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Clifton Nj New School Gets Name To Welcome Students In Fall

Leo Migdal
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clifton nj new school gets name to welcome students in fall

CLIFTON — The city's newest school, set to receive the first sixth grade class in September, will be called Maple Valley Middle School. On Thursday night, after reviewing several other options, school board members voted to name it for the surrounding neighborhood. The name, school board President Alan Paris said, will be "longer-lasting," unlike the names of some local "deserving residents." It was a favorite of the school board even before the vote, said Ahmed Shehata, assistant superintendent for business. However, nothing was announced or determined until the final vote. "They could name it JFK.

Who knows?" Shehata said before the meeting. He was part of the ad hoc committee that reviewed suggestions from members of the public and made the recommendation. At Thursday night’s Board of Education meeting, the public learned what name had been chosen for Clifton’s new middle school on Valley Road. Policy 7660 outlines the requirements for naming a building, or part thereof, in the Clifton Public School District. An important element requires that any name be directly connected to the district. Even President Grover Cleveland, born in NJ, would not be eligible under this policy.

The application packet includes details of what names might be accepted for consideration and the steps required for submitting one. On April 14th, a committee met to discuss the qualifying submissions, which all members had reviewed earlier. The committee included four Board members, two administrators (from the two middle schools), two faculty members (from the two middle schools), two parents from schools that will feed into the new school, and a... Emily Thompson, one of the parents on the committee, said, “It was an honor to be chosen to be on the committee…The meeting was straightforward, and Mr. Paris asked each of us to share our thoughts on what name we felt would be best suited for the school. I was surprised to hear that most of us on the committee had the same thought process, similar concerns, and a similar way of selecting what the best name would be.

The conversation was thorough, but productive. I was impressed by all the applications and proposals because they showcased how amazing our city is and how many great people have been and are a part of our community.” CLIFTON — The city's newest school opened its doors on Sept. 2 with a welcome ceremony. Maple Valley Middle School, opened in a former Catholic school on Valley Road in the Maple Valley section of the city, welcomed its first students and their families on the night before the official... read full story

The Clifton School Board meeting focused on the plans for a new middle school and a proposed 2% budget increase, sparking discussions among board members and the community. The meeting addressed overcrowding concerns in existing schools, the logistics of opening a new facility, and the financial implications of the proposed budget. A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to the proposed opening of a new middle school at the site of the former Pope Paul VI school. The plan, presented by Dr. Robert Toy, aims to alleviate overcrowding by gradually introducing a sixth-grade class in the first year and expanding to include seventh and eighth grades over subsequent years. The decision to pursue this third middle school is backed by a demographic study and community surveys indicating strong support, with 38% of respondents favoring the proposal.

The school board is currently obtaining approval from the New Jersey Department of Education for leasing the building and is in the process of appointing a principal. A committee comprising middle school administrators and teaching staff will be formed to address the operational details of opening the new school. Concerns were raised about the associated redistricting process, which will determine which elementary schools will feed into the new middle school. The board emphasized that decisions would be guided by an ongoing demographic report to ensure equitable distribution of students while addressing current overcrowding. The report’s findings will shape the redistricting efforts, considering socio-economic factors and aiming for a balanced approach to integrating students from various neighborhoods. The community’s role in naming the new school was also discussed.

A new naming policy allows for community submissions with at least 25 signatures for validation. This initiative encourages student involvement, potentially incorporating the naming process as part of an academic assignment. There were also discussions about the integration of special education programs within the new facility, moving most middle school special education programs from Woodrow to the new site to better balance resources. Simultaneously, the board deliberated over the preliminary budget for the 2025-26 school year, with a proposed 2% increase. Members expressed differing opinions, with some advocating for a reduced percentage to ease the financial burden on taxpayers. The motion for a 2% increase did not pass, leading to discussions on a 1% increase and calls for clarity regarding the implications of such decisions.

The administration highlighted the need for a comprehensive understanding of budget cuts and their potential impact on programs and staffing. Update 3/18/25: a previous version incorrectly named the Newark Archdiocese as the owner of 775 Valley Road. The article has been updated to reflect that it belongs to the Paterson Diocese. Superintendent Dr. Danny Robertozzi presented “A Plan for 775 Valley Road” at Thursday’s Board of Education meeting. The presentation was a thorough examination of the what, when, how, and why of an important resolution on the agenda.

The district has entered into a lease for 775 Valley Road, the site of the former Paul VI School and Pope John Paul II Elementary School. The process of acquiring the building started in October of 2021 with a walkthrough. The district wanted to buy it outright, but the Paterson Diocese was not interested in selling it. Eventually, they agreed to lease it to the district. The plan is for this well-maintained building to be ready for its first batch of sixth graders in September of 2025. It will serve as a third middle school for Clifton Public Schools, “a truly historic moment,” Robertozzi said.

Robert Bertolini, currently serving as Vice Principal at Christopher Columbus Middle School, will head this new school as Principal. In August, Asst. Super. Mark Gengaro announced that the district was close to winning a lease for the Pope John Paul school and said community input surveys would be available in the fall. Those surveys allowed the community to offer input regarding potential uses for the building. Robertozzi shared the results, indicating that most respondents thought the district needed a third middle school, with nearly 38% of all votes.

Creating a specialized high school academy was a close second, with 31% of the vote. CLIFTON — The school district is seeking the public's input in naming its new middle school, the third in the city, expected to open in September. The district last week announced that it would be opening the new middle school in the former Paterson Diocesan Paul VI High School, shuttered in 1990. The... read full story Answer for your question of the article will be displayed here ...

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