Facility re-designated as state School to Watch
LOWER TOWNSHIP — Richard M. Teitelman Middle School has been re-designated as a School to Watch by the National Forum (for Advancing Excellence in the Middle Grades).
This program is sponsored by the New Jersey Association of Middle Level Education (NJAMLE). The National Forum is a nonprofit educators association dedicated to improving education and school-based supports for all young adolescents in the middle grades. Schools to Watch focus on serving the social, emotional and academic needs of students in culturally relevant and inclusive ways. Additionally, they continue to improve every year.
–Principal Peter Daly on the school mantra
‘It’s challenging, but the goal is to try your best and make sure that you value every issue, every person, every class, others’ concerns. Some count for lots and some count for a little, but everything counts.’
In March, Teitelman was recognized for its re-designation at the NJAMLE Conference at Brookdale Community College. It is one of only four middle schools in New Jersey designated as a School to Watch in 2026.
The program recognizes 17 schools in the state and includes them as active members in the process.
Teitelman will be honored nationally at the National Forum’s Schools to Watch conference in Washington, D.C., this June. Principal Peter Daly will accept the honor and lead a presentation during the event.
Selection process
Teitelman was first designated as a School to Watch in 2022, under the purview of Superintendent Greg Lasher, the former principal. Daly said he wanted to keep the designation when he took over the top job.
The National Forum has established criteria that are the basis for the Schools to Watch program. The application process is rigorous and focuses on school improvement efforts for continued success.
“It’s an assessment done by the entire school, faculty and staff,” Daly said. “They give you a very comprehensive online survey of what’s going on in your school, and you get the perspective of all different stakeholders.”
The scope of the data collected includes positive changes and programs, as well as potential areas for improvement.
“It’s not designed to say you’re a perfect school; it’s designed to look at the good things going on and areas in which you can improve,” Daly said, adding that the report includes a demographic analysis.
After the application is submitted and if the criteria are met, the school is then visited by a panel of other Schools to Watch members. Additionally, committees comprised of faculty and administrative staff, parents and students are interviewed.
Daly said the information is analyzed before the recognition is awarded.
“It’s a pretty intense process,” he said, adding that once Teitelman was re-designated, he attended the NJAMLE conference to accept the recognition.
In addition to the application process, the follow-up to implementing improvements is critical.
“You have to do a hard self-evaluation and look at the good areas and the areas you need to improve on,” Daly said. “It’s a really good learning experience for myself and the staff.”
One area of improvement cited for Teitelman is decorating the halls with artwork. Prior to the school’s renovation, there were many murals and old lockers. Since then, Daly said they are in the process of bringing some of that back and allowing students to express themselves through art.
Daly has visited other potential Schools to Watch as part of a panel. He said it is helpful to pick up other ideas that can be brought back to his school and incorporated, and he has experienced other visitors to Teitelman consider doing the same.
Teitelman is re-designated through 2029, and as that date nears, Daly and the staff will start working on the next application.
Teitelman stands out
Connecting both the middle and high school districts with an overriding theme is paramount for Daly. “Everything counts,” is the mantra he took on when he became principal.
At the beginning of the school year, students and staff contribute to a list of norms and values that serve as a guide for the school district. Posters are hung up throughout the buildings to remind students of the behavior expected.
“It’s challenging, but the goal is to try your best and make sure that you value every issue, every person, every class, others’ concerns,” Daly said. “Some count for lots and some count for a little, but everything counts.”
Administration and teachers use positive behavior supports and issue “Tiger Tickets” to students when they see them doing good things. Students can use their tickets for raffles and end-of-year events.
The staff can also issue “Everything Counts” chips and plastic tokens if they see students doing something they value. The tokens are slightly more valuable than tickets.
“We have events all throughout the year that they can use them, like dance and pizza parties,” Daly said. “Kids like to keep them, but we want them to become a currency and cash them in, so we’re working on that.”
Daly added that the school culture for staff includes departmental planning, which allows different teachers to work in lockstep.
Teitelman has an “intervention period” that allows students to focus on what they need, such as making up tests, working on homework before a sports game or even getting extra help in a specific class.
Daly said the school has Title I funds, which they use to help place students in targeted classes if they are struggling in a specific area.
“We always look for more activities that we can give to the kids,” Daly said. “We do our best to give them as many opportunities as we can to be involved in the school and in a positive place.”
The school may have a smaller population, but Daly said it’s largely due to the local area’s changing demographics.
“Because it’s so small, you get more of a family atmosphere to the school,” he said. “When you have so many kids, you tend not to know everybody. But [knowing the kids is] one of the things I like, and the staff is close here, too.”
Daly credits Lasher for so much of the good work going on in the school district. Utilizing community partnerships is also key for additional activities. Cape Assist is one of the partners and Daly said they are a huge part of what goes on at Teitelman.
“All the work going on at RMT is something to be proud of,” Daily said. “I hope to represent our school and our district well.”
By RACHEL SHUBIN/Special to the Star and Wave
