Housing nearly two-thirds of the children of Mountainside in grades three through eight, having a rigorous and standards-based instructional program, and providing many enrichment opportunities beyond the normal school day, Deerfield School is referred to by many as “the center of town” in Mountainside.

The unique and inviting learning environment allows Deerfield to be a major influence in the lives of students as they transition from the primary grades to the high school. In taking full advantage of this opportunity, the staff and community partner to establish clearly defined goals. With new technology, Curriculum Mapper, the school has begun to enhance its communication and alignment of learning objectives to better meet the needs of students as they transition to Governor Livingston for high school. In addition, Deerfield staff members collaborate to ensure that every student receives access to a quality education. Utilizing data to drive instruction is an identified focus area in order to steer students toward meeting and exceeding the high standards established for them. We are very much committed to providing a safe and secure environment where students are engaged in a challenging curriculum.

School climate is based on mutual trust and respect, with high expectations for behavior and performance. Teachers, counselors, support staff members, and administrators maintain an atmosphere that is structured around the developmental needs of the upper primary and middle school child, where student curiosity is nurtured and student efforts are rewarded. Small class size assists grade level academic teams in developing meaningful relationships with students to promote character education and to afford numerous opportunities for the enhancement of student academic and social skill sets.

In 2008-2009, emphasis will continue to be placed on language arts literacy with a program expansion to two periods for fifth and sixth grade students. Technology also continues to be updated with new wiring that includes larger bandwidth allowing teachers to increase the integration of multimedia websites. More to this point, each of the science and social studies classrooms for grades 5-8 will have ceiling-mounted LCD projectors and accompanying document readers installed.

Playing an integral role in an extremely caring, close, and supportive community, Deerfield School prides itself on meeting the academic, social, and emotional needs of its students. If you would like more information regarding Deerfield, please feel free to call the school at (908) 232-8828.