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Barringer girls basketball sees two hit 1,000 in 75-20 win over Technology in ECT

By The Star Ledger on February 06, 2016 7:02 PM, updated February 06, 2016 7:56 PM

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Rianna Robinson scored 26 points and Latricia Adams added 22 en route to their 1,000th career point each as 14th-seeded Barringer defeated 31st-seeded Technology, 75-20, in the play-in round of the Essex County Tournament in Newark.

Robinson added seven rebounds and seven steals, while Adams had five steals and four assists. Taz Moore added 10 points and six rebounds for Barringer, which had 28 steals and 12 free throws. Barringer led 20-4 at the end of the first quarter.

Janari Newsome scored a team-high nine points for Technology.

Barringer will next host 19th-seeded Livingston in the first round on Feb. 11.

View the story on nj.com.

Newark Public Schools’ Elementary Students Perform A Disney Kids Musical at NJPAC

Five schools in Greater Newark area participated in Disney Musicals in Schools as part $100,000 Disney grant awarded to NJPAC

[Newark NJ – February 9, 2016] – Newark Public Schools (NPS) elementary students, along with students from the greater Newark area, performed at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) today on the world-class Prudential Hall stage. The students performed selections from The Lion King and Aladdin. The students’ performance was part of “Disney Musicals in Schools”, a national initiative developed by Disney Theatrical Group to create ongoing theater programs in under-resourced public elementary schools. Disney awarded the Arts Center a $100,000 grant last year to bring the program to Newark area public elementary schools.

“I was delighted to watch so many talented young children from Newark Public Schools and the greater Newark area perform on stage in front of their peers, family and friends,” said NPS Superintendent Christopher D. Cerf. “Thanks to NJPAC and the Disney Musicals in Schools program, our kids had the extraordinary opportunity to participate in this fantastic program and we are grateful our schools were selected to participate in the program’s inaugural year.”

NJPAC chose five Newark area public elementary schools including Branch Brook School, Luis Muñoz Marin School and Mount Vernon School from NPS for the pilot year of the program. Each school participated in a 17-week musical theater residency that began in September 2015, and concluded with students performing a 30-minute “Disney KIDS” musical based on a classic Disney film at each school. During the residency, students worked collaboratively, developing self-confidence and strengthening communication skills, all while learning and discovering the joy of creating a musical theater production.

The $100,000 grant awarded to NJPAC supports two years of programming and another five schools will be announced later this year for the 2016-2017 school year.

About Disney Musicals in Schools
Disney Musicals in Schools is a free outreach program offered to a limited number of public elementary schools each year. Through the program schools receive free performance rights and ShowKit materials to a 30-minute Disney musical written for elementary school performers. Over the course of a semester, professional Teaching Artists guide school teachers through the process of mounting a musical with student performers. The goal is to provide the training necessary for teachers to continue a tradition of theater education for years to come. For more information visit: disneymusicalsinschools.com

About New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC)
New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), located in downtown Newark, New Jersey, is among the largest performing arts centers in the United States and is the artistic, cultural, educational and civic center of New Jersey – where great performances and events enhance and transform lives every day. NJPAC brings diverse communities together, providing access to all and showcasing the state’s and the world’s best artists while acting as a leading catalyst in the revitalization of its home city. Through its extensive Arts Education programs, NJPAC is shaping the next generation of artists and arts enthusiasts. NJPAC has attracted more than 9 million visitors (including over 1.5 million children) since opening its doors in 1997, and nurtures meaningful and lasting relationships with each of its constituents. Visit njpac.org or call 1-888-GO-NJPAC for more information.

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In Case You Missed It: How Newark schools closed a $65M deficit in 6 steps

NJ.com, 2/3/16

Seven months ago, Newark’s public schools were in a state of flux.…

The state announced it would finally return control of the district to local officials after more than 20 years, and sent in a new appointee – former education commissioner Christopher Cerf – to oversee the prolonged handoff.

One thing remained the same, however. The district’s finances were a mess. Cerf inherited a deficit of approximately $65 million, and immediately began strategizing on how to close the gap while minimizing impact on the city’s already disadvantaged schools.

At a meeting of the city’s School Advisory Board last month, Cerf announced that the once mammoth shortfall had been closed.

Here’s a closer look at how the district pulled it off.

Reduction in Employees Without Placement – $25.0M:
Under Anderson, the city’s pool of unassigned teachers, or “Employees Without Placement”, had ballooned to approximately 450. The group, whose combined salaries at the time totaled an estimated $35 million, had ended up without a classroom for various reasons. Some had tenure charges or poor performance to blame, others had refused extra hours and duties at so-called schools placed in the district’s “turnaround program”, and many simply found themselves the odd man out as schools were either closed or reconfigured.

By late August, the pool had been reduced by more than half, and as of last month, it stood at just 124 – saving the district approximately $25 million in the process.

