PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF PLAINFIELD

The Plainfield Public School District is located in the city of Plainfield, New Jersey. The district, comprised of nearly 7,000 students, provides educational services for grades Pre-Kindergarten through 12th Grade.

Students from socially, economically, and ethnically diverse backgrounds attend school in one of the District's 17 Early Childhood Centers, 7 elementary schools, 3 K-8 Centers, 3 middle schools, comprehensive high schools, and high school specialized academy.

The Plainfield Public Schools is deeply rooted in New Jersey's educational history. As a result of a law in 1848 that established a free school open to all and supported by taxation, Plainfield was at the forefront of early public education in New Jersey and had one of the first public schools in the state. This was the first such law to be found in the New Jersey statutes. The first high school in Union County was built in Plainfield in 1857. In 1870, eight students were in the first graduating class of Plainfield High School. In 1890, the first African-American graduated from Plainfield High School.

Plainfield, known as the "Queen City," provides a quaint, cooperative, and supportive community for its residents and their children. The Plainfield Public Schools also provides a quality, engaging, dynamic, and rigorous educational curriculum and experience designed to meet the individual needs and interests of its diverse student population. In addition to a safe, orderly, and professional learning environment, schools in the Plainfield Public Schools boast highly qualified administrators and teachers, small class sizes, active community participation, and technology-integrated and differentiated instruction.

In order to prepare for and meet the challenges of the 21st Century and beyond, the Plainfield Public Schools has developed the 2008-2012 District Strategic Plan. This comprehensive educational plan and reform blueprint, will serve as the District's dashboard toward improving learning experiences and educational outcomes for all students. The 2008-2012 District Strategic Plan reflects five goals and objectives, along with nearly 100 clearly defined tangible or measurable metrics. The goals reflected in the 2008-2012 District Strategic Plan for Plainfield Public Schools are Learning Outcomes, Human Resources, Business Practices, Safe Learning Environment, and Community and Family Engagement. In order to ensure community input, participation, and support, several Town Hall Meetings were held over the course of the initial three months and in various venues throughout the community.

Plainfield Public Schools is committed to reaching and teaching children at the earliest possible age. This commitment is reflected in the provision of educational services to all three and four year olds residing in the city of Plainfield. The Early Childhood Expectations/Standards present developmentally appropriate practices via the High Scope Preschool Curriculum. This curriculum is aligned and designed to support and prepare preschool children to meet the New Jersey's Core Curriculum Content Standards.  Through the provision of a consistent, coherent and rigorous curriculum throughout the pre-kindergarten through grade 12 curriculum, Plainfield Public Schools is committed to ensuring that students achieve high academic, personal, civic, and occupational goals.

The Office of Educational Services is comprised of eight interrelated departments; Curriculum and Instruction, Early Childhood Programs & Services, Student Intervention & Family Support Services, Assessment, Data Collection and School Improvement, Student Health & Related Services, Professional Development, Pupil Progression Services, and Special Education, Gifted & Psychological Services. Its functions impact student achievement at all Plainfield Public Schools.

The Department of Curriculum & Instruction continues to successfully meet the needs of our students inclusive of bilingual and special education, both academically and through social/emotional spectra. Much emphasis is placed on analyzing and addressing the individual needs and academic goals of each student through rigorous and competitive academic programs and curricula. The Language Arts Literacy, Mathematics, Science, Technology, Social Studies, and World Languages, curriculum are created and developed utilizing research-based resources and exemplars. The department has outstanding educational institutions, offering students a rigorous, stimulating, and diverse academic program delivered by an experienced and dedicated faculty. The program of studies at the secondary schools level offers challenging honors advance placement courses in English, Mathematics, and Science.

Plainfield High School participates actively with the two middle schools Articulation Program, which coordinates the curriculum between the middle schools and the high school. Regular committee meetings are held throughout the school year to ensure curriculum alignment with the sending districts. The program of studies at Plainfield High offers a challenging Honors and Advanced Placement Program, one Syracuse University Project Advance course, specialized electives in Economics and Government, and unique programs in humanities, physics and technology, and arts programs.

