NUMBER 24
The Chaplain Charles J. Watters educational community is committed to providing an inclusive and challenging curriculum. The staff of Chaplain Charles J. Watters Elementary School is committed to the belief that all students can learn and achieve mastery of essential skills. We strive to engage all students in student-centered approaches to education that emphasizes learning and equips students with the higher-level critical thinking skills they will need as they prepare for active interdependent roles in society. Problem solving and cooperation underlie citizenship and responsibility. Our direction will continue to focus on the challenges our children will face in the 21st century.Technology is an important part of our school and the education of our students. Presently, we maintain a state-of-the-art Computer Lab, a Science Laboratory and Multi-Media Library Center. It is our mission to see that children are given every opportunity to take advantage of our present technology, to utilize educational software across all subject matters, to develop research skills using the Internet, and to become independent users of current and future technologies.
P.S. #24 has widened its educational scope by addressing the educational needs of our students. We have four full time kindergarten classes, and HOPE classes in grades 3-8. We have a math specialist and creative writing teacher that work with grades four through eight to sharpen NJASK and GEPA math and language arts skills. Our world language department now has three Spanish teachers that instruct our students in grades kindergarten through eight.
Academic excellence for all students is our goal at PS #24. Many of our seventh and eighth grade students are enrolled in the National Junior Honor Society. Extended day classes are offered for students to prepare for the NJASK, NJPASS and GEPA. Participation in extra curricula activities is highly encouraged for all students. PS #24 offers a variety of after school programs, which include Choir, Chess Club, Computer Club, Arts and Crafts, Yearbook and Lego Robotics, in addition to Basketball, Volleyball, Track and Cheerleading to help our students become well-rounded individuals. We also encourage students to become actively involved in civic organizations, community projects and self help groups. Throughout the school year, our students become enthusiastically engaged in Peer Mediation, Peer Tutoring, Character Education, Project Able, the Kindness-Justice Challenge, Pennies for Leukemia, Winter Coat Collection, the Susan Komen Cancer Fund, and the Daffodil Sale.
PS 24 takes pride in its success in enforcing the uniform policy. Virtually 100% of students wear uniforms and our parents successfully support the policy. We also are continually improving students? attendance through our objectives. The Crisis Intervention teacher, along with our Child Study Team, Clinical Social Worker, Inclusion Specialist, Guidance Counselors, and Community Liaison work in conjunction with the parents to ensure that all students have the opportunity to succeed both academically and socially in the educational setting. An array of support services are available to all students, including speech services, counseling services, social work services, psychological services, occupational and physical therapy, and medical and health services.
Chaplain Charles J. Watters Elementary School strives toward achieving goals set forth in our literacy, mathematics and technology programs. In keeping with the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 with an emphasis on literacy, our vision is deeply founded in the goal our students will be at grade level in reading by the end of the third grade, be efficient in mathematics and be effective users of technology. We remain committed to provide every opportunity to disabled students to make the transition from the security of special education to full participation in the mainstream.
With a real-world focus on teaching and learning, it is our desire that all students at Chaplain Charles J. Watters Elementary School develop into ethical and contributive members of the community and greater society. There is a linkage and understanding among the educational community members (students, staff, parents and community) that students come first, and it is the students that we are all here to serve. We aspire Chaplain Charles J. Watters' students to be life-long learners, complex thinkers, collaborative workers, quality producers and community contributors.
Edwin Rivera
201-915-6510