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Elliott Street Elementary School Students & Dignitaries Sign New School’s Steel Beam

Elliot Beam Signing Ceremony from Ron Scott on Vimeo.

NEWARK, NJ – New Jersey Schools Development Authority (SDA) CEO Charles McKenna joined Newark students and school district and local officials for a “beam signing” ceremony to highlight the progress of construction on the new Elliott Street Elementary School. The students, teachers and officials celebrated the ongoing construction of the facility by signing steel that will be hoisted into place as a permanent part of the new facility.

“Every project milestone brings us one step closer to providing a new community school for Elliott Street Elementary School students,” said SDA CEO McKenna. “Being here today with the kids and together signing steel that will become a lasting part of this school for generations to come is symbolically important. These students are making a permanent mark on a building that will provide countless educational opportunities for its students.”

Located in the North Ward, the new 138,000 square foot Elliott Street Elementary School is being built on the site of the former school which was demolished following fire damage caused by a lightning strike. For several years the student population was divided among three building sites, however since September 2011 the students have been housed at the former First Avenue School. The new school will provide 848 students in Pre-K through eighth grades with 30 general use classrooms, four kindergarten classrooms, six pre-kindergarten classrooms, specialized instruction classrooms and labs, a media center, separate cafeteria, gymnasium and a multipurpose room with stage.

“It is exciting to see the progress for what will be a new home for all of Elliott Street Elementary School families,” said Superintendent Cami Anderson. “Every student deserves a modern 21st century learning environment, and today’s beam signing reflects another step forward to realizing 100 excellent schools in Newark.”

The school is being built using a design-build approach. Hall Construction Company of Howell, NJ is the design-build contractor, working in partnership with Paulus, Sokolowski and Sartor, LLC of Warren, NJ. The project is being managed by Gilbane Building Company, of New Brunswick, NJ. The total estimated project costs are $46.7 million.

The SDA has invested more than $562 million in completed projects in Newark. This includes 11 capital projects and 121 Health and Safety/Grants/Emergent Projects. In addition to the Elliott Street School, two other new school construction projects are ongoing in Newark – Oliver Street School and the South Street School.

The SDA’s current portfolio of active projects is valued at $2 billion – including the Capital Project Portfolio (more than $1.5 billion), emergent projects ($100 million) and Regular Operating District grants ($430 million state share).

Hundreds of Children and Parents Attend Family Preschool Night at The Newark Museum

It was an evening of excitement and wonder as 885 children and adults gathered for this year’s Newark Public Schools Family Preschool Night at The Newark Museum. Preschoolers, their siblings and parents streamed into the museum on the evening of June 13 for the second annual family night.

Public television’s Thomas the Tank Engine characters and friends were there to greet the children, as they participated in activities at the Museum’s interactive exhibits and other hands-on family fun. To add to the excitement, there were free books, free raffles and prizes.

Hosted by the Newark Public Schools Office of Early Childhood Education, the event’s collaborative partners included The Newark Museum, United Way of Essex and West Hudson, the Nicholson Foundation, WNET Thirteen, HIT Entertainment and Jumpstart. Representatives from these and various other organizations that support early childhood education joined NPS staff in volunteering for the evening.As well as promoting educational and fun summer programs, the event was designed to provide families with information on community based resources available to them, in addition to advice on preventing their children from experiencing summer learning loss.

Thanks to Early Childhood staff who worked hard to promote the Night at the Newark Museum event, along with parent liaisons at schools and family workers at the child daycare centers, hundreds of Newark children and families spent a memorable evening discovering that learning can be fun.

Press

Streetinsider.com: Nicholson Foundation Grant Brings Creative Play to Newark Museum, Community

By: The StreetInsider
July 19, 2014

A grant from the Nicholson Foundation will enable the Newark Museum to offer new educational programs to young learners (ages 3-5) and their families in Newark and the surrounding communities. The Museum is the only institution in Newark that provides access to works of art, a natural science collection, and cultural and historic artifacts that stimulate curiosity and learning.

