Community

Newark Board of Education Announces the 35th Annual Title I Parent Conference

[November 30, 2021, Newark, NJ]  The Newark Board of Education is pleased to announce the 35th Annual Title I Parent Conference: Hope Grows A New Beginning Through Learning, which will be held virtually on Saturday, December 4, 2021, between 9:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.  Parents, guardians, families, staff, and members of the Newark, NJ community are invited to participate.

The conference will offer sessions in multiple languages on an array of topics such as Financial Aid, Autism Awareness, Safely Navigating Technology, American Sign Language, and more. In addition to over 20 workshops, there will be two keynote speakers as well as a plethora of community organizations present at the conference.

“We look forward to the Annual Parent Conference every year because it is a meaningful collaboration of staff, parents, partners, and community that culminates into a rewarding event for participants,” said Superintendent León, and “This year’s Conference, promises to be more engaging than last year’s.”

The first 500 individuals to register for the conference will be able to submit their information to receive a Swag Bag, compliments of the Parent Engagement team in the Office of Federal Programs and Grants at the Newark Board of Education.

President Dawn Haynes and Board Members are equally excited at this year’s offerings and they encourage everyone to register.

Please complete the registration online at nboeparentconference.pathable.co.

For additional information:  35th Annual Title I Parent Conference

Arts High teen called ‘hero’ after saving 93-year-old with Alzheimer’s from house fire

Jarrett Carter, 16, rushed to rescue a 93-year-old woman on May 26, 2021 who lived two doors down when a fire started in her home, family said.Courtesy of Rick Carter

Jarrett Carter, 16, saw thick, gray smoke when he rushed two houses down to Jewel Harris’ home in Newark on Wednesday morning.

Harris, 93, has Alzheimer’s and lives alone in the home on Eastern Parkway, her family said. Without Carter’s quick actions to get Harris out of the house, her family worried she could have passed out.

“When I got down there she was asking me what was happening,” said the teen, who had just started his remote school day when he ran out to help.

Another neighbor alerted Carter’s dad, a former East Orange fire captain, to tell him about the smoke coming from Harris’ home before phoning the fire department. Rick Carter then called his son and told him to check on Harris, both families said.

The teen, a sophomore at Arts High School, is now being lauded as a hero by Harris’ daughter, son-in-law, and father. The Newark Public Safety Department thanked him for his help too.

“It wasn’t an easy feat,” said June Wright-Calhoun, Harris’ daughter. “I’m sure she was like, ‘What is going on?’ I really commend him.”

Firefighters responded at 8:19 a.m. and brought the fire under control about 20 minutes later, Newark Public Safety Director Brian O’Hara said. Harris was evaluated for smoke inhalation. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, he said.

“We are grateful for the support of neighbors, including the family of East Orange Fire Captain Carter, who we have learned offered assistance to the elderly victim during this incident,” O’Hara said.

Rick Carter reviewed surveillance video that showed his son rushing out of the house after Harris’ dog ran up their driveway to get their attention too.

“That was a proud moment for me,” Carter said of his son.

The Carters have kept an eye on Harris ever since they moved in around 2007, cutting her grass and bringing her a plate of food when they cook dinner. Harris has lived in the home for about 40 years, her family said.

Harris had just woken up when NJ Advance Media spoke to her daughter on Friday. The daughter drove up from her home in Maryland and is staying with her mom in a hotel while they evaluate the next steps for Harris’ living situation.

Harris’ son-in-law, a retired police officer, reached out to NJ Advance Media to commend the teen. He thought it was important to show that young people are still doing good things in their communities.

“I think he’s a hero,” said the son-in-law, Robert Calhoun. “When I see him, I’m going to shake his hand.”

The 16-year-old doesn’t consider himself a hero though.

“I would’ve done it for anybody,” he said. “I think any person would’ve done what I did. I don’t think there was anything special to what I did.”

Originally published at NJ.com

NBOE Launches Parent University

[Newark, NJ, September 15] Superintendent Roger León and the Newark Board of Education are proud to announce the launch of the district’s first Parent University on September 15th and 16th, 2020.

