Families searching for Westbrook Highlander Academy in West Milford, New Jersey, may be surprised to discover how much the school reflects a broader commitment to personalized education, student wellness and individual growth.

The name itself can sometimes create confusion. Westbrook was formerly an elementary school, while Highlander Academy already existed as a separate educational program. Beginning with the 2023–24 school year, the former Westbrook Elementary School building was repurposed to serve Highlander Academy. Today, the West Milford Township Public Schools district officially refers to the program as Highlander Academy.

Beyond that history, however, what makes the academy especially interesting is its focus on helping students grow academically, socially, emotionally, and personally.

What Is Westbrook Highlander Academy?

Westbrook Highlander Academy is a commonly searched name connected with Highlander Academy and the former Westbrook Elementary School building in West Milford.

Beginning with the 2023–24 school year, West Milford Township Public Schools repurposed the former Westbrook Elementary School building for Highlander Academy.

Today, the official Highlander Academy page describes Highlander Academy as a supportive and inclusive educational community serving students who benefit from a smaller, more personalized educational setting.

Students remain connected to the West Milford High School student body. At the same time, the academy provides an environment designed around individual academic, social, emotional, and physical development.

That combination is one of the first things that makes the program stand out.

1. A Smaller and More Personalized Learning Environment

One of the strongest features of Highlander Academy is its emphasis on personalized education.

Large educational environments work well for many students. However, other young people perform better when teachers have more opportunities to understand their individual learning styles, strengths, challenges, and goals.

Highlander Academy follows this personalized approach.

According to the district, smaller classes and additional support allow students to work toward academic progress while also developing socially and emotionally.

As a result, education becomes more than completing assignments. Students can receive support designed around how they learn and what they need to move forward.

For families exploring educational options in West Milford, this individualized approach is an important part of understanding what makes Westbrook Highlander Academy different.

2. Student Wellness Is Part of the Educational Approach

Another surprising feature is the academy’s emphasis on the whole student.

The school’s current leadership describes its approach as one centered on wellness. Therefore, academic performance is not viewed in isolation from emotional awareness, healthy behaviors, confidence, and physical well-being.

The goal is to help students develop strategies that support both school success and everyday life.

For example, students may need to learn how to manage difficult emotions, respond constructively to challenges, communicate effectively, or regain confidence after setbacks.

These abilities matter far beyond the classroom.

In addition, strong relationships with trusted adults can create an environment where students feel supported while still being encouraged to grow.

That balance between support and personal responsibility can be especially valuable during the teenage years.

3. Individualized Academics Support Different Learning Needs

Academic instruction at Highlander Academy is also designed with individual student needs in mind.

The district develops academic programs around each student’s Individualized Education Program, or IEP, while following applicable academic and graduation requirements.

Students can study subjects including language and literacy, mathematics, science, social studies, physical education, health, Spanish, personal finance, art, photography, and other courses.

Furthermore, technology such as Chromebooks and other classroom tools can be used to support instruction.

Students who need additional opportunities may also have access to credit recovery.

Consequently, the program can focus not simply on where a student has struggled in the past, but also on what steps can help that student continue progressing toward graduation and future goals.

4. Students Have Access to a Team of Support Professionals

A school is more than its classrooms.

At Highlander Academy, the district describes a team that can include teachers, Child Study Team members, social workers, therapists, nurses, paraprofessionals, and administrators.

This multidisciplinary model matters because young people do not always experience challenges in neat categories.

An academic difficulty may be connected to confidence. Meanwhile, emotional stress can influence concentration, attendance, relationships, and motivation.

Having different professionals working within the educational environment can therefore provide a more complete support system.

Most importantly, the academy’s stated culture emphasizes respect, trust, and recognition of students’ individual strengths.

Those principles can help create the sense of belonging that many students need before they are ready to take on new challenges.

5. Students Remain Connected to the Larger West Milford School Community

Although Highlander Academy provides a smaller educational setting, students are still part of the West Milford High School student body.

That is an important distinction.

A personalized setting does not necessarily mean students must become disconnected from the wider school community. Instead, Highlander Academy students can have opportunities to participate in courses at the West Milford High School campus.

Therefore, the program can combine elements of a smaller learning environment with access to resources available within the larger district.

The academy also emphasizes helping students work toward post-secondary goals.

For some students, that may mean college. For others, it may involve career preparation, vocational opportunities, independent living skills, or another path.

Ultimately, success looks different for every young person.

6. West Milford Creates Natural Opportunities for Learning Beyond the Classroom

One of the most distinctive advantages of growing up in West Milford is the surrounding landscape.

The township is located in an area filled with forests, reservoirs, trails, historical sites, and outdoor recreation opportunities. Consequently, nature can become another setting where young people learn.

Outdoor experiences can encourage observation, curiosity, teamwork, decision-making, and confidence.

For example, nearby Long Pond Ironworks State Park offers miles of marked hiking trails as well as opportunities to explore nature and local history. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection also identifies the former Jungle Habitat property off Airport Road as part of Long Pond Ironworks State Park and a popular access point for its multi-use trail system.

Families can review current trail and park information through the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s Long Pond Ironworks State Park page.

