Superintendent´s Corner
August 19, 2024
Dear Englewood Cliffs School Community,
I hope that you have enjoyed your summer break. On behalf of the Board of Education, the staff and I are very excited to welcome you back for the 2024-2025 school year! We have been working hard all summer updating and revising curriculum, undergoing construction projects, and hiring many new qualified staff. You will receive new staff biographies by early next week. We are ready for school to begin on Thursday, September th and cannot wait to greet the students—both new and returning.
Communication is essential. However, in order for us to address your concerns in an appropriate and most beneficial manner, following the chain of command is pertinent. If you have a particular concern, please speak to your child’s teacher first before contacting administration. There have been instances in the past when teachers never received the opportunity to solve the issues.
Please remember that attendance matters. Even one day of missed school, excused or unexcused, can have negative academic consequences for your child. As noted in prior years, the Englewood Cliffs School District complies with the requirements for attendance set forth by the state and Department of Education regarding guidance for reporting student absences and calculating chronic absenteeism. Our policies are in accordance with N.J.A.C. 6A:16-7.6. State law and regulations require that the districts strive for a ninety percent daily student attendance rate; that the Board determines which categories of absences to excuse; and that the districts create and implement a system to identify and address patterns of unexcused absences. As an example, students cannot attend school fewer than 162 days, or this will have an impact on promotion to the next grade. Three tardies equal one absence.
Please review policy and regulation 5200.
Furthermore, the school nurses will be sending out specific information on food and celebration guidelines. The guidelines promote foods of nutritional value, as indicated in Policy 8505 Wellness and Nutrition. All families must follow the suggested healthy snack list.
Policy 8505 Wellness and Nutrition
I am extremely eager for the start of the school year. The staff, students, and community are truly wonderful; and I am very proud to be superintendent in a district where everyone values education. As we all work together, the Englewood Cliffs School District will continue to soar to new heights. Thank you all for your support of our students at home and in the community. I look forward to seeing each of you soon.
Very Truly Yours,
Jennifer R. Brower, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
Englewood Cliffs School District
201-567-6151 ext. 222