“The Parent University signifies a renewed partnership between our schools, the district, and families and home,” Superintendent León said.  “We know that parents are their child’s first teachers, and this collaboration will help parents and families to help us to support all children to succeed and thrive.”

The Parent University is a key strategy in the District’s ten-year strategic plan, The Next Decade: 2020-30, which calls for continuous learning for all stakeholders, including a specific focus on providing resources and learning opportunities for parents and families.  “While the District continues to provide remote instruction, the Parent University will offer virtual workshops for parents and families to attend,” said Board President Josephine C. Garcia.  “I am extremely appreciative of the District’s efforts in making this one of the first announcements of the strategic plan and I wanted to commend Chairperson Anderson and Board Member Gomez who have prioritized parental involvement from their start.”

The focus will be on a variety of topics to support student learning, including Technology and Remote Learning, Social Emotional Learning, and Special Education.  Sessions will be facilitated by district leaders and experts in various content areas.  Additionally, the district has partnered with several community-based organizations, including The Abbott Leadership Institute, CREED Strategies, Challenge Day, Parents Empowering Parents, The Secondary Parent Council, Rethink Ed, and Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care, to provide sessions for parents.

“As we reopen schools and consider the needs of our students and families, the Parent University is a key component of support,” Deputy Superintendent Nicole T. Johnson who is spearheading this initiative added.  “We are so grateful to our community partners and district leaders for joining us in providing this exciting event for our community.”

The Parent University is the first in a series of seasonal workshops that will take place during the 2020-2021 school year. The winter and spring sessions to follow will also offer workshops on important topics and provide parents with critical resources and information to increase their knowledge and support learning in their homes.

For more information about the NBOE Fall Parent University, please visit https://newark.apppresser.com/parent-university/.

For more information, please contact:
Newark Board of Education
Nancy Deering, Interim Executive Director
Communications
973-733-6265

Newark Public Schools and Panasonic Team Up to Honor Newark’s Top Graduating High School Seniors Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

Newark, NJ – May 6, 2020 – On the heels of Newark Public Schools (NPS) Superintendent Roger León’s promise to high school seniors that the district would find a way to celebrate its graduates despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the 70 top performing high school seniors graduating from Newark’s public high schools are getting special recognition for their outstanding achievements. Panasonic Corporation of North America has donated 70 Panasonic TOUGHBOOK® laptop computers to NPS to help honor members of the 2020 graduating class. Students hailing from the district’s 15 high schools, who are among the top in their class this school year, will receive a Panasonic laptop.

“Panasonic’s steadfast commitment to the City of Newark and our students remains unparalleled,” said Newark’s Superintendent of Schools Roger León. “Through this historic moment in time, we will always remember that Panasonic maintained NPS at the forefront of their work.”

In addition to the laptop donation valued at $130K, the Panasonic Foundation also contributed $25,000 to NPS to support a variety of student needs during the COVID-19 crisis. “We are proud to congratulate the graduating class of 2020,” said Alejandra Ceja, executive director, Panasonic Foundation. “Panasonic wanted to support Newark students and let them know that their hard work has not gone unnoticed. We hope these donations help these young leaders through this difficult time and prepare for the next chapter in their lives.”

 

For more information, please contact:

Newark Board of Education
Nancy Deering, Interim Executive Director
Communications
973-733-6265

Panasonic Corporation North America
Angela Daniels, Communications & Outreach Manager
Office of Corporate Social Responsibility & Panasonic Foundation
862-955-0748
angela.daniels@nullus.panasonic.com

Jerry Rizzo, Sr. Communications Manager
Corporate Communications
201-463-9790
gerald.rizzo@nullus.panasonic.com

About The Newark Public Schools District
The Newark Public Schools District, with 66 schools, 5,877 employees and a student population of 37,291 is the largest and one of the oldest school systems in New Jersey. Its origin dates back to 1676. Barringer High School, in Newark’s North Ward, is the third oldest public high school in the nation. The ethnic diversity of the city provides a rich educational experience for pre-kindergarten to secondary school students. The district continues to revise its services to meet the changing needs of students.