[Newark, NJ – May 25, 2022] The Newark Board of Education, in partnership with 155 Jefferson, LLC, celebrated the groundbreaking of the Newark High School of Architecture & Interior Design, bringing the total of new schools opened to nine since Mr. Roger León was appointed to lead the largest school district in New Jersey.

As part of the high school redesign strategy to transform schools in Newark, the Newark High School of Architecture & Interior Design will start with the 9th grade and add one grade each year until the school reaches the 12th grade in 2026.

Students enrolled in the Newark High School of Architecture & Interior Design will choose from Architecture, Engineering, Interior Design, Electronics, Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning, Plumbing, and Real Estate. While the core content courses will prepare students for post-secondary education, the curriculum will also integrate architecture and the trades taught by certified teachers, into class activities reinforcing the learning in their majors.

The school will also be equipped with state-of-the-art labs dedicated to hands-on learning and technical skill development. Space will be allocated for project-based activities, and there will be a two-story construction lab where students can construct building sections, based on plans developed by the architecture students, learning how all trades must be coordinated when planning and constructing a building.

“The district’s ten-year strategic plan calls for preparing every student for a successful future. Graduates from the Newark High School of Architecture & Interior Design will leave the school with the skills that will make them immediately employable while also being prepared for further personal and professional advancement,” stated Superintendent Leόn.

“I want to thank the Superintendent for having the foresight and the wisdom to continue adding to the repertoire of schools that we have. Because, as the city grows, we need good schools. We have to make school engaging, and interesting, and relevant, and purposeful for our children so that they become attached to it,” said Mayor Ras Baraka.

Board President Haynes stated, “I am appreciative of this moment and this opportunity to let everyone know how our city is moving forward with our school district and how all high school students have access to meaningful trades and skills. I am sure that this is just the start of an amazing generation of architects and interior designers.”

Melanie Campbell, Vice-President of Summit Assets, LLC and trained opera performer, sang the national anthem, and spoke on behalf of the Group, “Developing an architectural high school in the city of Newark has always been a dream of our development team. What an amazing feeling to develop a high school where students in Newark will have an architectural background, then move on to change the world and Newark.”

Dr. Raymond Lindgren, Project Lead said, “The Newark High School of Architecture & Interior Design will build great students who in turn will build a better future for our community, the city of Newark, and our world.”