PHILOSOPHY
The future hinges upon what our children learn today as they compete with children all over the globe tomorrow. We remain faithful to all students in the school within an inclusive environment seeking to live out the mission as “a small learning community achieving high academic standards and manifesting by their experiential learning….We are Community Builders.”
Union County T.E.A.M.S. (Technology, Engineering, Architecture, Mathematics and Science) Charter School is in its seventh year of operation. The school is a small learning community of grades K – 12 located in a three-story, state of the art church facility of 69,000 square feet of space including a regulation size gymnasium which doubles as the Community Life and Cultural Arts Center of the Shiloh Baptist Church, Plainfield, New Jersey. The school’s charter allows for 360 students and is progressing toward capacity with its expansion into high school with grades nine through twelve. The family community of our school is intricately involved and committed to our success. Our staff members run the gamut in terms of experience, knowledge and diversity. As a result, we boast a healthy wait list of families desiring entrance into this small but highly academic community.
While our goals remain high, achieving these standards is not without struggle as we prepare all students for Statewide Assessments, both NJASK and HSPA. Our school day is expanded and provides for an hour of tutoring through our project RISE program, after school two – three days per week for grades 2 – 8. Upon taking the PSAT/SAT, all middle and high school students participate in online follow-up and continued tutoring for the College Board Exams in their Junior year.
With the expansion into the high school, our High School/College Leadership Academy purports to ready this smaller learning community for college through its emphasis on college preparatory courses including those experienced in a virtual environment. Students visit college and university campuses in preparation for their high school/college dual credit Bridge Program. They also learn leadership qualities through specific classes and interactive seminars. Moreover, students research career choices, participate in mentoring with career professionals, and ultimately engage in apprenticeships at jobsites of their choosing. All high school students at the Junior and Senior levels participate in a half day residential program on site and a half day Bridge to College Program at Union County College on the Cranford Campus. This proves to be a successful means of acquiring dual high school and college credits for graduation and preparation towards an Associate’s Degree.
