Education & Guide

Education plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of communities, and both Staten Island, New York, and the state of New Jersey are actively engaged in enhancing educational opportunities through various initiatives and events scheduled for 2025 and 2026. This article delves into upcoming educational activities in these regions and outlines the roles of government agencies, providing pertinent contact information for further inquiries.

Upcoming Educational Activities

Staten Island:

One of the notable educational events in Staten Island is the Staten Island Student Summit, organized by Clean Ocean Action. Scheduled for March 27, 2025, this summit offers middle school students (grades 5-8) a hands-on marine environmental education experience at Great Kills Park. The program aims to foster environmental stewardship among students through interactive activities aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards. Schools interested in participating must apply by March 1, 2025.

Clean Ocean Action

New Jersey:

In New Jersey, Clean Ocean Action is hosting several Student Summits in 2025:

Sandy Hook Student Summit: Taking place on May 21 and May 22, 2025, this event is open to middle schools from eligible central and northern New Jersey counties. Applications are open until April 15, 2025.Clean Ocean Action
Cape May Student Summit: Scheduled for October 3, 2025, at the Nature Center of Cape May, this summit is available to middle schools from southern New Jersey counties. Applications will open in April 2025.Clean Ocean Action
Island Beach State Park Student Summit: Set for October 9, 2025, this event welcomes middle schools from central and southern New Jersey counties. Applications will open in April 2025.Clean Ocean Action

These summits provide students with immersive experiences in marine and environmental education, promoting awareness and responsibility towards ocean conservation.

Government Roles and Contact Information

New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE):

The NJDOE is instrumental in formulating and implementing educational policies across the state. In a significant move to address teacher shortages, New Jersey enacted a law in January 2025 eliminating the requirement for teachers to pass a basic reading, writing, and mathematics test for certification. This initiative aims to remove barriers to certification and attract more educators to the profession.

New York Post

For more information, you can contact the NJDOE at:

Mailing Address: PO Box 500, Trenton, NJ 08625-0500
Phone: (609) 376-3500
Website:New Jersey Official Site

Additionally, the NJDOE has various divisions and offices to address specific educational needs:

Office of the Commissioner: (609) 292-4444
Division of Educational Services: (609) 292-0147
Division of Teaching and Learning: (609) 292-4692

For a comprehensive directory of departments and their contact information, visit the New Jersey State and Local Directories.

New Jersey Official Site

Staten Island:

As a borough of New York City, Staten Island’s educational policies and initiatives are overseen by the New York City Department of Education (NYC DOE). The NYC DOE is responsible for the public school system, including curriculum standards, teacher certification, and student programs.

For inquiries related to educational activities and policies in Staten Island, you can contact the NYC DOE at:

Phone: (718) 935-2000
Website: https://www.schools.nyc.gov/

Conclusion

The educational landscape in Staten Island and New Jersey is vibrant, with numerous initiatives aimed at enriching student experiences and addressing systemic challenges. Engagement in events like the Student Summits not only enhances learning but also fosters a sense of environmental responsibility among students. Government agencies continue to play a crucial role in shaping and supporting these educational endeavors, ensuring that policies and programs align with the evolving needs of the community.

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Education Services / Tutors / Testing / Study skills / Test prep

Fractal Science & Math Academy
206 Bellevue Ave., Montclair, NJ, 973-783-5767

JEI Parsippany
1180 Route 46, Parsippany, 973-794-4118

L.E.A.R.N. associates Inc. (Language Education
and Resource Network)
21 Church St., Liberty Corner, 908-626-9655
Email: [email protected]

LEARN, a full service learning center with a difference, provides students ages 3 to adult with instruction in 12+ languages, including ASL (American Sign Language) and other core subjects. Enrichment, support, accelerated instruction and test preparation (including AP and college levels) are offered in a warm, friendly atmosphere, with meeting rooms that are comfortable and private (no booths or cubicles), and complimentary refreshments are served at all times. We welcome different kinds of learners, and are proud to have been the “boutique” provider of educational programs in our area for over 20 years. We also provide programs for credit to independent schools, enrichment courses to businesses and community groups, and virtual programs (by Skype, Facetime, or Google Hangout) to students who are not able to come to our Center.

