The year was 1875. Attention was called to the overcrowded conditions of schools in Newark’s Tenth Ward. That same year, a building was rented on Thomas Street near Hermon Street. In January of 1876, this rented space was used to open two classrooms. Mrs. Carrie A. Haliock became Head Teacher.

In September of 1884, South Street School was formally opened by Superintendent Dr. William N. Barringer. The school’s original enrollment was comprised of 479 students and seven teachers. The building started as a ten-room structure and expanded in 1900.

As the years passed, South Street School’s enrollment grew and so did the number of classrooms which increased from ten to twenty-one rooms. The school operated a Kindergarten program and also provided traditional academic instruction for First – Fifth graders. The facilities were not equipped with a gymnasium or an auditorium. School related activities occurred on the school’s outdoor playground.

During September of 2016, South Street staff and students moved out of the original facilities into a temporary location to await the completion of a brand new building. While at this temporary location, the school’s instructional program expanded to include Pre-Kindergarten, Sixth grade, and Seventh grade. Also created were Special Education programs for ASD and LDM students. A Portuguese Bilingual instructional program was added as well, to support the changing needs of the surrounding school community.

In September of 2018, students and staff transitioned into a new $69.9 million, 103,000 square-foot building. The state-of- the-art facilities include two Science Labs, enhanced rooms for Art and Music, a Media Center, an open-space rooftop classroom, a gymnasium with a specially padded floor, and a Multi-Purpose room. The instructional program expanded to include Eighth grade, but discontinued the LDM Special Education program.

Currently, South Street School operates within the East/Central region of the Newark Public Schools district. South Street School continues to flourish and is deeply committed to providing high-quality learning opportunities for ALL children in the Newark community.

Vision Statement

Our vision is to provide the highest quality of educational opportunities at South Street School to support the success of our children as they progress through high school, college and into their careers.

Mission Statement

Our mission is to inspire a love for learning, a quest for excellence and a compassion for humanity in each child. We are committed to providing engaging learning environments that foster the physical, cognitive, psychological, language, social and ethical development of all children.