Mission Statement

The Byram Township Board of Education is dedicated to prepare students to be life-long learners with high self-esteem, strong interpersonal skills, and social values in an environment that encourages them to reach their full potential. To support this vision, the Board of Education promises:

To the Children:

We will provide a learning environment that utilizes curricula and technologies of the highest standard, fosters creativity, recognizes that each child learns differently and promotes physical development and emotional well-being.

To the Staff:

We will provide visionary leadership and an atmosphere that:

•  Supports professional development

•  Acknowledges accomplishments

•  Encourages open two-way communication

•  Allocates district resources equitably

To the Parents:

We will recognize our partnership role and create a welcoming environment of open, two-way communication and participation.

To the Community:

We will become a leading district in the field of elementary education that utilizes sound financial management and fiscal responsibility.

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District Profile

Byram Township is located in lower Sussex County in Northwest New Jersey. Easily accessible by Route 80 and intersected by Route 206, the township consists of 22.48 square miles, two dozen lakes and ponds and a population of over 9000. The area is best characterized as “rural, growing and open”. Residents of Byram are served by adjacent post offices in Stanhope, Andover and Sparta. 

The Byram Township School District is governed by a seven-member board of education; the administrative team consists of a superintendent, two building principals, an assistant principal, a business administrator, a Child Study Team coordinator and a technology coordinator. Currently, there are two schools accommodating approximately 1200 Byram students. A new pre-K to 4 building opened in September, 2003. Most of Byram's students attend Lenape Valley Regional High School in neighboring Stanhope. 

Byram Schools are avidly supported by constituent parents; the PTA is active; various school committees invite parental involvement. The mutually high expectations and the expressed value of a quality education create and sustain a child-centered, nurturing and pleasant working climate. The staff is experienced and professional with very little turnover. Given the increasing enrollment, efforts to reduce class size, and additional special education programming and approaching staff retirements, new personnel will continue to alter the educational landscape at Byram.

While Byram has historically enjoyed a relatively low cost per student, residential development, school construction and “meeting the needs of the Byram children” will impact significantly on annual budgets. Given the declining financial support at the state level and the absence of local commercial and industrial ratable, the residential homeowners bear an increasing tax burden to sponsor a high quality educational program.

Differentiating instruction, student assessments, technology integration, emerging special education classes, student scheduling and curricular alignment are a few of the imminent challenges in the Byram Township School District. Please reference our district web page at www.byramschools.org for further information.

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ABSENT/MISSING CHILDREN POLICY

The Board of Education's policy on missing children established a procedure that attempts to account for all students each day of the school year. In cooperation with that procedure, parents/guardians are asked to call the attendance office at 973-347-1019 ext 2150, for the Lakes and Intermediate School, to report their child's absence. In addition to this call, a child who has been absent MUST present, to his homeroom teacher, a note signed by his/her parents/guardians explaining the absence. Remember that New Jersey statutes place the responsibility for regular attendance with the parents/guardians. Policy #5113 states: A pupil must be in attendance for 144 or more school days in order to be considered to have successfully completed the instructional program requirements of the grade/course to which he/she is assigned.

LATE ARRIVAL OF STUDENT PROCEDURE

Students who arrive late for school should be signed in by their parent/guardian in the main office. Students must receive a late pass for class from the main office.

EARLY RELEASE OF STUDENT PROCEDURE

Occasionally, it may be necessary for a parent/guardian to ask for a child to be excused from school on a particular day after the child has reported to school. These occasions should be few in number and relate to only the most serious of reasons. From time to time, it may be necessary for a parent/guardian to transport a child home at the end of a school day. In an attempt to ensure the safety of students attending the Byram Township Schools, the following procedures have been established. A student who will be signed out of school during school hours must present a note from home signed by the parent/guardian stating the time and reason for leaving school before the end of the scheduled school day. Any parent/guardian signing out their child before the end of the school day or who is transporting their child home after the end of the school day must report to the school office and complete the Release of a Child From School form, giving reasons. No student will be allowed to leave school with anyone other than the authorized parent/guardian or adult who has been authorized by the parent/guardian in writing. An individual signing out a student will be requested to provide proper identification to satisfy school personnel that he/she is the person authorized to sign out the child. Failure to provide appropriate certification will result in a denial of the request to sign out the student.

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E-mail Policy

The guidelines for acceptable use of the Byram Schools' E-mail system is as follows:

In using the district's E-mail system to communicate with the staff, parents / guardians will:

1. Refrain from communicating sensitive or confidential information to the

school. This type of information should only be shared in a parent

conference.

2. Refrain from sending any E-mail form of permission when written permission is required. It cannot be accepted.

3. Expect a reply within one school day.

4. Remember that time sensitive messages may better be sent in hard copy.

5. Recognize that even the most reliable networks are subject to failure.

When in doubt follow up with a hand written note.

6. All communication via district E-mail shall be for school related purposes only.

The use of the district E-mail system to engage in any communications that violate federal, state, local, or district code, policy or regulation is strictly prohibited.

You will find a listing of the e-mail addresses for the teaching staff, secretarial staff, and administration of the Byram Township Schools in the district calendar.

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Student Transportation

Most of our students are transported to school by bus. Some students, because of their proximity to school, are classified as walkers. NO STUDENTS ARE ALLOWED TO RIDE BICYCLES TO OR FROM SCHOOL.

BUS RULES

1. Students will enter and leave the building quietly and orderly.

2. Students shall not run, shove, push or engage in loud talking.

3. Students shall also be expected at all times to show respect for the
teachers on duty and shall abide by all other school rules.

4. Students must ride on assigned buses unless they have been given prior written approval under emergency circumstances by the building principal. Written requests for bus changes must be submitted to your homeroom teacher by your parent/guardian at least one day in advance. The following bus safety rules are considered absolutely necessary to the welfare of all:

1. Sit properly in the seat assigned to you.

a) Do not have your legs or feet in the aisle.
b) All books, packages, or belongings must be placed on your lap.
c) Consider others.

2. Never, at any time, throw an object in the bus, out of the bus, or into the bus.

3. Do not, under any circumstances, put your hands or head out of a window. 4. Do not make noise while you are a passenger on the bus.

a) Talk quietly only to those close to you.
b) Do not make noises which distract the bus driver.

5. Do not eat while on the bus. The driver of a school bus shall be in full charge of that vehicle; he/she shall never exclude a student, but if unable to manage any student, he/she shall report the unmanageable student to the principal.

A student may be excluded from the bus for disciplinary reasons by the principal and his/her parents shall provide transportation to and from school during the period of such exclusion. Violations of the code may result in suspension from the bus route.

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