218 E Brinkerhoff Ave
Palisades Park, NJ 07650

We recently moved from Tenafly, where my daughter finished middle school, and she is now attending high school here. When we moved, many people were concerned about how we would adjust, given that this school district isn’t as highly ranked. I admit I was a bit worried too, coming from a top-tier district. However, I’ve been grateful for the kindness and support of the teachers, and we’ve met some wonderful neighbors.My daughter was accepted into an academy program at the school, which she is looking forward to studying in.Although the overall academic performance may be lower compared to Tenafly High School, I’m thankful that the teachers seem to be doing their best to support students who are motivated to learn. Most of the students come from immigrant families, particularly from South America, followed by a significant number of Korean students. There is a Korean-speaking staff member in the main office, which is reassuring for me since my English isn’t fluent. The English-speaking staff are also very kind and seem to truly care about the school. My daughter’s counselor has been easy to talk to and gave us helpful advice about which language courses to choose.Many students walk to school, including my daughter. Sometimes I pick her up or share rides with other parents, and other times she walks home with a friend. The smaller size of the school gives it a close-knit, family-like atmosphere. I told my daughter, “During your four years here, why not set a goal to help improve the school’s rating each year? Find friends who want to work on this with you. Right now, in 2024, the school’s rating is 3/10, but what if it increases by one point each year so that by the time you graduate, it’s 6/10? Wouldn’t it feel better to graduate from a school with a higher rating?”With the combined efforts of students, teachers, parents, staff, and community support, I believe this school can continue to improve. Thank you for taking the time to read this. Have a wonderful day. God bless you all!

This school has a very toxic environment. They hire local people from ESS, who are very rude and disrespectful. The children are a blessing, the district staff are great, but overworked due to a lot of disorganization. I see constant new hires, which further adds to mismanagement. I refuse to come to this school ever again because of how they look at me every time I visit. This school is not welcoming, not in the slightest. The police officers who visit the school, watch me constantly, and I have had enough.

It had an overall positive impact on my daughter. Her teacher, Mrs. Menzella, influenced her the most and made the most dent to her academic success on her first public school experience.