Q.    What grades are offered at Aquinas Academy?
A.    Aquinas Academy offers a PreKindergarten program for children age 2 ½ through 5, a full-day Transitional Kindergarten, Kindergarten, and Grades 1 through 8.
 
Q.    Do you have to be Catholic to attend Aquinas Academy?
A.    No. Aquinas Academy admits students of any religious denomination. In accordance with its Catholic identity, Aquinas Academy strives to develop Christ-centered values and principles in its students. In order to foster this mission, non-Catholic students are expected to participate in daily religion classes as well as other faith-based activities and liturgical services scheduled for students throughout the school year.

Q.    What are Aquinas Academy’s school hours?
A.     Aquinas Academy’s school hours are 8:00 AM until 3:00 PM on full days and 8:00 AM until 12:00 Noon on half days. Supervision of students begins at 7:35 AM and ends at 3:10 PM. Extended care is available both before and after school through our Before and After Care programs at an additional cost. 

Q.    Does Aquinas Academy offer Before and After Care?
A.    The Before and After Care programs are provided Monday through Friday. Before Care is held from 7:00 to 7:35 AM in the Intermediate Department in St. Joseph Hall.  (At 7:35 PM, the Before Care program children join the other children for regular morning supervision.) After Care begins at 3:00 PM and ends at 6:00 PM. There is NO After Care on half days.

Q.    Are Aquinas Academy students required to wear uniforms?
A.    As part of the valued education of the Catholic school and because of its distinctive nature, attention should be given to proper dress and attire. All students in Transitional Kindergarten through Grade 8 are to be in full uniform at all times. Uniforms may be purchased from the Flynn O’Hara Uniform Company located in Parsippany, NJ.

Q.    Does Aquinas Academy have a lunch program?
A.    Lunch is available for purchase. Lunch may be ordered on a daily basis from Simply Gourmet Lunches (Randolph). Orders and payment are placed online via their website.

Q.    Does Aquinas Academy offer transportation?
A.     Currently, students at Aquinas Academy do not receive busing. For more information on available transportation and possible reimbursement, please contact the school office.

Q.    Does Aquinas Academy have a tuition payment plan?
A.    Yes. Aquinas Academy offers several payment options through our online tuition servicing partner, Smart Tuition.

Q.    Does Aquinas Academy have an athletic program?
A.    Yes. Aquinas Academy offers various athletic programs to our students. The Academy participates in the Archdiocese of Newark Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) League Basketball and Girls' Volleyball league. In addition, various sports clinics are offered throughout the school year.

Q.    Does Aquinas Academy offer extracurricular activities?
A.    Yes. Aquinas Academy offers numerous extracurricular activities throughout the school year including Student Council, Performing Arts Club, and Dominican Ambassadors. In addition, various enrichment programs are offered at an additional cost, including yoga, dance club, golf and science clubs.

Q.    What is included in the Academic program at Aquinas Academy?
A.    Aquinas Academy offers an effective and challenging educational program using the Archdiocese of Newark Curriculum Mapping Project in alignment with New Jersey Common Core Standards. The general curriculum provides a comprehensive elementary program of studies that meets the individual needs of each student. Subjects include Language Arts, Social Studies, Sciences, Mathematics, Religion, World Language, Media and Technology, Art, Music, and Physical Education.

Q.    What technology does Aquinas Academy use?
A.    Aquinas Academy currently uses SmartBoards to enhance the curriculum and further integrate technology into students' lessons. Each classroom is equipped with various other modern technologies. In addition, students in grades 4 through 8 must purchase Chromebooks to use in conjunction with the school's Google Management System. Our Innovation Center provides our students with the opportunity to learn coding, produce videos and work with 3-D printers.

Q.    Do Aquinas Academy students take a standardized test?
A.    Students in Grades 2 through 8 in the schools of the Archdiocese of Newark  take the NWEA MAP Growth Assessments.  MAP® Growth™ measures what students know and what they are ready to learn next. This assessment test is given three times over the course of the school year. 

Q.    What high schools do students attend after graduating?
A.    Students graduating from Aquinas Academy go on to attend private and parochial schools such as Academy of Saint Elizabeth, Delbarton, Immaculate Conception High School, Kent Place, Lacordaire Academy, Montclair Kimberley Academy,  Morris Catholic, Mother Seton, Mount St. Dominic Academy, Mount St. Mary Academy, Newark Academy, Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child, Regis High School, Roselle Catholic High School, St. Benedict’s Prep, St. Peter's Prep, Seton Hall Prep, Union Catholic and Villa Walsh Academy as well as various public high schools.

Q.    What is the student/faculty ratio at Aquinas Academy?
A.     The student/faculty ratio in the Kindergarten Prep program is currently  approximately 12 to 1 while the student/faculty ratio in Grades K through 8 is approximately 18 to 1.