Summit Test Prep & Tutoring
110 Hillside Ave, Suite 204, Springfield, NJ 07081
908-516-4199 • Email: [email protected]

Test preparation (ACT/SAT/PSAT/SSAT/ISEE/HSPT/COOP/
GRE/GMAT) and academic tutoring for middle and high school students. No contracts, no price hikes. Flexible scheduling. Free baseline assessment. Our location or yours.

College prep / Study skills / Resources

In addition to the listings below, also see listings above for professional services specializing in test prep and study skills.

BigFuture.CollegeBoard.org
An easy-to-navigate site to search colleges by location, majors, cost, size and more.

CollegeBoard.org
Official site for SAT registration and information with college search function and financial aid planner.

CollegeData.com
College search engine and profiles, scholarship search engine and college net cost calculator.

Nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator
Website displays data from the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the primary federal entity for collecting and analyzing data related to education in the U.S. and other nations.

NJtransfer.org
Website provides information on admissions, financial aid and scholarships, recommended transfer programs and course equivalencies for New Jersey colleges and universities.

Petersons.com
Online resource for college, university, graduate school, continuing education and private school searches.

Studygs.net
Website often cited by teachers and schools offers valuable information and strategies for learning, studying, time management, test-taking, reading, writing, problem solving and more.

TestPrepReview.com
ACT/SAT practice tests for no charge.

Ucan-network.org
Initiative by U-CAN (University & College Accountability Network) gives prospective students and their families excellent information in a common format on nonprofit, private colleges and universities including faculty info, graduation and retention statistics.

Learning Disabilities support services

Innisfree Foundation
40 S. Fullerton Ave., Montclair, 800-983-8715. Non-profit organization advocates for the special education community in New Jersey by providing low bono and pro bono legal assistance, filing amicus briefs, offering free educational seminars, and direct advocacy.

Wrightslaw
A resource for parents, educators, advocates and attorneys to find information about special education law, education law and advocacy for children with disabilities.

Wrightslaw Yellow Pages for Kids
Website provides clear information about legal rights and advocacy, state agencies, and a directory of resources including educational consultants, psychologists, health care specialists, tutors, advocates, attorneys, parent support groups and more in New Jersey and for every state.

The Children’s Dyslexia Center
National program to combat dyslexia, supported by the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, provides Orton-Gillingham tutoring to kindergarten through high school students free of charge. Open to all. Professional tutor training is also provided at no cost to those who qualify. Individual and business sponsorships accepted.
• Burlington
Masonic Home, 902 Jacksonville Rd., Burlington, 609-589-4098
• Hasbrouck Heights
301 Division Ave., Hasbrouck Heights, 201-288-6556
• Northfield
2000 New Rd., Northfield, 609-641-4330
• Scotch Plains
301 Forest Ave., Scotch Plains, 908-322-6241
• Tenafly
P.O. Box 10, 404 Tenafly Rd., Tenafly, 201-567-9002

The C.H.I.L.D. Organization of Scotch Plains-Fanwood
Support and resource group for families with children who have learning disabilities hosts speakers with a broad spectrum of expertise throughout the year. Membership is open to all parents within the school district and surrounding towns.

Council for Learning Disabilities
International organization of professionals who establish standards and promote innovative strategies for research and practice.

Division for Learning Disabilities at the Council for Exceptional Children
888-232-7733
International, professional association provides resources and information about assessment, instruction and policy for teaching students with learning disabilities.

International Dyslexia Association
800-ABC-D123
International network brings individuals, parents and professionals in the field of dyslexia together. New Jersey residents who join IDA automatically become members of the New Jersey branch and receive information about local workshops and conferences.

LDonline.org
A leading website on learning disabilities for educators posts articles, columns by noted experts, a resource guide, referral directory and hosts active forums.

Learning Disabilities Association of New Jersey
P.O. Box 6268, East Brunswick, 732-645-2738
Non-profit organization of volunteers provides information, support and advocacy for children and adults with learning disabilities, an affiliate of Learning Disabilities Association of America.

