Basic Skills Instruction is a program designed to improve children’s learning through reinforcement,
remediation, and support of the regular classroom. The subject areas of reading, language arts, and
mathematics are emphasized. The learning objectives are aligned with New Jersey Core Curriculum
Content Standards and District Benchmarks.
The criteria for admission to this program include teacher recommendation, classroom grades and
diagnostic test scores on the Elementary School Proficiency Assessment (ESPA) and the Terra Nova
assessment. The program is designed to identify children early in their academic lives to help them
avoid a sense of failure or loss of self-esteem.
Success will be accomplished by using a wide variety of teaching strategies, technology, hands-on
activities and small group instruction. A small student to teacher ratio enables each child to meet
his/her needs and aspired goals. The Basic Skills Improvement atmosphere is one that motivates
children to maintain high expectations, instills a love of learning and fosters achievement.
Mrs. Leslie Spina and Mrs. Jennifer Smith are excited to embark on the new 2006-
2007 school year and have welcomed 50 students.
The Resource Room program at Grant School is an excellent opportunity for children who have
learning difficulties to receive appropriate help. The program consists of two parts:
1. Replacement Reading Language Arts and Math
This replacement program focuses on skill building necessary for future learning. The small groups
allow for individual attention needed for focusing on personal growth. The Resource Room is an
excellent opportunity for our identified children to receive the education they need to be successful.
2. In-Class Support program.
Our In-Class Support program allows our special education children the opportunity to remain in class
with their peers while receiving additional instruction and support from a special education teacher.
Patricia Guardino and Mary Grace Marcotullio-Special Education Teachers
Our Grant School Music program is having a great year!
This year’s band children have already started working hard to prepare for our next concert. Any
fourth through sixth grade children who would like to join the band may still do so. Our chorus,
which includes all fourth through six graders, is also preparing for an awesome performance!
In music classes, children are doing some exciting things, including learning music from around the
world and doing experiments with sound. Third graders are learning the recorder and are sounding
fantastic! I look forward to seeing you at our concerts.
Rebecca Wells– Music Teacher
Guidance counselors at Grant School enable children to help themselves. Through self-reflection and
analysis, school and home based conflicts can be alleviated. For those children who are in need of
help, guidance counselors are eager to assist. Parent/teacher support and input are welcome. Both
hold important places in the guidance counseling process of any child.
Maxine Lawrence -Guidance Counselors
The children at Grant School are going to be HEALTHIER than ever during the 2002-2003 school
year! In all Health and Physical Education classes, children are learning the importance of living a
healthy and physically fit lifestyle. The Great Body shop health curriculum focuses children on
appropriate health habits to help them take care of their bodies. It also presents them with good
safety habits in a constantly changing society. The Physical Education classes are developing good
sportsmanship, teamwork, and cooperation during activities while improving children’s motor and
sensory skills. The children also learn the importance of daily exercise.
Marc Slawson – Health & Physical Education Teacher
ESL ( English AS A Second Language)
The ESL (English as a Second Language) program is offered in our school to those children whose
native language at home is not English and who demonstrate a need for such instruction. These
children are tested in September and again at the end of the year to assess their oral fluency and their
reading and writing competence. If the tests indicate a child would benefit from specialized small
group instruction, a letter is sent by the ESL teacher to the parent/guardian to offer ESL instruction.
ESL classes are small groups taught by one of the two ESL teachers, Mrs. Barbara Smith and Mrs.
Jennifer Smith. The classes are grouped by grade level. The children learn necessary English and
appropriate language skills to succeed in their mainstream class and master required grade level
Benchmarks. Instruction is aligned to the Core Curriculum Standards in Language Arts. The ESL
teachers work closely with the classroom teachers to plan individualized lessons, which meet a
particular child’s needs.
One of our goals this year is to encourage the children to practice using the English language in both
academic and social settings. We are looking forward to helping children who speak many different
languages to “be the best they can be”!
Barbara Smith, Jennifer Smith - ESL Teachers
Here is where people,
One frequently finds,
Lower their voices
And raise their minds.
Light Armour – McGraw-Hill, 1954.
The Library Media program is taught by Ms. Teresa Raimo, a professional library media specialist.
The children are taught about various genres of books appropriate for their age, information and
research skills, and the love of books and reading.
Elementary Art classes are based upon a “hands on”, integrated program. This includes using a variety
of materials such as, paint, clay, crayons, markers, pencils, as well as the instruction of the use of
fundamental materials and equipment like rulers, scissors, glue, and any other essentials needed to
complete projects. Additionally incorporated in the program are the instruction, awareness, and use
of recyclables as a means by which artistic work can be produced.
The Ridgefield Park Elementary Art Program is proud to continue to work extensively with the
community at all levels. We will assist, enhance and cooperate on all projects and activities that
promote the interests and welfare of our children as well as the Ridgefield Park community as a whole.
The goals of the Grant School Computer Technology program are to provide equitable
access to all children and to teach them that technology is another tool to learning.
Our school provides staff and children with up-to-date technology through a school-wide
network and access to the Internet in all classrooms and offices. Each classroom has
from one to four networked computers and the school has a 32 station lab that provides
for large group instruction and walk-in access to all children when stations are available.
All teachers schedule weekly classes for at least 40 minutes. Word processing,
database, spreadsheet and multimedia skills are taught in context within the classroom
curriculum. As we build on basic skills, children are able to work at their level
producing curriculum related documents.