School Narrative

The James J. Flynn School staff, parents and the community will nurture in each child the ability to meet the challenges of an ever-changing world. We will enhance a child’s natural curiosity and foster their love of learning with meaningful and multi-sensory experiences. Our integrated curriculum will promote academic success and encourage children to attain their highest potential. We expect each child to develop into self-respecting, well-rounded, sensitive, and civic-minded individuals.

Our curriculum and pacing guides are aligned to the New Jersey Student Learning Standards (NJSLA) and ensure that our students are exposed to the critical skills that they must develop at each grade level and throughout their K-12 educational experience. It is the expectation that our guides are used at the classroom level to address skills that are essential to ensure endurance, leverage, and readiness for the next level of learning among all students.

In Language Arts, our classrooms in grades Kindergarten through second grade use the resource of Benchmark Literacy phonics and reading to support the ELA frameworks. Third and fourth grade students continue to use Reading Wonders by McGraw Hill to support the ELA frameworks and pacing guides. In fifth grade students use the units of study for Reader’s Workshop by Lucy Calkins to support the ELA frameworks and pacing guides. All grades Kindergarten through fifth grade use the units of study by Lucy Calkins for writing. Each classroom has leveled libraries and resources. Learning stations are strategically placed within the classrooms with motivational learning activities for the students.

Our mathematics curriculum, pacing guides, and frameworks allow for rigorous instruction and provides students with opportunities to engage in higher-order thinking skills by applying learned skills to real world settings. Problem-based learning promotes students to work collaboratively while teachers foster a student-centered and student-driven learning environment.

Our science curriculum and pacing guides are taught with Amplify Science in Kindergarten through fifth grade.

Through collaboration with district curriculum directors and supervisors, we are proud to say that we have an extensive range of programs that meet the varying needs of our diverse student population. We have self-contained special education classes as well as inclusion classes in each of our grades. We have a Gifted and Talented Class in Grades 3, 4 and 5.

Updated technology has been infused into each classroom. Every classroom in Grades K-5 is one to one with Chromebook devices for our first grade-fifth grade. All kindergarten classrooms are equipped with iPads. Smart/Epson interactive projection whiteboards are being utilized throughout all classrooms. All classrooms throughout the building are also equipped with an overhead document camera. Classrooms are set up with wireless capability. Our technology educator collaborates with our technology coordinator to ensure that all the technology instructional needs are being met. We have a Computer Technology Lab that augments our School Media Center. Teachers also have access to mobile devices that can be utilized in classrooms.

To support individual student needs, we offer before or after-school programs to select students. This allows for small group instruction that focuses on specific skills to better meet their academic needs.

We enjoy an effective partnership with our PTO and this partnership ensures that the PTO is available to sponsor various academic and social events throughout the school year.