We are extremely excited to share that the Verona Public Schools has been awarded Future Ready Schools – NJ Bronze Certification! Congratulations to Verona High School, H.B. Whitehorne Middle School and Brookdale Avenue Elementary School for earning this prestigious recognition. Our results are a testament to the efforts of our technology department leadership and the dedication of our faculty and staff to improve access and align resources to best prepare our students for success in the digital age.

Future Ready Schools – New Jersey, a coalition of New Jersey Institute of Technology’s Collaborative for Leadership, Education, and Assessment Research, the New Jersey School Boards Association, and the New Jersey Department of Education, is a school certification program designed to support the organization of schools’ and districts’ efforts through the national Future Ready Framework. Future Ready Schools fosters and enables collaboration both within and between schools and districts throughout the state of New Jersey, provides support, and connects educators to potential resources.

In 2019, each of our three schools (VHS, HBW, BRK) engaged in the inclusive, collaborative, and self-reflective process of preparing our submission to the Future Ready Schools Selection Committee, which in and of itself is a noteworthy accomplishment. Our Future Ready Teams came together, including representatives of a wide array of educational stakeholders, to explore the leadership, education, and technology components of the school and district through the lens of the indicators of Future Readiness. In doing so, the Verona Public Schools joined over 260 schools from 72 districts across New Jersey in undertaking this endeavor of self-assessment and planning in the 2019 certification cycle. Completing our FRS-NJ certification submission is an achievement to be celebrated, as it demonstrates our school and district determination to fully prepare students for success in college, career, and as citizens in the digital age. In the near future, our district will convene Future Ready Teams to earn certification in all of our schools.

Future Ready Schools has invited us to celebrate this achievement at the State level awards ceremony at the New Jersey School Boards Convention Workshop this October 2019. Congratulations to everyone who has made our success not only a possibility, but a reality.