Falcon Pride!
7:30 PM Board of Education Mtg.
7:30 PM Board of Education Mtg.
At the Board of Education meeting on September 16, it was announced that Cozy Lake Elementary School will close at the end of this school year, and the Central Office building will be placed on the real estate market. The District understands that these decisions may raise questions and encourages the community to visit the District Reconfiguration page for updates as they become available.
Jefferson Township Public Schools is hiring now to fill permanent and substitute vacancies! Are you looking for a part-time job with hours to fit perfectly with your child's school schedule? Multiple part-time positions available.
Congratulations to Alyssa Guagenti, Jefferson Township Middle School's Gifted & Talented and Special Education Teacher, for being named Morris County's Teacher of the Year for 2024-2025! We’re so proud of you and all your amazing accomplishments!
Join us on Monday, June 17th, 7 PM at JTHS, for a letter writing campaign to Governor Murphy and legislators, calling attention to the devastating impact of the NJ School Funding Formula on our schools.
Visions is a community-minded organization with more than 50 years of experience. They serve members across three states, with a culture built on giving back. They're more than just money – they are people helping people. If you want to be part of something greater, something different, and something growing, then click here to learn more about internship opportunities.
For the tenth year in a row, Jefferson Township Public Schools has earned the Best Communities for Music Education 2024 Award from the National Association of Music Merchants Foundation in recognition of our commitment to K-12 music education excellence across the content areas of general music, instrumental music, vocal music, digital music, piano, ukulele, and guitar. Congratulations to our K-12 music teachers and students!
Mayor Wilsusen recently wrote an informative article about the New Jersey Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act. Click to read more about how our schools are directly affected by this legislation.
During the April 24th Board of Education meeting, Mr. Brown was sworn in as the newest member of the Jefferson Township Board of Education. Mr. Brown stated, "I would like to thank my family for their support and the Board of Ed for this opportunity to serve within the community. I am looking forward to fulfilling this role to the best of my ability and proving I am a responsive and responsible steward of the District's resources." Welcome, Mr. Brown!
At last night's Board of Education meeting, the school calendar was adjusted to include Friday, May 24th and Tuesday, May 28th as school closures to address the "give back" of two unused emergency closing days. Click here for the revised school calendar.
Mr. DeVries was nominated due to his unrelenting support, dedication, and passion for our students and art education. His contributions to our students and our school community are numerous and usually beyond the bells of the normal school day schedule. We are so fortunate to have him teaching our students. Mr. DeVries was recently spoken about live on-air on 105.5 WDHA FM, during the 9 AM hour and have him featured on their website. Mr. DeVries will be honored at their banquet on May 8th at Casa Bianca in Oak Ridge.
Our JTHS Debate Team was one of eight schools competing this year. The topic for this season: Resolved: “The United States federal government should substantially increase fiscal redistribution in the United States by adopting a Federal Jobs Guarantee, expanding Social Security, and/or providing a Basic Income.” READ MORE....
The Jefferson Township School district is proud to offer a free, full day, safe, high quality preschool program for all residents of Jefferson Township. To be eligible for our program your child must turn 3 or 4 years old by October 1, 2024 and must be a resident of Jefferson Township.
Students who are currently enrolled in our preschool program are guaranteed a spot for the 2024-2025 school year and do not need to register. Any families that are interested and not currently enrolled in the district’s preschool program who meet the above criteria can apply by following the instructions on this page.
The Jefferson Township Board of Education was recently awarded additional grant funding enabling the further expansion of preschool services for three- and four-year-old children in our school district. Children who are three or four years old before October 1, 2023 and reside in Jefferson Township are eligible for the program. This funding allows our district to increase the number of students in a full-day preschool program at no cost to parents.
If you are interested in your child attending the full-day program five days a week, please complete this application no later than May 15, 2023.
Students who are currently enrolled in our preschool program are guaranteed a spot next year. Any child not already enrolled in the district’s preschool program who meets the above criteria will be entered into a lottery system due to the limited number of seats we have available. Parents will be notified by May 30, 2023 if their child is selected to participate in the program. Any child not selected for the program will remain on a waiting list in the event there is an opening in the future.
If you have any questions or concerns about the program or timelines, please contact the principal of the school where you reside; Ellen T. Briggs School for Lake Hopatcong or Cozy Lake School for Oak Ridge. You may also visit our Preschool website at www.jefftwp.org/preschool for additional information on this exciting opportunity.
The application process for incoming students will begin around May 1, 2023. Details outlining the criteria for new student eligibility and prioritization will be communicated at that time. Students enrolled in the existing program will receive priority registration.
Please do not use the kindergarten pre-registration form for your potential preschooler at this time.
March 6, 2023 – LAKE HOPATCONG, NJ: Full day public pre-K will be available to even more families in Jefferson Township through additional NJDOE Preschool Expansion Aid (PEA) funding. The Jefferson Township Board of Education received notice of PEA funding in excess of $2.7 million which will support nine additional high-quality preschool classrooms. A high-quality preschool program is defined by a full-day program with a certificated teacher, an aide, and small classes that are inclusive of children with special needs who have an individualized education program.
The announcement of the newly awarded pre-K funds followed Governor Phil Murphy’s 2024 Fiscal Year Budget Address on Tuesday of last week. This news comes amid ongoing budget challenges – Jefferson Township School District’s state aid is being reduced by more than $1.5 million dollars. This represents the sixth year of S-2 cuts totalling more than $33 million to date. While the PEA does not address the issues with the school funding formula, the additional preschool funding is a welcome reprieve from the drastic cuts that the loss of state aid has caused.
Jefferson Township launched Phase I of its expanded preschool program in January of this year. In the fall, the district expects to accommodate more than 200 three- and four-year-olds in the program. The goal for the next two years is to offer free, high-quality, full-day early learning programming to all preschool aged children in Jefferson Township, building a strong foundation for learning and success.
“As a result of this increase in funding, we will be able to provide quality preschool education to more than 200 students of Jefferson. This will undoubtedly provide a solid foundation for our youngest learners with benefits lasting throughout their school careers,” stated Jeanne Howe, Superintendent, upon learning the district will be receiving the funding.
The application process for incoming students will begin around May 1, 2023. Details outlining criteria for new student eligibility and prioritization will be communicated at that time. Students enrolled in the existing program will receive priority registration.
All pre-K classrooms will be located at Ellen T. Briggs and Cozy Lake Elementary Schools. As communicated in November, in order to accommodate the growing number of students, all first grade sections from those schools will relocate to Arthur Stanlick and White Rock Elementary Schools in the fall.
Thank you for your interest in our full-day preschool program. Additional information on our program, including how to apply for the lottery, will be released in the spring. Please continue to check back.
31 Route 181
Lake Hopatcong, NJ 07849
Phone: 973-663-5780Fax: