Higher Education

NBOE Hosts Girls Who Code Computer Science Showcase featuring 300 Students from 25 schools

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[Newark, New Jersey, December 12, 2019] On Thursday, December 12th beginning at 9:00AM, the Newark Board of Education in partnership with Girls Who Code and NJIT hosted our inaugural “Girls Who Code Computer Science Showcase” featuring over 300 sixth through tenth grade students from 25 of our schools.

The event occurring during Computer Science Education Week (December 9 - 15) featured a coding-based project competition among students participating in after-school clubs to present their “Impact Projects” to the competition’s judges. Each club’s Impact Project was developed this year to solve problems in their local community by applying coding knowledge and creative computational thinking to a range of product designs - from innovative phone apps to web sites and robotics.

The showcase included a recorded welcome message from First Lady Tammy Murphy and opening remarks from Superintendent of Schools Roger León, NJIT President Joel Bloom, and Assemblywoman Shavonda Sumter. Additionally, distinguished representatives from Apple, Microsoft, Verizon, Panasonic, Prudential, NJIT, the Urban League of Essex County, William Paterson University, Montclair University, Kean University, Girls Who Code, and the Newark Board of Education served as volunteer judges to review the students’ projects.

The projects were evaluated based on a rubric reviewing three core components: 1) Design and Aesthetics, 2) Purpose, and 3) Social Impact & Project Differentiation. First, second, and third place were awarded to the following schools for each category as well as an overall first, second, and third place.

Overall

  1. Oliver Street School - "Sustain’able"
  2. Technology High School - “Global Warming”
  3. Sussex Avenue School - “Community Service for the Eldery”

Social Impact & Project Differentiation

  1. Thirteenth Avenue/Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. School - “Newark Teens”
  2. George Washington Carver/Bruce Street School - “We Code for Social Change”
  3. South Street School

Purpose

  1. Ridge Street School - Ridge Street School Clubs
  2. Lafayette Street School - “Stomp Out Bullying”
  3. First Avenue School - “Safe with the Knights”

Design & Aesthetics

  1. Rafael Hernandez Elementary School - “Save the Turtles”
  2. Louise A. Spencer School - “Explore Your Passion”
  3. Belmont Runyon Community School - “Changing The World Through Coding”

Interviews with CBS

Newark Public Schools Hosts Girls Who Code Showcase/Computer Science Fair Featuring 300 Students

[Newark, New Jersey, December 11, 2019] On Thursday, December 12th beginning at 9:00AM, the Newark Board of Education, in partnership with Girls Who Code and NJIT, will host an inaugural “Girls Who Code Showcase” featuring over 300 sixth through tenth grade students from 25 of our schools at the New Jersey Institute of Technology Campus Center. 

 The event occurs during Computer Science Education Week (December 9 – 15) and will feature a coding-based project competition among students participating in after-school clubs.  During the showcase, students will present their “Impact Projects” to the competition’s judges. Each club’s Impact Project was developed to solve problems in their local community, by applying coding knowledge and creative computational thinking to a range of product designs — from innovative phone apps to web sites and robotics.

 The projects will be evaluated based on a rubric reviewing three core components: 1) Design and Aesthetics, 2) Purpose, and 3) Social Impact & Project Differentiation. First, second, and third place will be awarded to schools for each category as well as an overall first, second, and third place.

 The showcase will include a recorded welcome message from First Lady Tammy Murphy and opening remarks from Superintendent of Schools Roger León, Senator M. Teresa Ruiz, and Assemblywoman Shavonda E. Sumter.

 Additionally, distinguished representatives from Apple, Microsoft, Verizon, Panasonic, Prudential, NJIT, the Urban League of Essex County, William Paterson University, Montclair University, Kean University, Girls Who Code, and the Newark Board of Education will serve as volunteer judges to review the students’ projects.

Mayor Baraka, NJIT, and Newark Public Schools Partner to Double Number of Newark Students Attending NJIT and Award Three Full Scholarships as Well

Written by: City of Newark | View on the City of Newark Website


Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka, NJIT President Joel S. Bloom, and Newark Public Schools Superintendent Roger León launched a partnership with the university to create two initiatives: NJIT/Newark Math Success and The Mayor’s Honors Scholars Program, in a press conference today in City Hall.

‍The NJIT/Newark Math Success Initiative (MSI) will seek to dramatically increase by doubling the number of Newark residents who enroll at NJIT for undergraduate education. Currently, only about 200 Newark students are attending NJIT.

