J Spencer Smith School

www.tenaflyschools.org

347 Students

Elementary School K - 5th

School Overview

J. Spencer Smith School, located at 101 Downey Drive in Tenafly, New Jersey, is a highly regarded public elementary school serving students in grades K-5. As part of the Tenafly Public Schools district—a district consistently recognized for its academic excellence—the school is known for fostering a supportive and rigorous learning environment. The faculty emphasizes a holistic approach to education, blending core academic subjects with social-emotional learning to ensure students develop both intellectually and personally.

The school is deeply integrated into the tight-knit Tenafly community, benefiting from strong parental involvement and a collaborative culture. Beyond the traditional classroom setting, J. Spencer Smith offers a variety of extracurricular activities and programs designed to encourage student curiosity and creativity. With a reputation for high standardized test scores and a commitment to meeting the individual needs of every child, the school is considered a cornerstone of the local community, preparing its students for success as they transition to middle school.

347

Total Students

27.6

Full-Time Teachers

12.5

Student/Teacher Ratio

1.4%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for J Spencer Smith School
Demographic	Student Count
White	187
Hispanic	18
Black	5
Asian	121
Two or More	16

White
187 (53.9 %)
Asian
121 (34.9 %)
Hispanic
18 (5.2 %)
Two or More
16 (4.6 %)
Black
5 (1.4 %)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Elementary School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	Tenafly Public School District
Phone:	(201)816-7715
Website:	http://www.tenaflyschools.org
Grade Range:	K - 5th
Total Students:	347
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	27.6
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	12.5
NSLP Participation:¹	No
Qualified Free Lunch:	5
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	0

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Kindergarten 43

Grade 1 54

Grade 2 56

Grade 3 54

Grade 4 65

Grade 5 72

Ungraded 3