The Ocean Gate Board of Education accepts the responsibility for coordinating the available resources of home, school and community in a mutual effort to guide every pupil’s growth towards becoming a self respecting individual who can effectively function politically, economically and socially in a democratic society. In addition, the board believes that by providing diverse and relevant educational choices supported by research-based practices in the use of technology, students will be prepared for successful participation in higher education programs and/or the careers of the 21st century.

The board is dedicated to ensuring that all students in the district are provided with the necessary skills and competencies for achievement of the New Jersey Student Learning Standards.

A. All children should start school ready to learn:

1. Quality preschool opportunities shall be provided for all children, through collaboration between public schools and community agencies;
2. Parent education programs shall be designed and implemented by the district to assist parents in providing readiness experiences for their preschool children.

B. Students will achieve proficiency in the New Jersey Student Learning Standards:

1. The district shall educate students with disabilities in the regular education programs to the maximum extent possible;
2. The district shall provide least restrictive, alternative programs for pupils who cannot succeed in the regular high school environment, including those students with disabilities;

C. Pupils shall leave grades three through eight having demonstrated competency in challenging subject matter including English language arts; mathematics; science; social studies; visual and performing arts; comprehensive health and physical education; world languages:

1. The district shall implement the state-approved New Jersey Student Learning Standards and appropriate assessments to support student achievement and to evaluate school, district and individual student performance;
2. The district shall provide staff development opportunities to ensure that teachers are adequately equipped to teach challenging and up-to-date subject matter and to implement effective teaching techniques. It shall monitor teaching staff members progress toward achievement of the required 20 hours of continuing education annually to ensure that they are obtaining and maintaining the skills to help all students achieve the New Jersey Student Learning Standards.

D. Pupils shall learn to use their minds well, so that they may be prepared for responsible citizenship, further learning, and productive employment in our modern economy:

1. Students shall be given the opportunity to improve self-direction and self-sufficiency in the areas of critical thinking, problem solving, reasoning, analysis, interpretation, and synthesizing information;
2. Students shall become responsible digital citizens of the global internet community with ethical, safe and responsible habits, actions, and consumption patterns;
3. All pupils shall demonstrate competency in the skills identified in the 21st Century Life and Careers Standards;
4. All pupils shall demonstrate respect for racial, cultural, ethnic and religious diversity.

E. The board of education shall maintain an academic environment that is free from harassment and provide equal and bias free access for all students to all school facilities, courses, programs activities and services, regardless of race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, age marital status, affectional or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, disability, nationality or socioeconomic status. The district shall:

1. Provide schools and facilities that are barrier free;
2. Provide effective programs that support a safe and respectful school climate and culture and provide effective prevention of and intervention for incidents of harassment, intimidation and bullying;
3. Ensure that the requirements for the completion of courses are nondiscriminatory;
4. Ensure that courses are not offered separately on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, pregnancy, affectional or sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, religion, disability, or socioeconomic status;
5. Ensure that minority, female, and male students are not underrepresented in all classes and programs, including gifted and talented, accelerated, and advanced classes.

F. District schools shall be free of drugs and violence and offer a safe, disciplined environment conducive to learning:

1. The district shall develop partnerships with parents to establish the responsibilities of each to create and maintain safe and healthy educational environments for all pupils;
2. The district shall provide programs and staffing to deal with pupils at risk;
3. The school and community shall expand their cooperative efforts to create drug and violence-free environments;
4. All students shall develop a positive view of self and learn to use effective interpersonal skills.

The board shall develop, in consultation with the chief school administrator and teaching staff members, a written educational plan for the district. This plan shall be reviewed and adopted annually and shall include:

A. Written educational goals;

B. An assessment of pupil needs;

C. Specific annual objectives based on identified needs and action plans to implement them;

D. Standards for assessing and evaluating the achievement of objectives;

E. The establishment of reasonable pupil minimum proficiency levels in the areas addressed in the New Jersey Student Learning Standards;

F. An educational program consistent with these goals, objectives, standards and needs;

G. Evaluation of pupil progress.

Adopted: May 2006
NJSBA Review/Update: January 2009, March 2009, October 2017
Readopted: March 4, 2009
Revised: October 2012
Readopted: October 17, 2012
Revised/Readopted: April 26, 2017
Reviewed:

Key Words

Instructional Goals and Objectives, Goals and Objectives in Instruction

Legal References: N.J.S.A. 18A:7A-10 NJQSAC for evaluating school performance
N.J.S.A. 18A:7C-2 Boards of education; establishment of standards
N.J.S.A. 18A:7F-43 Comprehensive Education Improvement and Financing Act
N.J.S.A. 18A:33 1 District to furnish suitable facilities; adoption of courses of study
N.J.S.A. 18A:35-1 et seq. Curriculum and Courses
N.J.A.C. 6A:8-1.1 et seq. Standards and Assessment
See particularly:
N.J.A.C. 6A:8-1.2
through -1.3, -2.1, -3.1,-4.4
N.J.A.C. 6A:9C-2.1 et seq. Professional development for teaching staff member and
school leader
N.J.A.C. 6A:23A-1.1 et seq. Fiscal accountability, efficiency and budgeting procedures
See particularly:
N.J.A.C. 6A:23A-22.1 et seq.
N.J.A.C. 6A:26-1.1 et seq. Educational Facilities
N.J.A.C. 6A:30-1.1et seq. Evaluation of the Performance of School Districts

Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015, Pub. L. 114-95, 20 U.S.C.A. 6301 et seq.

Possible
Cross References: *1100 Communicating with the public
*1120 Board of education meetings
*1230 School connected organizations
*1600 Relations between other entities and the district
*2131 Chief school administrator
*2240 Research, evaluation and planning
*3542 Food service
4010 Goals and objectives
*4111 Recruitment, selection and hiring
*4116 Evaluation
*4131/4131.1 Staff development; inservice education/visitations/conferences
*4211 Recruitment, selection and hiring
*4231/4231.1 Staff development; inservice education/visitations/conferences
*5113 Absences and excuses
*5120 Assessment of individual needs
*5124 Reporting to parents/guardians
6000 Concepts and roles in instruction
6011 Thorough and efficient/QEA
*6140 Curriculum adoption
*6141 Curriculum design/development
*6142 Subject fields
*6145 Extracurricular activities
*6147 Standards of proficiency
6152 Grouping
*6156 Instructional planning/scheduling
*6160 Instructional services and resources
*6162.4 Community resources
*6164.2 Guidance services
*6164.4 Child study team
*6171.1 Remedial instruction
*6171.2 Gifted and talented
*6171.4 Special education
*6300 Evaluation of the instructional program

*Indicates policy is included in the Critical Policy Reference Manual.