Students aren’t the only ones being graded. Glen Rock teachers have recently been deemed effective and highly effective by a report from the New Jersey Department of Education for the 2015-16 school year.

The teacher report cards are evaluations based on classroom practices and student performance, which are used to grade the teachers’ effectiveness in the classroom. They are graded as ineffective, partially effective, effective, and highly effective.

In the Glen Rock school district, 120 teachers were graded as effective, while 89 were highly effective. No teachers were ineffective or partially effective. These grades reflect the high ranking the district receives each year. Teachers’ individual scores are not made public.

Although these evaluations were mandated only five years ago by state legislation, they have become an important resource for measuring teachers’ abilities.

“I think an effective teacher connects with his or her students, brings energy and expertise to the subject, and creates a challenging and positive class environment,” said Lillian Nichols, a science teacher in the high school.

So how does Glen Rock stack up against other districts?

According to Patch News, Glen Rock has one of the highest ratios of effective teachers to total teachers.

As for the accuracy of the report, both teachers and students agree with the evaluations.

“I do agree with the report. I think that the standard is really high for teaching at Glen Rock, and the teachers lift each other up, and come to work wanting to do a good job because of the atmosphere,” said Nichols.

Rachel Goldberg, an 11th grade student, said “I do believe that most of the teachers have been very effective, especially because they have different and unique teaching styles.”