 13, 2022.
  18. Henry B. Whitehorne Middle School, Verona Public Schools. Accessed July 13, 2022.
  19. Verona High School, Verona Public Schools. Accessed July 13, 2022.
  20. New Jersey School Directory for Essex County, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed July 11, 2022.
  21. Superintendent, Verona Public Schools. Accessed July 11, 2022.
  22. School Business Administrator, Verona Public Schools. Accessed July 11, 2022.
  23. 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.
  24. Comprehensive Annual Financial Report of the Verona School District, New Jersey Department of Education, for year ending June 30, 2019. Accessed June 1, 2020. "The Verona Board of Education (the "Board" or the "District") is an instrumentality of the State of New Jersey, established to function as an education institution. The Board consists of five elected officials and is responsible for the fiscal control of the District. A superintendent of schools is appointed by the Board and is responsible for the administrative control of the District."
  25. Board of Education Members, Verona Public Schools. Accessed July 13, 2022.
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