Message From Principal Mark Gray

At Eastlake School, academics are our top priority with emphasis on developing critical thinking skills in language and mathematics. Good reading skills are the lynchpin of our school. With total school involvement, our programs encourage and broaden reading interest to ultimately increase reading levels of all students. K-5 students work with the Pearson/Scott Foresman Reading Program, Reading Street. The school’s reading specialist compliments Reading Street with intervention resources titled My Sidewalks. Junior Great Books also enhance the third grade reading program. Children are exposed to a variety of learning techniques and display their strengths in a multitude of ways including winter and spring concerts and the district’s Forensics competition. The school’s site-based objectives were multifaceted and based on analysis of the previous school year’s NJ ASK results. The focus is on student achievement in language arts literacy.  Implementation occurred through ongoing professional development and refinement of instruction.

Parents are included in a variety of co-curricular activities including family reading, math and physical education nights designed and implemented by staff members. Eastlake’s guidance counselor also provides informational programs for parents on contemporary subjects such social networking and cyber bullying. 

Eastlake children have many opportunities to integrate the skills they learn in class across the content areas. For example, students practice math skills in physical education when they track their heart rates and steps through pedometers. Writing skills are also incorporated across the content areas. Additionally, technology is infused with curricular proficiencies to enhance the delivery of instruction.

Eastlake children understand the world in which they live and are learning that they have an important role to play. They have been recognized for this. All children collected food and clothing for the needy making up baskets for members of the community. The Holiday Angel program provides gifts to local residents in need. Eastlake was also one of the first elementary schools to advance the awareness of service to the community by initiating the K-Kids, a division of Kiwanis of Greater Parsippany. For the third year in a row, Eastlake was recognized as one of the winners of the district wide recycling contest.

Eastlake School is generously supported by its PTA. PTA projects range from collecting funds and clothing for community families in need to planning and funding various  co-curricular activities for our students. Parents continue to raise funds to implement special school projects, cultural programs and activities for our students. This included the purchase of wall mounted fans, a PA system and most recently three new adjustable basketball goals for the playground.

Our elementary schools continue to offer a full program of instruction that strives for excellence while addressing the needs of a diverse student population. Eastlake Elementary School sets high expectations for student achievement. We endeavor to develop students’ abilities to think critically, be problem solvers, and show creativity. As a whole, our instructional programs are designed to prepare students to be productive, contributing members of our community and nation by providing them with the skills they need for the twenty-first century.

Respectfully,

Mark Gray, Principal