The Lower Township School District is a comprehensive community public school district that serves students in pre-kindergarten through sixth grade from Lower Township, in Cape May County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.Lower Township Board of Education District Policy 0110 - Identification, Lower Township School District, adopted October 28, 2008. Accessed March 3, 2026. "Purpose: The Board of Education exists for the purpose of providing a thorough and efficient system of free public education in grades Pre-Kindergarten through six in the Lower Township School District. Composition: The Lower Township School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of Lower Township."
As of the 2024–25 school year, the district, comprised of four schools, had an enrollment of 1,401 students and 129.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 10.9:1.District information for Lower Township Elementary School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed January 15, 2026.
The Lower Township School District participates in the Interdistrict Public School Choice Program, which allows non-resident students to attend the district's schools without cost to their parents, with tuition paid by the state. Seats in the program for non-resident students are specified by the district and are allocated by lottery.Find a Choice District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed March 1, 2026.Lower Township Elementary School District Choice Profile for 2026-27 School Year, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed March 1, 2026.
For seventh through twelfth grades, public school students attend the schools of the Lower Cape May Regional School District, which also serves students from Cape May City and West Cape May, along with students from Cape May Point who attend the district as part of a sending/receiving relationship.Lower Cape May Board of Education District Policy 0110 - Identification, Lower Cape May Regional School District, adopted December 18, 2008. Accessed March 7, 2026. "Purpose: The Board of Education exists for the purpose of providing a thorough and efficient system of free public education in grades seven through twelve. Composition: The Lower Cape May Regional School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of Cape May, Lower Township, and West Cape May."Johnson, Virgil; and Kirtland, James L. "A Feasibility Study to Reconfigure the Lower Cape May Regional School District", Statistical Forecasting LLC, June 2013. Accessed August 29, 2024. "Cape May City is one of three constituent communities served by the Lower Cape May Regional School District ('Lower Cape May Regional'), a limited purpose school district providing education for the middle and high school students from Cape May City, Lower Township, and West Cape May.... Students from Cape May Point attend on a sending-receiving basis."Interdistrict Public School Choice, Lower Cape May Regional School District. Accessed August 29, 2024. "Lower Cape May Regional High School is a four year comprehensive public High School that serves students from Cape May, West Cape May, Lower Township, Cape May Point and now Choice School students." Schools in the district (with 2024–25 enrollment data from the National Center for Education StatisticsSchool Data for the Lower Cape May Regional High School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed January 15, 2026.) are Richard M. Teitelman Middle SchoolGeneral Information, Richard M. Teitelman Middle School. Accessed August 29, 2024. with 394 students in grades 7-8 and Lower Cape May Regional High SchoolGeneral Information, Lower Cape May Regional High School. Accessed August 29, 2024. with 717 students in grades 9-12.School Performance Reports for the Lower Cape May Regional School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed September 1, 2025.New Jersey School Directory for the Lower Cape May Regional School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024.
History In 1931, Cape May Point School District closed its only school and began sending students to Lower Township schools. Currently, Cape May Point sends to Cape May City School District.
The district had been classified by the New Jersey Department of Education as being in District Factor Group "B", the second lowest of eight groupings. District Factor Groups organize districts statewide to allow comparison by common socioeconomic characteristics of the local districts. From lowest socioeconomic status to highest, the categories are A, B, CD, DE, FG, GH, I and J.District Factor Groups (DFG) for School Districts, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed December 1, 2024.
Awards and recognition Maud Abrams School was recognized by Governor Jim McGreevey in 2003 as one of 25 schools selected statewide for the First Annual Governor's School of Excellence award. McGreevey Celebrates Schools that are "Getting it Right": Schools of Excellence Winners Demonstrate Effectiveness of Governor's Education Priorities , New Jersey Department of Education press release dated November 211, 2003. Accessed December 15, 2009.