Learning Resource Centers
• North: 7 Glenwood Ave., Suite 201, East Orange, 973-414-4491
• North Satellite: 104 American Rd., Building 100, Morris Plains, 973-631-6345
• Central: 200 Riverview Plaza, Trenton, 609-376-3955
• South: Camden County College, Blackwood Campus,
Wolverton Library 3rd floor, Blackwood, 856-227-7200
Supported through the NJ Dept. of Education and federal funds, the Learning Resource Centers provide special education information, curriculum guides, consultation services, production services and loan materials to parents and educators serving pupils with disabilities ages 3 to 21.

National Center for Learning Disabilities
888-575-7373
Develops training and educational materials for parents and practitioners.

Homework help and useful links

Artcyclopedia.com
An encyclopedia of noted artists with links to image archives, articles about the artist, museums with collections of the artist and market activity of the artist’s work.

Fact Monster.com
Useful sites for gathering information for homework projects. Also kidinfo.com.

Google Arts & Culture
Explore history, stories, artworks and collections in extraordinary detail from museums around the world.

History.com
Easy to navigate site for history research.

How Stuff Works.com
Hundreds of topics for science and technology research.

How-to-Study.com
Free study skills articles for all subjects and ages.

Jersey Clicks.org
Search full-text magazines, journals, books and encyclopedias from home with your public library card, or at your local public or school library. Funded by the New Jersey State Library, Library Services & Technology ACT and Regional Library Cooperatives.

Khan Academy
An extensive library of interactive videos, challenges and assessments cover subjects in math, science, economics, finance, computer programming and humanities. All are available at no charge to students, teachers, parents and anyone interested in learning more.

LOC.gov
Access curious and entertaining facts from America’s past through the “Wise Guide,” portal at The Library of Congress’ website.

Refdesk.com
In an attempt to bring order to the chaos of the Internet, refdesk is an index of subjects with current links to a vast number of websites.

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Here you will find an extensive list of camps committed to providing a fun and enriching summer experience for kids and teens. From half-day to full-day traditional day camps, teen travel to sleepaway camps or the many special interest camps in the index below, there is a camp for every age and interest. These camps invite you to visit their websites (use the convenient links in each listing), call for info, plan a visit or attend an upcoming open house.

Registration begins early in the year and continues until full. Look for early-bird discounts offered for early enrollment.

By June, there are still plenty of summer programs to choose from. Registration is open all summer for half-day, full-day, one week or multi-week camps for all ages and interests, so don’t hesitate to inquire and visit website links provided on these pages for more information.

Browse through the listings under the Enrichment Classes, Sports and Outdoor Education Center categories for additional summer opportunities that may not be repeated under Kids Guide NJ’s Summer Camp Guide.

Recreation Departments often offer summer playgrounds and enrichment or sports options. In addition, some school districts hold summer enrichment sessions and school coaches frequently offer week-long sports camps.

Check the programs of local Ys and JCCs (see Ys/JCCs/Rec Facilities). They typically offer a wide selection of camps for all ages, including traditional day camps, special interest, sports and travel camps.

attention: new jersey camp directors…
See the Field Trips & Outreach under the Enrichment category, Partiy Places, Party & Special Event Entertainment and other Enrichment and Entertainment categories to book educational and entertaining on-site programs and day trips for campers.

american camp association
Founded in 1910, the American Camp Association accredits summer and fall camp programs for health, safety and program quality. Call or visit the New York / New Jersey affiliated website for a list of accredited camps in the northeast and visit the ACA’s site for parents for information about selecting the right camp for your child. American Camp Association New York & New Jersey, 1375 Broadway, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10018, 212-391-5208, 800-777-CAMP.

Enjoy your summer!

camp referral services

American Camp Association New York & New Jersey
1375 Broadway, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10018, 212-391-5208, x1002. Free referral service affiliated with the American Camp Association recommends only ACA accredited camps in the northeast, including day, sleepaway, travel and specialty camps. Search online or call or email [email protected] for personal assistance.