Toms River Schools Honored For Preparing Students For Tech Future

TOMS RIVER, NJ — Are your children being properly prepared for a future career in a world where technology inflitrates more and more of our daily lives?

For Toms River Regional students, the answer is yes, according to the state Department of Education, the New Jersey School Boards Association, and the New Jersey Institute of Technology.

The Toms River Regional School District was one of 20 school districts and charter schools to be certified as "future ready" in a new program sponsored by the three organizations.

The Future Ready Schools New Jersey certification process is designed to promote digital learning throughout the state's public schools, according to a news release.

"Schools applying for certification were required to complete a lengthy, rigorous, and evidence-based document indicating strengths and effective practices in the areas of curriculum, instruction, finance, leadership, assessment, facilities, professional learning, and community partnerships," the news release said.

For the past four years, the Board of Education and Superintendent David Healy have specifically targeted improvements in these areas to increase opportunities for students to be more college and career ready.

Board investments in curriculum, technology, and staff training over the past several years are increasingly producing dividends for all students, Healy said.

"Toms River has a rich history of great schools and a close-knit community," he said. "We have been able to build on that to become leaders in the state for transforming classrooms and learning, in spite of significant budget challenges."

There were 63 individual schools honored for implementing effective digital learning policies and practicesat a ceremony in Atlantic City on Oct. 24 by Education Commissioner Kimberley Harrington and Jeremy Reich, coordinator of the Future Ready Schools NJ project.

"We launched the Future Ready Schools New Jersey program as a road map for schools to help students meet the demands of today's technology-based economy," Harrington said. “I am excited that so many schools achieved certification in the first year of the program."

Among the initiatives the district was recognized for were a kindergarten center model, high school career academies, makerspaces, innovative grants, and increased access to online learning. Each was developed to meet new state student learning standards and to address issues of student engagement, new technologies, and the dynamic nature of the global economy and workforce.

Toms River High School East and West Dover Elementary School, whose principals and staff agreed to participate in the application process, are known for thinking outside of the box.

At Toms River East, the STEAM Career Academy was launched at the start of the 2017-18 school year.

"We see technology as a resource to increase rigor and support student engagement, critical thinking, and the interpersonal skills necessary to solve real-world problems," Principal Patrick Thomas said.

West Dover Elementary Principal Michael Pallen said: "Elementary teachers connect learning in all subject areas, including character development. Students of all ages get to experience how different skills and ideas fit together. We have seen children as young as kindergarten able to do coding during the December Computer Science Education Week and beyond."

The list of 63 schools that were honored can be found on the FRS-NJ website.

Photo provided by the Toms River Regional School District