Schools and facilities Schools in the district (with 2024–25 enrollment data from the National Center for Education StatisticsSchool Data for the Lower Township School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed January 15, 2026.) are:Student-Parent Handbook 2025-2026, Lower Township School District. Accessed March 7, 2026.School Performance Reports for the Lower Township Elementary School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed September 1, 2025.New Jersey School Directory for the Lower Township School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024. David C. Douglass Veterans Memorial SchoolDavid C. Douglass Veterans Memorial School, Lower Township School District. Accessed March 7, 2026. with 275 students in grades PreK–K The school is in the Villas census-designated place.The area was identical as of the 2000 U.S. census: - Pages 1 and 2.Also identical in the 1990 U.S. census: - Villas CDP is on pages 25 and 29.Memorial School is in the CDP. Its building capacity is 529. Rachel Howgate, principal Carl T. Mitnick SchoolCarl T. Mitnick School, Lower Township School District. Accessed March 7, 2026. with 428 students in grades 1-2 The school is in the Cold Spring community. Its student capacity is 552. The district administration is on the school property, behind the main school building. Additionally the property houses the Lower Township Children's Memorial Garden, which is in honor of students who died. The school was named for Carl T. Mitnick, who donated land to the township. - Clipping from Newspapers.com. He developed Tranquility Park and did development in North Cape May. Allyson O'Shea, principal Maud T. Abrams SchoolMaud T. Abrams School, Lower Township School District. Accessed March 7, 2026. with 354 students in grades 3–4 The school is in the Cold Spring community. Groundbreaking occurred in 1966, and its cost was to be $595,000. - See previews at search page Its building capacity is 616. John King, principal Charles W. Sandman Consolidated SchoolCharles W. Sandman Consolidated School, Lower Township School District. Accessed March 7, 2026. with 332 students in grades 5–6 The school is in the Cold Spring community. Its building capacity is 518. The Lower Township Consolidated School opened circa 1930. Articles described it as being in Cold Spring, - Clipping at Newspapers.com. or in Erma. In 1932 a fire destroyed the building, which was described as having ten,Clipping at Newspapers.com. or eight rooms. The building was replaced, and in 1949 there were plans to convert a kitchen and an auditorium into classrooms. - Clipping at Newspapers.com. In 1986 it was renamed after Charles W. Sandman Jr. after all members of the school board agreed to do so. - See previews at search page The district administration was formerly in the Sandman facility. - The address for Sandman: "Sandman School 838 Seashore Road Cape May, NJ 08204" It occupied what the district called a "brown Victorian structure". By 2017 this administration building was demolished. Chris Shivers, principal
Administration Core members of the district's administration are:Staff, Lower Township School District. Accessed March 3, 2026.New Jersey School Directory for Cape May County, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024. Van Cathcart, superintendent Katie Siciliano, business administrator and board secretary
Board of education The district's board of education is comprised of nine members who set policy and oversee the fiscal and educational operation of the district through its administration. As a Type II school district, the board's trustees are elected directly by voters to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with three seats up for election each year held (since 2012) as part of the November general election. The board appoints a superintendent to oversee the district's day-to-day operations and a business administrator to supervise the business functions of the district.New Jersey Boards of Education by District Election Types - 2018 School Election, New Jersey Department of Education, updated February 16, 2018. Accessed January 26, 2020.Annual Comprehensive Financial Report of the Lower Township School District, New Jersey Department of Education, for year ending June 30, 2025. Accessed March 3, 2026. "The Lower Township School District (District) is a Type II school district located in Cape May County, New Jersey and covers an area of approximately 31 square miles. As a Type II school district, it functions independently through a Board of Education. The Board is comprised of nine members elected to three-year terms. These terms are staggered so that three member’s terms expire each year. The purpose of the district is to provide educational services for all of Lower Township’s students in grades preschool through 6. Students in grades 7 through 12 attend Lower Cape May Regional." See "Roster of Officials" on page 12.Board of Education, Lower Township School District. Accessed March 3, 2026.
References
External links
School Data for the Lower Township School District, National Center for Education Statistics