‍“As a 22-year-educator in Newark Public Schools, I know just how dedicated, talented, and motivated our students are to succeed in the classroom and in life. I also know that numbers of them must overcome considerable challenges to gain the high grades they need to in turn achieve their goals in life. This partnership between NJIT, Newark Public Schools, and the City will enable many deserving Newark students to gain a pipeline to classes, scholarships, and networking that will in turn enable them to attend college and excel. These two initiatives are more than an academic opportunity for our youth – they are an investment in our city’s future,” Mayor Baraka said.

‍The Mayor’s Honors Scholars program at NJIT will create opportunities for talented students from the Newark Public Schools to enroll in NJIT’s Albert Dorman Honors College. Each year, NJIT will work with the Newark Public Schools to select three Mayor’s Honors Scholars for admission to ADHC. These students will receive full scholarships as well as paid internships with the City of Newark during the summer months.

‍Established in 1995 through the generosity of NJIT alumnus Albert Dorman, who founded AECOM Technology Corporation (the largest architecture and engineering firm in the world), the ADHC has been ranked as a top public honors college by Inside Honors. Students in the ADHC have exclusive access to the James Kennedy Honors Center and may apply to live within the Honors Residence Hall. Their curriculum includes special classes, seminars, colloquia (lectures, trips, networking with distinguished speakers and alumni) as well as opportunities to engage in research and practical learning experiences, such as co-ops, internships and apprenticeships.

‍“These two STEM-focused programs will change the lives of thousands of Newark students,” said Superintendent León. “The initiatives will allow us to move our agenda for education and student scholarship forward. We are redefining our high schools and Dr. Bloom and NJIT and Mayor Baraka are providing a pathway to progress and success for our students and for that I am grateful.”

‍The goal of the NJIT/Newark Math Success Initiative is to increase the total enrollment of Newark residents at NJIT to a minimum of 600 through a partnership between NJIT, the Office of the Mayor and the Newark Public Schools. The MSI will provide direct mathematics instruction and support to rising 12th graders and mathematics-certified teachers at the following high schools: Central, Science Park, Technology, and Malcolm X Shabazz, where NJIT alumnus Naseed Gifted is principal. This will begin in the summer of 2019 and continue throughout the academic year. The program is designed to strengthen Newark high school students’ mathematics knowledge, skills and preparation for college work, so they are able to succeed as first-semester, first-year college freshmen taking MATH 111 Calculus at NJIT.

‍The first cohort of MIS students, as well as eight teachers, will complete a seven-week program from June 24 – August 9, 2019, on NJIT’s campus. Hands-on, applied mathematics instruction will be enhanced by counseling, tutoring, and other college preparatory support services interspersed with recreational activities in campus facilities. The participating high school teachers will engage in professional development activities and will be mentored by NJIT mathematics faculty while supporting students working in small groups during class instruction and recitation. They also may conduct research with NJIT faculty in mathematics pedagogy and applications. The Newark Public Schools will identify the students and faculty participating in the program.

‍During the academic year, selected high school teachers will meet monthly with NJIT mathematics faculty members through a combination of on-line and face-to-face interactions to further explore mathematics pedagogy. They also will build a peer network that will be extended to mathematics teachers assigned to other Newark high schools. The academic year experience for the student cohort will feature instruction in credit-bearing mathematics courses during the week and on Saturdays at NJIT. Students also will receive assistance with submitting the Common Application accepted by the NJIT Office of Admissions and completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form.

‍“Math is the foundation for success in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) disciplines, and STEM is where the greatest career opportunities exist. We will continue to partner with Mayor Baraka and Superintendent Leon to make math proficiency less of a barrier for Newark students, so they can take advantage of having one of the nation’s leading polytechnic universities right in their own hometown,” President Bloom explained. “In addition to the programmatic aspects of this effort, NJIT will work to assure that none of these students leave our university because of financial need by investing more than $1 million per year to support their success.”
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About New Jersey Institute of Technology
One of only 32 polytechnic universities in the United States, New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) prepares students to become leaders in the technology-dependent economy of the 21st century. NJIT’s multidisciplinary curriculum and computing-intensive approach to education provide technological proficiency, business acumen and leadership skills. NJIT has a $2 billion annual economic impact on the State of New Jersey, conducts approximately $160 million in research activity each year (R1 Carnegie Classification), and is a global leader in such fields as solar research, nanotechnology, resilient design, tissue engineering, and cybersecurity, in addition to others. NJIT is ranked #1 nationally by Forbes for the upward economic mobility of its lowest-income students and is among the top 2 percent of public colleges and universities in return on educational investment, according to PayScale.com. NJIT also is ranked by U.S. News and World Report as one of the top 50 public national universities.

