Absecon Public School District
Absecon Public School District is a public K-8 school district in Absecon, New Jersey, operating Attales Middle School, H.A. Marsh Elementary School, and a preschool program. It is distinguished by a nationally recognized therapy animal program including certified therapy dogs and the state's first public-school Therapy Animal Farm.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1914
- HeadquartersAbsecon, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Absecon Public School District does
Absecon Public School District is a public K-8 school district located in Absecon, New Jersey, operating two schools — Emma C. Attales Middle School (grades 5-8) and H. A. Marsh Elementary School (K-4) — plus a preschool program. Founded in 1914, the district serves students within its defined attendance boundaries, delivering standard public education augmented by special education services through a Child Study Team, social-emotional learning support, and athletics. The district's core technology infrastructure consists of standard K-12 administrative tools: Infinite Campus for student information and parent/staff portals, Google Classroom for learning management, and SchoolMessenger for communications.
The district distinguishes itself through an innovative therapy animal program. It maintains nationally certified therapy dogs through Pet Partners, including Hope (retired June 2026 after ~9 years and 1,383 logged visits) and Luna (joined Summer 2025, certified Spring 2026), both Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs owned by Superintendent Dr. Daniel J. Dooley. In May 2026, the district opened the Therapy Animal Farm — featuring two Nigerian dwarf goats (VanGoat and Goatzart) and two babydoll sheep (Midnight and Marshmallow) — reported as the first of its kind at a public school in New Jersey. The farm was developed in partnership with Absecon Veterinary Hospital, Straight Shot Farm, and with training from Green Chimneys (Brewster, NY) and ROOTS at Evergreen Grove (Gardner, MA).
As a government entity, Absecon Public School District is funded through local property taxes, state education aid, and federal grants — with a publicly disclosed 2026-2027 budget. No tuition is charged to enrolled district residents. Supplemental grant funding supports the therapy animal program, including a $2,300 Charlotte Helen Bacon Foundation grant (2025) and the AtlantiCare Healthy Schools Grant for farm infrastructure. Superintendent Dr. Dooley serves as chairman of the board for the Association of Animal-Assisted Intervention Professionals (AAAIP) and has testified before the New Jersey State Assembly on therapy dog benefits. The district is governed by an elected Board of Education.
Absecon Public School District firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Absecon Public School District
- Legal name
- Absecon Public School District
- Website
- https://abseconschools.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1914
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Absecon Public School District is a public K-8 school district in Absecon, New Jersey, operating Attales Middle School, H.A. Marsh Elementary School, and a preschool program. It is distinguished by a nationally recognized therapy animal program including certified therapy dogs and the state's first public-school Therapy Animal Farm.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Absecon Public School District industry classification
Industry- Product category
- K-12 Public Education
- NAICS
- Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Public Elementary Schools (EDAJAAAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Public Middle Schools (EDAJAAAC), Public Special Education Schools & Programs (EDAJAAAH)
Keywords
Where Absecon Public School District is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Absecon
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Absecon Public School District business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Public School Funding: Funded through local property taxes, state education aid, and federal grants. The 2026-2027 budget is publicly available. Additional grant funding supports special programs like the therapy animal farm.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Others | Public K-8 Education |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Absecon Public School District product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Absecon Public School District provides tuition-free K-8 public education to students in Absecon, New Jersey, operating Marsh Elementary School and Attales Middle School alongside a preschool program. The district delivers standard core academic instruction, special education services through its Child Study Team, and a school meal program with free and reduced-price options. It is distinguished by integrating animal-assisted therapy into student social-emotional learning via the S.M.I.L.E. Therapy Dog Program and an on-site Therapy Animal Farm.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- K-8 Public Education Tuition-free K-8 classroom instruction delivered to resident students of Absecon, New Jersey across Marsh Elementary School and Attales Middle School, covering core academic subjects aligned to New Jersey student learning standards.
- Preschool Program Early-childhood education program operated by the district for preschool-age children residing in Absecon, providing foundational school readiness instruction.
- S.M.I.L.E. Therapy Dog Program Animal-assisted social-emotional learning program in which trained therapy dogs are integrated into the school environment to support students' emotional regulation and well-being.
- Therapy Animal Farm On-site animal facility operated by the district that supports student social-emotional learning through structured interactions with therapy animals as part of the school day.
- Special Education Services (Child Study Team) District-operated multidisciplinary team that evaluates students, develops and implements Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), and delivers specialized instruction and related services to students with disabilities.
- School Cafeteria and Meal Program Daily meal service offered to enrolled students, including free and reduced-price meals for households that meet federal eligibility criteria.
Quantifiable outcome
- Hope logged 1,383 visits over nearly 9 years
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Absecon Public School District
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Absecon Public School District technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Absecon Public School District partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and support.
- Absecon Veterinary HospitalcoreProvides veterinary care and expertise for the therapy animal farm, helping design safe, sustainable habitats with double-fencing systems and shelter for the goats and sheep.
- Straight Shot Farm (Egg Harbor City)coreLocal agricultural expert partner collaborated on the design of the therapy animal farm enclosure and animal care protocols.
- Merck PharmaceuticalssupportCorporate partner supporting the therapy animal farm and therapy dog program initiatives.
- Green Chimneys (Brewster, NY)coreExperts at Green Chimneys school provide training to Absecon staff on therapeutic use of farm animals in a school environment and are developing programming and curricula.
