Leaving no local children behind

HACKETTSTOWN | Kristen Jones has a hand in helping the Hackettstown School District meet its goal of improving communications.

Combined with creating better learning environments and fostering partnerships with nearby Centenary College and area businesses, the goal is expected to be adopted Wednesday by the Hackettstown Board of Education.

Jones, who teaches science at Hackettstown Middle School, took a basic computer programming course in college and used the knowledge to help fellow teachers develop Web pages on the district's Web site.

"It's another resource, especially for the students," Jones said.

The Web pages, as described by Superintendent Robert Gratz, are meant to go beyond listing homework assignments. Each teacher is being asked to provide telephone and e-mail contact information, as well as updating what their class is doing.

All three goals support what Gratz called the district's most pressing goal: improving student achievement.

In Hackettstown, only the middle school failed to reach the federal government's definition of adequate yearly progress under the No Child Left Behind Act in 2006-07, the most recent data available.

District officials said about half the school's roughly 40 special-needs students were unable to pass, accounting for the negative designation.

Despite some disagreement about the state's methods, Gratz said the district must still meet the standards, and programs already under way aim to accomplish that.

At Willow Grove Elementary School, special-needs students attend some regular classes. With the assistance of aids, the students have shown remarkable aptitude, said Principal John Sarcone.

"We find when the state puts the test out at the end of the year, you need to pass it whether you're special needs or not," Sarcone said. "Regardless of their background, their educational ability, they are all included" in regular classes.

Another districtwide program called Talent Identification-Growth & Enrichment through Resource Sharing -- or TI-GERS, a play on the district's mascot -- seeks to apply the talents and interests of students, staff and the community to education through before- or after-school activities, administrators said.

"The kids who are included in extracurriculars, they do better in school and they do better in life," said Brian Purzak, principal of Hackettstown High School.

Aside from various renovations to the schools over the summer, the district also replaced the computers to allow for greater Internet bandwidth, which Gratz said helps with online programs used by students from elementary to high school levels.

"Our big goal here is to meet the needs of every student," Hackettstown Middle School Principal Marie Griffin said. "It's a challenge, but it's not impossible."