Dear Parents and Guardians,


A recent research report by the U.S. Department of Education states, “Kindergarten is a critical period in children’s early school careers – this experience sets children on a path that influences their subsequent learning and school achievement.” The staff at Milton School embraces the philosophy that childhood is a journey, not a race. The school’s staff strives to support the children in all aspects of their educational voyage, guiding them to become higher-level thinkers, critical problem solvers, and members of society who know the difference between right and wrong. We are concerned with making sure that every student is achieving to his or her fullest potential. We are here to offer them support and encouragement and lots of positive attention. The Milton staff is committed to the children – to their educational needs, safety needs, and emotional needs.

Milton School serves the educational needs of Jefferson Township’s youngest students. The school community consists of half-day kindergarten and pre-school disabled programs. Young children learn best when they have the opportunity to discover and practice. They also learn a great deal from the experience of play. Social skills are emphasized as students learn to share and cooperate with each other. They learn to listen, follow directions and to care for their environment and each other.

At Milton School we continue to foster diversity of instruction through insightful planning and teaching which challenges all students to recognize their individual strengths. We believe that every student should be challenged to reach his/her true potential and the educational experience we afford each of them is reflective of this philosophy. In an effort to create developmentally and academically responsive classrooms, we design programs and lessons that incorporate the values by equity and excellence. We focus on meeting the learning needs and modalities of each student. By utilizing differentiated instruction, our teachers are able to develop multiple avenues for our students with different abilities, interests or learning needs to experience success. The teachers collaborate during common planning times. The teaching staff creates and implements activities that are interesting, relevant, and valuable. They also collaborate to organize Theme Days that connect to the curriculum and that include participation of the parents and community. Community Outreach activities are adopted as extensions of the Theme Days to promote citizenship and civil responsibility.

The Milton Kindergarten Program develops academic readiness skills for reading, language and mathematics. The curricular program is aligned with the New Jersey Core Content Curriculum Standards and is implemented using current resources. The students also experience instruction in Physical Education by a certified teacher. Our teachers continue to update their knowledge base to meet the professional development challenges established by the New Jersey State Department of Education. We utilize and reference the Standards and Frameworks to ensure that all of our students are prepared to meet these standards to the best of their abilities. We reflect on the students’ progress and review the effectiveness of the program and instruction annually.

Milton School enjoys a positive, productive relationship with the parents and community. An active Parent Teacher Association is the cornerstone of the effective interaction between parents and staff. Many interesting activities and events are held throughout the year. Consistent with our goals and objectives, the PTA supports quality enrichment programs that provide our students with a variety of cultural, academic and character development experiences. The PTA continues to offer grants that support our teachers’ innovative programs. Parent involvement in committees, fund raising activities, community social action projects and volunteer opportunities is integral to the success of our home and school partnership.

A child’s education at Milton School is the result of parents, teachers and administrators working together. Thanks to the involvement of dedicated teachers and parents, our children will continue to be afforded challenging and enriching opportunities that will allow them to become independent thinkers, responsible citizens, and life-long learners. At Milton School we celebrate the joy of childhood and the wonder of learning.

Tim Plotts
973-697-4742
tplotts@jefftwp.org