- ROOTS at Evergreen Grove (Gardner, MA)coreProvides additional training to staff on animal-assisted therapy and farm animal programming in school settings.
- Pet PartnerscoreNational organization and parent company of AAAIP; provides certification for therapy animals. Absecon therapy dogs Skye and Hope were nationally certified as Official Therapy Dogs by PetPartners.
- AAAIP (Association of Animal-Assisted Intervention Professionals)coreNational organization subsidiary of Pet Partners. Superintendent Dr. Dooley serves as chairman of the board, bringing expertise and national leadership to the district's therapy animal program.
- AtlantiCarecoreAwarded Healthy Schools Grant to fund therapy animal farm infrastructure including non-electric watering posts. Partnership supports student wellness through the therapy animal program.
- Charlotte Helen Bacon FoundationcoreAwarded $2,300 grant to support therapy dog program and Therapy Animal Farm. Foundation was created by parents of Charlotte Bacon, a Sandy Hook victim, to honor her legacy and love for animals. Foundation sunsetting in May 2026 after supporting 92 school therapy dog programs.
- Absecon PTOcoreParent-teacher organization supporting school programs and events including community activities like the Brunch with the Bunny at the new turf field.
- City of Absecon RecreationsupportCity recreation facilities and programs work with the school district on shared community facilities including the new turf field at Attales.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Absecon Public School District competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Green Chimneys: Green Chimneys operates a residential treatment center and school in Brewster, NY that integrates animal-assisted therapy and farm-based education. Direct peer because it is explicitly cited as Absecon's training partner for therapeutic use of farm animals in schools and pursues a comparable mission combining K-12 education with animal-human bonding interventions.
- Northfield Community School District: Northfield Community School District is a small adjacent K-8 public school district in Atlantic County, NJ. Direct peer in scale, structure, and geography — similar small NJ K-8 district with comparable property tax and state aid funding exposure, serving as a structural benchmark for operating cost and budget sizing.
- Pleasantville Public Schools: Pleasantville Public Schools is a nearby Atlantic County, NJ public school district serving a comparably sized community. Direct peer in structure and operating environment — small urban NJ public K-12 district with similar funding model and regulatory context, though without Absecon's therapy animal program.
- ROOTS at Evergreen Grove: ROOTS at Evergreen Grove (Gardner, MA) provides training to Absecon staff on animal-assisted therapy and farm animal programming in school settings. Direct peer because it operates school-based farm animal therapy programs with similar curricular and therapeutic objectives to Absecon's Therapy Animal Farm.
Regional players
- Mainland Regional High School District: Mainland Regional High School District is a nearby NJ regional high school district serving multiple Atlantic County communities including Absecon. Comparable as a regional NJ public school district operating under the same state aid formulas, though it serves secondary grades only and is geographically adjacent rather than overlapping.
Broad incumbents
- Pet Partners: Pet Partners is the national therapy animal certification organization and parent company of AAAIP. It operates at much broader scale than Absecon's school-specific program but is directly comparable because it certifies Absecon's therapy dogs (Skye, Hope, Luna) and sets the national standards for therapy animal practice in school and healthcare settings.
Others
- AAAIP (Association of Animal-Assisted Intervention Professionals): AAAIP is the national professional association for animal-assisted intervention, of which Absecon Superintendent Dr. Dooley serves as board chairman. Comparable as the standards-setting body governing the field in which Absecon operates its therapy animal programs, though it functions as an industry association rather than a direct service provider.
- Charlotte Helen Bacon Foundation: Foundation created by the parents of Charlotte Bacon (Sandy Hook victim) that has awarded $200,000 across 92 school therapy dog programs including Absecon. Comparable as a grant-making peer funding the same therapy dog school program category, though sunsetting May 2026 reduces its forward relevance.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Absecon Public School District social profiles
Digital presenceAbsecon Public School District financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Absecon Public School District leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Absecon Public School District funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Absecon Public School District M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Absecon Public School District
What does Absecon Public School District do?
Absecon Public School District provides tuition-free K-8 public education to students in Absecon, New Jersey, operating Marsh Elementary School and Attales Middle School alongside a preschool program. The district delivers standard core academic instruction, special education services through its Child Study Team, and a school meal program with free and reduced-price options. It is distinguished by integrating animal-assisted therapy into student social-emotional learning via the S.M.I.L.E. Therapy Dog Program and an on-site Therapy Animal Farm.
Is Absecon Public School District a public or private company?
Absecon Public School District is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Absecon Public School District founded?
Absecon Public School District was founded in 1914. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Absecon Public School District based?
Absecon Public School District is headquartered in Absecon, United States, in the North America region.
How does Absecon Public School District make money?
One revenue line is on record: public School Funding.
Who are Absecon Public School District's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Green Chimneys, Northfield Community School District, Pleasantville Public Schools and ROOTS at Evergreen Grove. Mainland Regional High School District is listed as a regional player. Pet Partners is listed as a broad incumbent. Others are AAAIP (Association of Animal-Assisted Intervention Professionals) and Charlotte Helen Bacon Foundation.
Does Absecon Public School District have an API?
No public API is recorded for Absecon Public School District.
What industry is Absecon Public School District in?
Absecon Public School District's product category is K-12 Public Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAJAAAB, Public Elementary Schools, with a secondary code of EDAJAAAC, Public Middle Schools. Its NAICS code is 6111 and its SIC code is 8200.