The top reported proficiency rate is 46% in English language arts. The lowest is 22% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Lenox School
Lenox School is a K-through-5 regular public school in Pompton Lakes, a small outer-ring suburb of New York City about 20 miles northwest of Midtown Manhattan. The school sits within a compact borough of roughly two square miles, where three rivers—the Ramapo, Pequannock, and Wanaque—converge and shape the landscape. The borough has a traditional small-town center with municipal offices on the same street as the school, and the school is integrated into a residential neighborhood rather than isolated on a campus. Pompton Lakes has seen very slow population growth in recent decades, and its geography, including a valley setting prone to flooding, partly constrains new development. Most residents commute out of the borough for work, and the local retail center that once drew shoppers has faded since regional malls opened in the 1970s and 1980s.
On New Jersey’s statewide assessments, Lenox School’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades sits above the midpoint among the county’s districts. That is a real strength for a school of this size and grade span. Looking at individual subjects, the picture is mixed. In math, proficiency rates in third and fourth grade hover around the halfway mark, while fifth grade math drops to a lower level. English language arts results vary more by grade: fourth grade shows a solidly above-average share of students scoring proficient, but third and fifth grade rates are lower. Science, tested only in fifth grade, shows a notably low proficiency rate. A parent considering Lenox may want to ask the school about its approach to math and science instruction in the upper elementary grades, especially since the fifth-grade numbers in both subjects are weaker than the early-grade results.
The student body is diverse in composition. White students make up just over half of the enrollment, Hispanic students account for roughly a third, and smaller shares are Asian, Black, multiracial, or Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander. A modest share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a figure that is relatively low compared to many districts in the region. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available, so a family with a child who receives special education or language support would need to contact the school directly about those services.
Lenox is one of the elementary schools in the Pompton Lakes School District. Because the borough is geographically small, the schools are woven into the community. The district’s recent changes were not reported in publicly available sources, so there is no particular disruption or new initiative to note. The school itself appears stable and well-established.
Housing in Pompton Lakes is priced at a level that reflects the borough’s proximity to New York City while remaining below many closer-in suburbs. Home values have been rising modestly, and the market shows active listing and demand activity typical of a competitive suburban market. The median listing price in the county has been increasing slowly, and homes tend to sell within a few weeks. For families relocating to the area, the borough offers a mix of older single-family homes and some newer stock, all within a small footprint where parks and rivers are close at hand. Six municipal parks are distributed through the borough, and the southern portion of Ramapo Mountain State Forest lies just north of town, providing access to hiking trails.
Lenox School serves a clear role: it is the neighborhood elementary school for a stable, middle-income community. Academically, it performs somewhat above the county average overall, though with noticeable variation by grade and subject. The school is a solid fit for a family looking for a traditional public elementary experience in a small-town suburban setting outside the orbit of New York City, with the understanding that the upper elementary years may need closer attention to math and science outcomes. The absence of data on chronic absenteeism and special population breakdowns leaves some questions unanswered, but the core academic picture is available and shows a school that is generally performing in the middle to upper tier of its county.
See more original research from School Decision →