West Windsor has a new school in town. Scicore Academy, an independent school founded in 2002, has moved from East Windsor to a spacious building on Princeton-Hightstown Road. Although it is a young school, it has already achieved full accreditation by Middle State Association of Colleges and Schools, an organization recognizing academic programs, organization, facilities, and qualifications of faculty and staff.
“We wanted to provide an academically superior private education, with special strengths in science and cultural literacy, at tuition affordable to middle-income families,” says Arthur Poulos, school principal and co-founder. “We believe that American education is in need of major reform, with respect to goals, curriculum, and various structural aspects.”
The school now has close to 11,”000 square feet for classrooms featuring a laboratory, industrial design, computer lab, and physical education facility. “There was an existing laboratory space, but we substantially upgraded it, adding firewalls and an independent ventilation system,” says Poulos.
The 86 students, currently enrolled in the school in grades six to twelve, come from West Windsor, Lawrenceville, Pennington, Hamilton, Allentown, Millstone, Yardville, Monroe, Jamesburg, South Brunswick, Monmouth Junction, South River, Trenton, Upper Freehold, and Morrisville, Pennsylvania. The four graduates to date are now students at Boston University, Cabrini College, and Cedarville University.
Incoming students need to meet achievement standards in mathematics, English composition, and English comprehension. They also must pass a written examination and the interview process. Open houses are scheduled Mondays, October 23, January 15, April 9, and May 21, all at 7 p.m. Entrance exams are January 29 and April 23, at 4 p.m. Interviews are by appointment.
The tuition is $ 6,”700 per year, with reductions for multiple students from the same family. Each student is also charged a fee of $500 per year to cover costs of course materials, and laboratory supplies. Optional after-school programs are an additional charge. There is a maximum of 16 students in each class.
Born and raised in Denville, Poulos received his bachelor’s degree from Duke University, his master’s degree from Northwestern University, and a doctorate in photochemistry from University of California-Santa Cruz. Poulos has seven years experience teaching inorganic chemistry at Rutgers University, and is president of Poulos Technical Services, a research and consulting firm specializing in real-time detection of chemical species in mixed media. He also has experience in contract research conducted for NASA, NSF, USAF, DOE, and EPA, small businesses, and universities.
His wife, Danette, is a native of Louisiana, and received a bachelor of arts degree from Westminster Choir College. “Her cultural background is from the Creole Cajun heritage of southwestern Louisiana,” he says. After working as a product coordinator at Bristol Myers Squibb Company, she served as vice-president of Poulos Technical Services. She serves as vice-principal at SciCore, and is responsible for marketing, student discipline, and student activities. She also teaches sixth grade mathematics, geography, and team-teaches a middle school humanities course. “My wife believes that students should be allowed to soar academically in accordance with their abilities and efforts, and not be held back by artificial barriers of age or an inflexible curriculum,” says Poulos.
The family lives in Upper Freehold. Their four children include Christopher, a student at SciCore high School; Victoria and Laura, both middle school students at the school; and Peter, 4, often known as the mascot of the school.
There are presently six international students at the school. ESL tutors are available and in past years by the spring they are on par with the other students, says Danette. “They also have a great respect for teachers and I have had to ask them not to bow to me in the beginning.”
“The majority of students transferred from private schools or home-schooling,” she says. “The parents want their children to have a chance at a good college. Some 75 percent of the fathers have advanced degrees and 80 percent of the mothers have at least bachelor’s degrees. They want their children to be able to sustain the lifestyle that they raised them in.”
“Our students learn not only the what — but also the why and how to prepare them not just for college but also for a full and productive lifetime,” says Arthur Poulos.
Open House, SciCore Academy. 410 Princeton Hightstown Road, West Windsor 609-448-8950, www.scicore.org. For prospective students and their families to meet faculty, staff, and current students. Monday, October 23, at 7 p.m.
