Mountain View, Black River Are ‘Schools to Watch’ in U.S.

The Mendhams and Chesters are known to be home to good schools, and now the country has taken notice as well.

Mountain View and Black River middle schools, in Mendham Borough and Chester, respectively, have both been designated at Schools to Watch by the National Forum to Accelerate Middle Grades Reform.

Mountain View earned the designation in 2008 and 2011, and has now earned its third recognition – the most of any middle school in the state of New Jersey. Black River Middle School attained the designation in 2010. Schools that receive the recognition undergo periodic re-evaluation.

“Black River Middle School continues to excel because our teachers strive for a dynamic learning environment on a daily basis, so the students are eager to learn,” Black River principal Robert Mullen said in a statement. “We are also fortunate to have an extremely dedicated community that wholeheartedly supports our efforts.”

Schools to Watch identifies top performing schools in four different areas: academic excellence, developmental responsiveness, social equity, and organization structure.

“Mountain View succeeds in all of these areas due to its staff of professionals whose unyielding commitment to the students is immeasurable together with a community willing to go the extra mile to ensure opportunities for all students to succeed through a variety of supportive methods,” principal Charles Seipp said in a statement.