Families Apply for Choice High School District

Three Morris Plains families are applying to send their eighth graders to the Morris Hills Regional District for high school.

Under the state’s school choice program, certain districts are designated to receive students from other districts.

Morris Hills is one of those choice districts, Morris Plains Superintendent Ernest Palestis said.

Palestis said one of the three families is particularly interested in the Morris Hills magnet program for math and science, a four-year honors program. According to the Morris Hills School District website, the magnet program allows students to invent, design and conduct original research. Students pick an area of specialization as well as free electives. A Research Based Analysis course sequence allows students to work with experts in their fields of interest.

Palestis said he has heard of some interest in the Morris Hills technology program which has extensive offerings in computer assisted drafting, wood and metal shops, welding, electricity and auto mechanics.

The third program that makes Morris Hills a choice school is the International Baccalaureate Programme, an internationally-recognized and very prestigious high school curriculum.

The Morris Hills website described the IBP as “focused on international mindedness, concurrency of learning and community service.”  Juniors and seniors take courses in six areas: English, world languages, mat and computer science, individuals and societies, experimental sciences and arts/electives. Palestis said only the Morris Hills and West Morris districts and Newark Academy offer IBP in the northern part of the state. Only six IBP schools are in New Jersey, he said.

Palestis said his only role is to certify the students are eligible for school choice by matriculating in the district. The receiving district will make the final decision on who gets to attend.