Of course, outdoor learning does not need to involve a difficult mountain hike. A short nature walk, photography activity, wildlife observation session, or historical exploration can also create meaningful learning experiences.

7. Education and Outdoor Experiences Can Reinforce the Same Life Skills

Perhaps one of the most interesting connections is how many classroom goals can also be practiced outdoors.

Confidence, resilience, communication, problem-solving, responsibility, and teamwork are not skills that develop only behind a desk.

On a trail, for example, a young person may need to keep going when a hill becomes tiring. Later, that same student might help another participant navigate a difficult section.

Similarly, students can practice decision-making by following trail markers, managing supplies, observing their surroundings, and working with a group.

This is one reason organizations such as Take-A-Hike NJ work to create outdoor opportunities for young people.

Take-A-Hike focuses on helping children and teens experience nature while encouraging physical activity, teamwork, confidence, leadership, and connection.

Families interested in structured outdoor opportunities can also explore the organization’s After-School Hikes program.

Meanwhile, children who are ready for longer experiences may be interested in Weekend Expeditions in NJ.

The connection between education and outdoor learning is simple: young people often learn important lessons when schools, families, and community programs give them meaningful opportunities to practice these skills.

Why Outdoor Experiences Matter for Young People ?

Outdoor activities offer something increasingly valuable: time away from the constant flow of screens, notifications, and digital distractions.

Instead of watching an experience happen through a device, children can participate directly.

They can hear birds, notice changes in the weather, photograph a landscape, talk with another student, solve a problem, or discover that they are capable of completing something that initially felt difficult.

Moreover, outdoor activities do not always have to focus on competition.

For many children, simply finishing a trail, identifying something new, or contributing to the group can create a genuine feeling of accomplishment.

Take-A-Hike NJ’s article on why hiking together is better explains how group hiking can encourage social connection, motivation, shared learning, and teamwork.

Those benefits complement many of the same personal-development skills encouraged in supportive educational environments.

What Families Should Know About Highlander Academy

Families researching Westbrook Highlander Academy should remember that the official school name currently used by West Milford Township Public Schools is Highlander Academy.

Families still recognize the Westbrook name because Highlander Academy now operates in the former Westbrook Elementary School facility.

You can find Highlander Academy at 55 Nosenzo Pond Road in West Milford, New Jersey.

However, school programs, grade configurations, services, schedules, and policies can change. Therefore, parents should always use West Milford Township Public Schools for the latest official information.

Building Stronger Young People Through Community

Schools, families, nonprofits, parks, and community organizations can all contribute something different to a child’s development.

A teacher may help a student understand a difficult concept. A counselor may help that student develop a strategy for handling frustration. Meanwhile, an outdoor mentor may give the same young person an opportunity to practice leadership or perseverance in an entirely different setting.

Together, those experiences can reinforce one another.

That is why community-based youth opportunities matter.

For Take-A-Hike NJ, outdoor recreation is not simply about reaching the end of a trail. Instead, hiking can become a setting for young people to communicate, build relationships, try something unfamiliar, appreciate nature, and discover new confidence.

Those goals naturally complement the broader idea of helping young people develop academically, socially, emotionally, and physically.

Frequently Asked Questions About Westbrook Highlander Academy

What is Westbrook Highlander Academy?

Families commonly use the phrase Westbrook Highlander Academy when searching for Highlander Academy at the former Westbrook Elementary School facility in West Milford, New Jersey.”

What happened to Westbrook Elementary School?

The West Milford Township Board of Education voted in November 2022 to stop using Westbrook as an elementary school and repurpose the building for Highlander Academy beginning with the 2023–24 school year.

What makes Highlander Academy different?

The district describes Highlander Academy as a smaller, personalized and supportive educational environment. Its approach includes individualized academics as well as attention to students’ social, emotional, and physical development.

Is Highlander Academy part of West Milford Township Public Schools?

Yes. Highlander Academy is part of West Milford Township Public Schools, and Highlander Academy students remain connected to the West Milford High School student body.

Are there outdoor activities for kids near West Milford?

Yes. West Milford and the surrounding area offer hiking, wildlife observation, photography, environmental education, and historical exploration. Long Pond Ironworks State Park is one nearby state-managed destination with marked hiking trails and outdoor recreation opportunities.

How can families get children involved in hiking?

Start with a short, age-appropriate trail and make the experience enjoyable rather than competitive. Bring water and snacks, check conditions beforehand, wear suitable footwear, and allow children time to explore. Families can also learn about guided youth opportunities through Take-A-Hike NJ.

Final Thoughts

The surprising story of Westbrook Highlander Academy is about much more than a building changing names.

It reflects an educational approach centered on individual needs, supportive relationships, wellness, academic development, and preparation for life beyond school.

At the same time, its West Milford location places young people in a community surrounded by opportunities to learn outdoors.

Whether growth happens during a classroom lesson, a conversation with a trusted adult, a photography activity, or a walk along a New Jersey trail, meaningful experiences can help young people discover their strengths.

Ultimately, that is what makes Highlander Academy—and the larger community supporting West Milford’s young people—special.

For families interested in creating more outdoor opportunities for children, explore Take-A-Hike NJ and discover how hiking can turn an ordinary day outdoors into an opportunity for confidence, connection, and growth.