Welcome to EVG, the Eleanor Van Gelder School.

Mission Statement:
With the belief that every child has the right to learn and to develop to his own potential, the Eleanor Van Gelder School is committed to providing students with programs of academic  excellence, social development, good citizenship, and life-long living skills as they master all areas of the Core Curriculum Content Standards.

 

About Us:
Our present enrollment of over 600 children includes kindergarten through grade six. We are located in Edgewater on the West bank of the Hudson River, where we enjoy a breathtaking view of the New York City skyline. Recent visitors to our borough continue to marvel at our rapid growth.

EVG has kept up with the burgeoning, multi-cultural population in several ways. We have expanded our school plant two times in the last decade. The Edgewater Board of Education, with this rapid growth in mind, is presently developing plans for the construction of an early childhood learning center for pre-K, kindergarten, and grade one.

The Edgewater Board of Education, Administration, and Faculty continue to maintain a high standard of instruction at the Eleanor Van Gelder School. We offer a wide range of classes in alignment with the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards. Our early childhood education program includes full-day kindergarten classes and a pre-kindergarten inclusion class. Students study the Spanish language in an extensive program from kindergarten through grade six. Children attend a hands-on science lab and a computer lab both during and after school hours. More advanced students enjoy unique opportunities: math enrichment classes, a portfolio program for the gifted and talented, and art enrichment classes. Numerous other services are tailored to our children who require remediation and for those with special needs.

Our school day does not end at dismissal. Students can regularly choose from the following after-school activities: homework club, computer club, art enrichment, mentor reading program, violin lessons, basketball instruction and practice, theatrical performance practice, and a YMCA program right in our own school. �Stars� club is open to students in all grades with a desire to perform on stage. These students, directed by our staff, spend several weeks learning songs, dance routines, and narrative scripts, culminating in a school-wide performance to showcase their talents. Presently, we are offering students additional new clubs after school: exercise club, knitting and crocheting club, book club, scrap booking club, brain teasers club, sports club, and games club.

Our music classes offer students both vocal and instrumental lessons, during and after school. Each year the EVG Players, chosen from students in grades K-6, perform in a musical extravaganza. They are directed by our music teacher and by local professionals and volunteers who train them in both voice and dance. They also practice after school. Several of our students have gone on to careers in theater and screen.

An essential part of our day here at EVG is community involvement. Our PTO sponsors entertaining and educational programs for our students. Through their many fundraising activities, they help finance class trips, purchase equipment for classrooms and playgrounds, and promote excellence and achievement by planning and coordinating awards assemblies. Our participation in the Rutgers-sponsored Family Math Program offers third grade students and their families an evening opportunity to experience hands-on math in a fun and challenging atmosphere. A Family Science Program was also recently added to our evening activities. In the second grade, students are matched with adult members of our community in an after-school Reading Mentoring program. The result is a love of reading as well as a personal bond between each student and his mentor.

Teachers also foster a sense of community involvement by initiating various programs and fundraisers. For example, we show our appreciation to veterans by displaying student artwork in their honor throughout the business community. Many children raise money for charities by reading books. Others participate in food and coat drives for the needy or collect new stuffed animals for young patients in local hospitals. On Earth Day, Edgewater residents are reminded to recycle when they see their children�s projects exhibited throughout the local community. We honor our grandparents with a special program on Grandparents Day, and we visit our senior citizens on Valentines Day, bringing gifts of songs and sweets. Students also learn about UNICEF and collect money for this organization on Halloween. Our annual Math-a-Thon raises money for sick children while increasing our students� math skills.

Here at EVG our students enjoy many advantages: cooperative learning group work, differentiated instruction, and well-equipped classrooms. Our curriculum is constantly being updated, and new textbooks are examined by staff to keep our instruction current in the content areas. Thousands of new books and videos have been purchased for our school library in the past few years. Members of our faculty are encouraged to attend workshops presented by nationally-known consultants and experienced professionals. New strategies and techniques are continually being shared among colleagues and implemented in the classrooms. The results can be seen in our standardized test scores. Students in grades three and four consistently score at or above the state proficiency level in language arts literacy and mathematics on the NJASK.

The students in the Edgewater School District enjoy positive school experiences and are able to meet with success because of the combined efforts of the Edgewater Board of Education, the Administration, faculty and staff who truly have the best interest of the children in mind. In all, we are quite proud of our school and our achievements.