Canfield Avenue Elementary School

Website comments for Canfield Avenue School are outdated. I am not happy with this school. There is nepotism in the school & teacher/teachers aid competency is in question. Teachers aids MUST have minimum 2 year college degree per the No Child Left Behind Law (NCLB) - do they have it? Many of the teachers aids are parents of children in school. School "clicks" leave parents/kids out. Lots of back-stabbing in the school has been witnessed. According to the NCLB Law parents must be informed of faculty education, school State/Nationwide scores but, this has never given it parents. The school must provide options to parents with children who have trouble in reading/math & how they can help. This school only offers Basic Skills Intervention (BSI) pulling your child out of a regular school day classes. This waste-of-time program, doesn't help the child & humiliates them (classmates see them pulled out of class). The class/subject they miss is NOT made up by the teacher- parents are given the materials to teach their child! You have to write a letter to the Principal to opt-out of the failing BSI Program. You are NOT offered any other help/Tutoring after school as the NCLB Law states.

Parents are not told how much money the Federal/State government has given this school towards NCLB/ BSI Program and how the funds are being used. this opens up many opportunities to use the funds to send the faculty to conferences to enhance them but, not to help the children. A teacher that takes advantage of this extra training at the expense of the NCLB funds can decide to take their FREE education to another school and the children do not benefit from anything. Sometimes, these classes are teacher/Principal enrichment programs that have little to no impact on improving the education of the children. The Principal listed in this website is no longer at Canfield Avenue School for quite some time now. The new Principal is Gregory Hobaugh. I urge this website to get more updated information about this and other schools so that this website serves the communities in a useful way. Old information will not result in a fair and honest rating or comparison of the school with others in the community, State, or Country
--Submitted by a parent

Canfield Ave School is great. The prinicpal, Dan Blachford works with the students so they do not worry about state tests. They are free to learn. My children thrived!!!
--Submitted by a parent

I am the parent of a choice student who is in his/her first year at Canfield. The quality of academics and faculty is far superior to our home district and extracurricular activities are abundant. A word of caution: If you come to this school as a choice student, be prepared to prove yourself to yourself and to the faculty/staff. The staff/administration take great pride in their school being a 'National School of Excellence' and they will not tolerate anyone not willing to keep it that way. Parents must be involved just as much as their children (as they should.) And for those whose children weren't prepared for the rigors of Canfield....not to worry. They will have you AND your child up to speed in no time :)
--Submitted by a parent

An excellent, innovative K-6 school that has earned several state and national awards for excellence. Small class sizes combined with highly motivated teachers and staff provide an enriched learning environment. Selected as the only 'Choice' school in Morris County, Canfield Elementary has become home to over 50 students from other districts whose parents feel they can get a mre fulfilling education outside their own district.
--Submitted by a parent

Schools curriculum is very advanced, sometimes going too fast for the children to fully understand the concept being taught. They have a great new math program, with real world lessons. My daughter had a lot of homework in 2nd grade. She would get 22 spelling words a week. Her teacher was not very observant and always overworked and irritable. Her first grade teacher was great, just enough discipline mixed with genuine rewards for good behavior.
--Submitted by a parent

Test scores do not tell the entire story, but Canfield Ave scores are consistently high. My older two children have moved on to challenging districts (1 middle school, 1 high school) and been extremely well-prepared and, typically, at the head of their classes. At Canfield, it is assumed that all children are high performers and treated as such; math and science programs are especialy advanced. These results are also possible due to low class sizes - 17 to 18 on average. The Special Ed program, I understand, is very good also because the emphasis is on inclusion wherever possible. Canfield s a NJ 'choice' school, which means parents from neighboring districts can send their children to Canfield at no charge. The success of this program is another indication of the school's overall success.
--Submitted by a parent

I personally feel that the educators at Canfield Ave. school are wonderful and greatly dedicated to thier students. I believe them to give quality education while being creative at the same time. However, I do not feel the same about the principal, C. Dan Blachford. He seems to have no respect or understanding of what the educators at that school do for the children. I think if you want your children there for the education then you're chosing a good school.
--Submitted by a parent

Canfield Avenue School provides a wonderful, nuturing environment for children in grades pre-k to 6. The children are exposed to a science lab at an early age and are provided with fabulous hands on experiences. The 'Algebra Project' was started a few years ago and is another great program for children. The parent envolvement helps make the school what it is. Without the parents, the children would not have access to all that they do. They have a strong PTA and it provides many extra programs for our children. Family science, math, music, art etc., are another academic addition that helps educate our children and parents alike, and keeps the bond between child and parent alive. The teachers are personable and understanding and help make the school the special place it is. They provide an open door policy and feedback goes beyond parent-teacher conferences. It is a fabulous environment, with unique opportunities!
--Submitted by a parent

Canfield Ave school is an excellent environment for kids in early developement. Because of parent envolvement and the resources available in the classroom, students have an advantage over children in other schools. One of the best programs they offer is A.R. which is a large list of books that are assigned points based on length, and difficulty. This system is competative and rewards children for reading and obtaining points. I feel that the only thing that should change about Canfield is the parking situation. The limit of space and number of children going home at one time is a huge problem. Overall, Canfield is a great school that has friendly staff always willing to help your child.
--Submitted by a parent