National Blue Ribbon Schools Program

Essex Fells School is a special public school enrolling students in preschool through sixth grades. Pupils enjoy small classes in a total school population of approximately two hundred fifty. The size of the school is a wonderful asset as it allows a strong sense of community and offers teachers and pupils many opportunities to form bonds of collegiality, identification and support. The combined efforts of the entire school community work to support a pupil centered approach to education.
The primary goals of an Essex Fells education include:
Developing in all pupils the capacity to think critically and communicate effectively through a mastery of written and spoken English.
Motivating all pupils to recognize and develop their academic abilities in order to build character and to achieve their full potential.
Teaching children to value themselves, their peers and their teachers.
Establishing a respect for and a strong sense of responsibility to the physical, social, and aesthetic world around them.
Nurturing a love of country and a pride in our American heritage and citizenship.
Communicating a love of scholarship and continued interest in life-long learning.
Insuring all pupils will achieve the NJ Standards at all levels.
To secure these goals, the school community believes that the collaborative engagement of the children in the learning process is the key to intellectual development. Dedicated teachers create classrooms that are alive with cooperative learning activities and child-centered problem solving routines. Children are encouraged to explore, question, make decisions, and express opinions in a supportive learning environment. It is a place where "Studies Pass Into Character."