Central office “cuts” (non-salary) – $23.1M:
Shortly after being named superintendent, Cerf made a public promise to focus staff cuts on the district’s notoriously bloated bureaucracy while sparing teachers and classroom support staff. By last month, he cited more than $23 million in “non-salary” cuts from the central office, such as the elimination of already vacant positions, and refunds in aid from charter schools who failed to reach enrollment projections.

Central office (salary) – $6.3M:
Cerf cited no additional layoffs since being named school chief, but said his administration was able to find significant savings by not filling vacant salaried position in the central office, and through retirements and other attrition.

Benefits Savings – $5M:
Reductions in staff come with an added bonus – the district is no longer on the hook for providing the employees with health benefits.

Mid-year Title Funds and one-time insurance payment – $3.5M:
The district said it made conservative estimates as to how much funding it would receive through federal Title I and Title II programs, which send money to low-income schools each year. The funds distributed after July 1 were higher than expected, leading to a welcome windfall. An insurance payment from a fire that destroyed Elliott Street School in 2006 also arrived, helping to further close the budget gap.

School level non-salary – $2.1M:
The smallest dent in the funding gap was made through cutting positions in district schools, though officials said all such reductions were realized through the elimination of already vacant positions and non-salaried workers.

NPS High School Students Meet UFC Champions Luke Rockhold and Robbie Lawler

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On January 29, wrestling teams from Barringer and Malcolm X Shabazz High Schools received a special invitation to go to Prudential Center and meet UFC Champions Robbie Lawler and Luke Rockhold. In addition, University High School Principal Regina Sharpe and some of her well deserving students were in attendance as well.

In addition to the meet and greet, our students were also able to watch all of the UFC Fighters practice and then they ALL received tickets to Saturday Nights Fight! The athletes message to our kids was beyond fitting. They spoke about discipline, controlling emotions, and dedicating yourself to something that you love and are passion about.

Carve out your own path and don’t let other’s carve it out for you.

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Students From East Side High School Participate in a Google Hangout with U.S. Secretary of Housing & Urban Development Julian Castro

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[Newark, NJ – January 15, 2016] – On Wednesday, January 13, 2016 students from East Side High School participated in a Google Hangout interactive event with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Julián Castro, along with students from Nashville, Tennessee and Fresno, California.

The conversation focused on bridging the digital divide through ConnectHome, a pilot initiative to extend affordable broadband access to families in communities like Newark, and across the nation.

For more information on ConnectHome visit: http://connecthome.hud.gov/.

View the live stream here:

Newark’s top high school students who choose New Jersey colleges to receive scholarships and internships

January 5, 2016 | By Brick City Live Staff

Choose New Jersey, a company whose stated mission is “to encourage and nurture economic growth throughout New Jersey, with a focus on our urban centers” today launched a scholarship and internship program to recognize top students in Newark who choose to attend an institute of higher learning in their home state.

The pilot program for Smart Students Choose New Jersey will reward the highest academically ranked graduating senior at each of Newark’s 33 public, private and charter high schools who choose to attend a New Jersey college or university. The program will offer a one-time scholarship of $2,000 and a paid summer internship opportunity each year over three years. The program was launched today at the headquarters of its Newark lead corporate sponsor, Audible, Inc.

A subsidiary of Amazon.com, Audible is the world’s largest producer and seller of downloadable audiobooks and other spoken-word content.

“The Choose New Jersey scholarship program will support our efforts to create improved college and career opportunities for Newark’s future leaders and innovators,” said Christopher Cerf, Superintendent of Newark Public Schools.

The pilot program is being launched in response to statistics showing that annually, nearly 35,000 of New Jersey’s high school graduates leave New Jersey for their college education, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. In addition, research shows that students offered paid internships had the highest job offer rate post-graduation.

“Access to top talent is critical to our businesses and the economic vitality of the City of Newark,” said Mayor Ras Baraka. “The Smart Students program is a win/win for our City. It will give Newark’s high achieving students the opportunity to build successful careers close to home, and will help ensure our companies have access to top talent in the future,” he continued.

Ralph LaRossa, president and chief operating officer of PSE&G, and chairman of Choose New Jersey, echoed the programs benefits to area companies. “New Jersey’s highly educated workforce is one of its competitive advantages” he said. “We need to do everything we can to encourage our best and brightest to stay.”

Smart Students Choose New Jersey will offer students the opportunity to work at top businesses and organizations from around the state, including Fortune 500 companies, labor organizations, and small businesses that range across a variety of industries and sectors. The internships will be offered for three consecutive summers, after students’ freshman, sophomore, and junior years. The students will have the choice of remaining at the same company for all three years, or working at three different companies each summer.

The program will be implemented and managed by the Choose New Jersey staff, and lessons learned in this first pilot year will be applied to subsequent cohorts. The program, open to public, parochial and charter schools, will also be offered in the 11 eligible schools in tCamden. The program’s 44 scholars will be announced in June 2016.

For more information about the Smart Students Choose New Jersey scholarship and internship program, visit www.choosenj.com/smart.

Visit the story on www.brickcitylive.com.