Are you thinking about buying a house in Central New Jersey soon? If you have children, school district quality is probably a crucial factor in your decision. Scotch Plains-Fanwood Public Schools, one of the best districts in the state, prepares students to thrive and succeed during their school years and beyond!

Schools

The Scotch Plains-Fanwood School District educates more than 5,500 students in grades Pre-K through 12. Schools include:

• Howard B. Brunner Elementary School (grades Pre-K through 4)
• Ackerman Coles Elementary School (grades Pre-K through 4)
• Evergreen Elementary School (grades Pre-K through 4)
• William J. McGinn Elementary School (grades K through 4)
• School One Elementary School (grades K through 4)
• Park Middle School (grades 5 through 8)
• Terrill Middle School (grades 5 through 8)
• Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School (grades 9 through 12)

Students from both Scotch Plains and Fanwood are enrolled in the district.

Curriculum

The district’s curriculum focuses on helping students at all grade levels master core content classes, including math, language arts, social studies, science, fine arts and world languages. Computer literacy is an important aspect of the educational process at Scotch Plains-Fanwood Public Schools. Students not only use computers to research and prepare assignments but may also enroll in classes in computer science, web development, and computer programming and design.

In addition to core classes, high school students can choose from a variety of electives, including:

• Foods
• Painting
• Public Speaking
• Economics and Financial Literacy
• Engineering Technology
• Forensic Science
• Journalism
• Intro to Business Management
• Ceramics
• Concert Choir and Band
• 3-D Design
• Astronomy
• Creative Writing

The school district’s vocational-technical program includes classes in commercial art, culinary arts, cosmetology, baking, interactive media and game design, allied health, automotive technology, child development, criminal justice, electrical tech, green construction technology and welding.

High school students can earn college credits by taking advanced placement (AP) courses. Courses available for AP credit include Biology II, Calculus AB, Calculus BC, Chemistry II, Computer Science, Economics, English III, European History, French V, History of Art, Italian, Physics II, United States Government & Politics, United States History, Spanish V, Statistics and Environmental Science.

Extracurricular Activities

Scotch Plains-Fanwood Public Schools offer a variety of extracurricular activities that allow students to practice what they’ve learned in the classroom and explore new areas of interest. High school students can enhance their understanding of politics by joining the Junior Statesman Association and Model UN. Future Business Leaders of America, Black Student Union, Girls Who Code, Robotics Club, Interact Club, Math League, American Sign Language Club and others are offered at the high school.

The high school’s band, chorus, jazz chorus and drama clubs stage regular performances for the entire community. Sports offerings include baseball, basketball, cheerleading, cross country, field hockey, football, golf, gymnastics, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, softball, spring track and swimming.

Facts and Figures

More than 97 percent of students in the Scotch Plains-Fanwood district graduate in four years, and 92.2 percent of graduates enroll in colleges and universities. Seventy-eight percent of district students met or exceeded expectations in English / Language Arts during state assessments. Just over 65 percent of students met or exceeded math expectations.

Sixty-one percent of juniors and seniors enrolled in AP classes, compared to a 35.2% state average. The student/teacher ratio in the district is 12:1, and the average teacher has 11 years of experience. (All of these statistics come from the New Jersey Department of Education’s 2018-19 School Performance Report.)

In March 2019, the school was designated a high performing district by the state Department of Education. The designation is awarded to districts that score 80 percent or higher in five categories: Instruction and Program, Fiscal Management, Governance, Operations and Personnel.

Niche.com gives the school district an A+ overall grade, while U.S. News & World Report ranks the high school 50^th in the state of New Jersey.

Country Classics is proud to have built and sold seven beautiful single family homes in the heart of Scotch Plains, NJ. This outstanding community may be sold out, but we have several other new home opportunities in the Central New Jersey area. Contact us today to learn more!