Every day is a great day to make a difference in a child’s life at Thurgood Marshall School! Thurgood Marshall School is a Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 5 school with a strong sense of community​. ​The dedicated staff members of Thurgood Marshall School are committed to providing our culturally diverse student body the highest quality educational experience possible. At Thurgood, scholars learn to become the architects of their futures and they are guided by a network of parents, teachers, administrators and other valuable staff members. Our partnership provides a supportive and safe learning environment for all scholars.

We are a community of educators who believe the best interest of our scholars comes first. Staff and parents work together to benefit our scholars in academic achievement. Teachers refine their lessons to enhance their instruction in order to raise the level of academic achievement. Teachers incorporate a balance of whole class, small group, and individual instruction to differentiate and best meet the needs of all scholars. To meet this goal, we prepare our scholars to become innovative learners and resourceful problem solvers equipped with the skills needed to succeed in a competitive global society. As a conglomerate of scholars, parents and educators, we seek to provide our scholars with an educational environment that is enriched, safe, stable and productive. Our goal is to maintain an instructional setting that stimulates curiosity and sensitizes scholars to the world they live in. To achieve these objectives, there are many shared opportunities in all aspects of the teaching/learning process. All the members of our educational community share an important role in providing our scholars with programs and services that will encourage and enrich their love of learning.

When you enter our building, we want you to feel as if you are a part of our family. We embrace the challenge of providing a world-class, high quality education to our scholars. The team at Thurgood Marshall School is dedicated to providing a respectful, safe, and multicultural environment that will foster passionate, lifelong, and self-directed learners. Our teachers go above and beyond the call of duty on a daily basis. We recognize that our scholars need learning experiences that engage them deeply and let them progress at a pace that meets their individual needs and helps them master the skills for today and tomorrow. It is our belief that when our children are met with such learning experiences, they become successful adults who are able to explore their global citizenship via education.

Scholastic achievement, academic success, and social development are cultivated and fostered through authentic and meaningful educational experiences at Thurgood Marshall School. We offer a print-rich, language and literature based curriculum heavily using technology to inspire our scholars towards academic achievement and support a love of learning. We want our scholars to understand that learning is a lifelong process that starts in the classroom but can be taken wherever they go.

In addition to the K-5 classrooms, our school offers a preschool Gold Curriculum program and the Creative Curriculum with highly trained certified teachers. The Gold Curriculum program is a comprehensive program that provides labs and projects that reinforce learning, self-confidence and self-direction in our young scholars. An appreciation for Visual Arts, Music, as well as the necessary Mathematics (My Math), Science, Social Studies and English Language Arts are also provided through this program. The Creative Curriculum program is research based and is offered in English and Spanish, which supports Spanish speaking students. Creative Curriculum provides for positive interaction and active communication with Teacher-Family interactions.

We believe that respect and understanding grow when children of differing abilities and cultures play and learn together. Our school has Inclusion classes in each grade level for scholars who require additional educational support. We provide interventions such as speech, occupational and physical therapies. Our Autistic Program, servicing scholars from grades K-5, is so outstanding that we are now up to six classrooms. In the course of Autism Awareness Month, our school celebrates with the Light it Up Blue Campaign, an Autism Awareness Symposium assembly to raise Autism Awareness in the greater community. During the summer, students may attend EOY Summer Program for our scholars with special needs.

The team at Thurgood Marshall School celebrates diversity infused with creativity, recognizing the uniqueness of each scholar. Scholars are encouraged to actively participate in all aspects of school life such as Elementary Honor Society, Safety Patrol, after school tutorials, Scholar of the Month, Scholar of the Year, Student Council, Basketball Team, Cheerleaders, Girl Scouts, community sponsored activities, and performing arts programs.

Parental involvement is integral to a scholar’ success. Thurgood Marshall prides itself on greater, effective communication with parents and the community through the efforts of the Parent Coordinator, Cindy Clark. The Parent Coordinator who works with scholars, teachers, parents, and administrators by implementing programs like the Backpack program, Kids Closet Program, and the Community Food Bank of Hillside. These programs provide food, school supplies, and various other family assistance. Furthermore, open communication is encouraged with monthly Positive Parent

Conversations, the Brother-to-Brother mentoring program, and Academic-based Workshops. The Parent Teacher Association (PTA) enables parents to become an integral part of their children’s education in collaboration with teachers and other community stakeholders. Our parents are encouraged to be involved at Thurgood Marshall by joining ​the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) and participating ​in the monthly meetings; joining the School Leadership Council (SLC); attending school assembly programs, Back to School Night, Parent-Teacher Conferences; and by chaperoning field trips. We believe that no school can truly be successful unless all stakeholders are seen as valued and essential components in the educational process of our scholars.

In order to communicate with parents and the community, flyers, newsletters and calendars are sent home regularly. The district website is also a source of important information and resources. Our guidance counselor is available to inform parents of their scholar’s educational progress and any other concerns that may arise. Our scholars who need additional support either academically or behaviorally are assisted through intervention programs.

With continued cooperation and commitment of all parents, families, and staff, Thurgood Marshall School will succeed in giving our community’s future leaders a rewarding and successful educational experience.