Lincoln School Extended Day Program

In 1903, a revised state law made the Caldwell, Franklin and Westville school consolidation illegal. By law, two or more municipalities, but not parts of municipalities, could combine to form one school district. Franklin and Westville, still part of Caldwell Township, had to resolve the problem or be deprived of the school that they had supported. Township representatives held several meetings to discuss the issue of having Franklin and Westville withdraw from the rest of Caldwell Township. The Bill of Incorporation passed the House in Trenton with no opposition. West Caldwell became a borough February 24, 1904.

On March 30, 1904, a special school meeting was held to vote on the consolidation of Caldwell and West Caldwell into one school district. The vote was in favor of consolidation.

The expansion of the school system was limited during its first 50 years with additions to the Central School building in 1892 and 1902. In 1904, the building was modernized with the installation of indoor plumbing facilities in the basement. Six years later, a new Caldwell High School was erected on Prospect Street between Central School and the cemetery. Tuition students from Hanover, Roseland, Livingston, Essex Fells, Verona, North Caldwell and Fairfield (Caldwell Township) all attended the school. Real estate development in the Borough of Caldwell led to the construction of Lincoln School which opened in 1915.

In 1948, an all-purpose room was added to the schools. By September 1985, the elementary schools were feeling the pinch of population growth, and to accommodate the changes in student population, the sixth grade was moved to the junior high, creating Grover Cleveland Middle School.

Today, the Caldwell-West Caldwell School District enrolls more than 2,650 students across seven school buildings -- James Caldwell High School, Grover Cleveland Middle School, Jefferson Elementary School, Lincoln Elementary School, Washington Elementary School, Wilson Elementary School, and Harrison School, now home for the school administration, pre-school, pre-school disabilities, and LLD-Harrison classes, and Special Education office.

Staffed by 230 teachers, 15 administrators, and 210 support staff, including secretaries, custodial/maintenance staff and part-time aides. Each year, more than 90% of our graduates attend schools of higher education and student achievement is well-above state averages.

In December 2007, the residents voted in favor of a new bond referendum to renovate and improve all of the district's school buildings. These renovations and upgrades included a new parking lot, and a resurfacing of the school's back lot and kindergarten playground area for Lincoln School.

Now, affectionately known as the "little school on the hill", Lincoln School continues to provide its students and families with a wonderful elementary school experience.