National Educational Partnership Joins Forces in Newark, NJ to Grow Next Generation of Teachers

Newark Public Schools, Montclair State University, and American Federation of Teachers Launch New Jersey’s Largest Teachers Academy as a Model to Grow Teacher Pipeline and Address Teacher Diversity

teacher academy logo graphic


[Newark, NJ February 26, 2019] National and local education leaders today took the first step towards creating a pipeline to educate, train and prepare future teachers, and diversify the teacher workforce with the launch of Newark Public Schools Teacher Education Academy. The launch of the Academy was led by Newark Board of Education (NBOE) and Superintendent Roger León, State Senator M. Teresa Ruiz, President of Montclair State University (MSU) Dr. Susan A. Cole and President of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Randi Weingarten. John Abeigon, President of the Newark Teachers Union, legislators, educators and students also participated in what will be New Jersey’s largest school district’s first teacher academy.

Superintendent León said, “When I became Superintendent, I made a commitment to transform educational opportunities for our students and to identify partners who shared our passion to expand our community of student scholars. Today represents the beginning of a new chapter for our schools, as we launch this, the first in a series of high school academies that will connect Newark Public School students to promising futures, starting with the Newark Teaching Academy. Together we are preparing our students to be the best teachers in Newark, in New Jersey and anywhere in America.” He added, “Thank you to President Cole of Montclair State University, President Weingarten from the American Federation of Teachers, Mayor Baraka and everyone here for being our partner to transform Newark Public High Schools and create pipelines of progress.”

The Teacher Education Academy will be located at Newark’s East Side High School. The launch begins the planning phase for The Teacher Academy, which is expected to open in 2020. Additional high school academies will be announced over the coming months.

“As a 22-year educator in the Newark Public Schools system, I know how critical it is to teach, mentor, and inspire effectively in the classroom. Teachers do more than merely correct tests and read students’ essays,” Mayor Baraka said. “By their every word in the classroom, they create future generations of scientists, entrepreneurs, doctors, engineers, and leaders that will create the strong Newark we want to see. So we must place future teachers in our classrooms who are prepared for this immense challenge and can educate and inspire our children through example. I welcome the Teacher Preparatory Academy to Newark and urge any student who has felt the call to commit to this great profession to attend the Academy.”

Montclair State University will help design a curriculum to prepare students for a career in teaching. In addition, the university will provide adjunct professors to teach students, and internships for students will be available, as well. The Teacher Preparatory Academy will be housed at East Side High School, Newark’s largest high school with more than 2,000 students. Partner high schools to East Side H.S are Newark’s University High Schools Media Studies Academy and Arts High Schools Arts Academy. Both academies will be housed at East Side High School. Graduates of The Teacher Academy will receive a substitute certificate and college credits upon completion.

“Montclair State University has been deeply engaged in working with the Newark Public Schools for many decades, in a number of school and curricular reform efforts, bringing millions of dollars in federal grants to support the preparation of the highest quality teachers for Newark schools, and in the education of committed and talented school leaders, including among them Superintendent Roger Leon. This new collaboration, a Teacher Academy in East Side High School and University High School, will take another important step forward, providing Newark with an academically rigorous and innovative pathway to grow their own future teachers,” said Dr. Susan A. Cole, President of Montclair State University.

The Teacher Education Academy will prepare Newark Public School students for careers in education and create a pipeline of diversity in education to reflect the state of New Jersey and the nation. The Academy will also create an environment that makes a teaching career in education a destination for high school and college bound students.

“Today, we take an important step in Newark with the broader education community in New Jersey to grow the educator workforce and diversify the pipeline of people entering the profession through a new grow-our-own program. We are excited to collaborate on this program, which addresses the critical challenge of diversifying the teacher workforce in our classrooms and providing educators with the tools they need to stay in the profession and to succeed. The teaching academy at East Side High School can be the center of a virtuous cycle that prepares Newark’s youth to excel in a high-quality teacher preparation program and return to their community to teach—equipped with the skills and the will to make every public school worthy of the next generation of students. This partnership is what real collaboration looks like: all parties on board reflecting the leadership and diversity of the community, and all committed to moving a powerful vision and a plan that puts schools at the heart of their communities,” American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten.

“On behalf of the members of the Board of Education, thank you to Montclair State University, the American Federation of Teachers, and Mayor Baraka for their commitment to our students and our district,” said Josephine C. Garcia, Board Chairperson. “We look forward to launching this and the other High School Academies.

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