The Department of Early Childhood Programs & Services provides high quality Early Care and Educational Services to approximately 1,335 three- and four year old children. By way of highly qualified staff and a researched based curriculum, children are able to meet the New Jersey Preschool Teaching and Learning Expectations Standards of Quality which are aligned to the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards. The Preschool Advisory Council serves as the catalyst to assure articulation across all stakeholders. Several subcommittees facilitate district-wide program alignment.

The Department of Student Intervention and Family Support Services (SIFSS) and Student Health & Related Services play an essential role in the District’s ability to effectively implement the state mandated Intervention and Referral Services (I&RS) Program and other related support services for students (pursuant to N.J. C.A 6A:16-7 et seq). The Plainfield Board of Education developed and implemented coordinated systems of intervention and referral services designed to assist students whose academic performance is negatively impacted by social, emotional, behavior and health issues. SIFSS personnel provide intervention and referral services for a large percentage of the student population. SIFSS departmental support services are also critical in the development of programs, events and activities to address a variety of global school-based issues and concerns. The department provides professional development for district support personnel in areas of state mandated training, networking meetings and supervision.

A number of parent conferences, teacher conferences, and teacher-parent conferences occurred with the Health and Human Services Coordinators (HHSC), Family Liaisons, School Based Youth Services Program, Family Success Center and the district’s School Nurses. District support services personnel collaborate with the community through home visits and conferences with students’ extended family members. The support services personnel provide support to teachers for students’ behavioral, disciplinary, and academic problems, behavioral management/modification strategies and tools to use in the classroom.

The Department of Pupil Progression Services works collaboratively with schools, students, parents, families and the Plainfield community in order to provide effective assistance and support within Plainfield Public School District through the following programs; Guidance, Student Services, Student-Parent Attendance Management (SPAM), Truancy Prevention and Intervention, Dropout Prevention and Intervention, Saturday School Programs, Home Instruction, Section 504 Accommodation Plans, and Violence and Gang Awareness. The department also works closely with school counselors to ensure that students receive appropriate classes that assist with meeting matriculation and graduation requirements.

The Department of Professional Development & Support Services (OPDSS) provides professional and staff development programs to support teaching, induction, mentoring, and continuous improvement while working collaboratively with district interdepartmental staff members to foster systemic reform, address indicators with teaching and learning, and implement the district’s strategic plan. In addition, the department provides for teacher incentive and new teacher retention programs. Through the data collection of needs assessments, the OPDSS identifies technology appropriate to developmental needs and district resources while supporting the use of technology for in-services and streamlining efficiencies for professional collaborations across the district.

The Department of Assessment, Data Collection and School Improvement, utilizes several data sources to drive the instructional focus for increasing student achievement and overall school improvement. At the start of each school year the district analyzes high-stakes assessment data and aggregate and disaggregate the results to understand trends within each grade level, academic-leveled cohort, and AYP target groups to understand school and district status, and to address deficiencies and provide specific and appropriate strategies and programs to meet the needs of all students at the school site. Within each school year students are required to complete district interim assessments (DIAs). These assessments consist of the content area assessments for grades N-12. The results of these assessments are measured utilizing benchmarks indicated by New Jersey Core Content Standards and State Assessment Standards, and specific Cumulative Progress Indicators (CPIs). The results provide teachers with valuable information regarding student literacy levels and abilities. It is also used to understand where to focus instruction and how to group students appropriately to achieve the greatest impact on student learning.

The Plainfield Public Schools remains a beacon of educational hope and life-long possibilities for the students in Plainfield. The District remains focused on and committed to build upon those areas that will help improve its children’s ability to read, solve mathematical equations, appreciate the arts, science, and athletics, and become better human beings.