Fathers and Daughters Celebrate Together

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More than 150 dads and their daughters attended the Newark Public Schools first Father/Daughter dance on June 13th at the Robert Treat Hotel. The event was sponsored by the Office of Family and Community Engagement in conjunction with the Concerned Fathers of Newark Public Schools. The dance was the culminating event for the fathers following months of events focusing on engaging dads. In addition to dinner and dancing, each father/father figure recited a pledge to their daughter stating they will remain a central figure in their daughters lives. Many dads stated that the event was more meaningful than they would have ever imagined and it truly was a night the young ladies will never forget.The Concerned Fathers of Newark Public Schools hosted events district-wide including Thursdays are Father’s Days, an initiative that allowed fathers to collectively explore new ideas and address issues of concern regarding their children’s education. Recognizing every Thursday as Father’s Day in the schools sends and important message to the community – especially the children—that Newark’s dads are concerned about their children. Numerous activities are currently being planned for both fathers and families for the next school year.

Holocaust Survivors Share Personal Stories with Luis Muñoz Marin Students, Enhancing Genocide Studies Curriculum

The Newark Public School 7th grade Social Studies curriculum focuses on World History. At Luis Muñoz Marin, the Social Studies teachers, Ms. Quetzy Rivera and Ms. Mimi Rosenbaum, showed students how past history affects the present and how each action causes a reaction. They were shown how the human experience can determine political, geographic, economic and social issues, linking all to the greater global community. The section on Africa coincided with the twentieth anniversary of the Rwanda Genocide and the Day of Remembrance for the European Holocaust where over ten million people were killed. Students in Ms. Rivera and Ms. Rosenbaum’s classes were asked to define the term ‘Genocide’, a term invented for the Jewish Holocaust, and how, even though the cry after World War II was “Never Again”, there have been attempts at genocide in countries like Rwanda, Bosnia, the Sudan, Cambodia. Students worked in teams of two and were asked, based on the eight stages of genocide, to pick one country that showed signs of genocide and research the causes and effect. They submitted research papers and had to present a power point explaining why they chose that particular country.

On June 12th, two Holocaust speakers came to Marin to talk to the students about their experiences. Both Ms. Goldstein and Mr. Obermeyer were children during the Holocaust and survived through horrible conditions.

Ms. Goldstein was eight years old when her father was taken away (her mother had previously died of natural causes) and she and her older sister were forced to care for each other. They survived with the help of a Catholic nun who did not differentiate that these were Jewish children; merely that they were children. Ms. Goldstein explained to the students that we are morally obligated to care for each other and repeated what the nun had said, “ Today they come for the Jews; tomorrow they will come for me if we do not stop them.” This Catholic nun put herself in harm’s way to protect Ms. Goldstein and her sister. Had she been discovered, the Nazis would have killed them all.

Mr. Obermeyer told his story as well. His family had lived in Germany for over two hundred years. Suddenly, they were told they were no longer citizens, were not allowed to attend school and were treated differently by friends and neighbors. His parents realized that things would only get worse after “Kristalnacht”, (the Night of Broken Glass), when Jewish businesses, homes and temples were vandalized. Britain agreed to give visas to 10,000 children including Germany if they had the funds to support themselves and to be schooled. He was accepted as one of the children to go on the Kindertransport and so survived the War. His mother couldn’t bear the thought of parting from her child and did not go to the station. He never saw either parent again. When asked by a Marin student, Mr. Obermeyer told them his biggest regret was not being ‘better’, that he had been a difficult child and that was how his mother remembered him. Students asked questions and wrote reflections on the two Holocaust speakers.

Arts High Jazz Musicians Perform in Washington, D.C. and NJPAC for Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Events

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Hitting the high notes at the U.S. Department of Education in Washington D.C. earlier this year, the Newark Public Schools Arts High School Jazz Combo represented their school and the district in a Jazz Informance hosted by Dr. J.B. Dyas, Director of Education at the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz. Joined by Terell Stafford, one of today’s top jazz trumpeters, the students performed six pieces for an audience comprised of Thelonious Monk Institute staff members, U.S. Department of Education personnel, and faculty and students from local schools. Following the performance, the students shared their personal experiences as musicians and how they developed an appreciation for Jazz. One of the Arts High School students, drummer Derek Fykes, has just been awarded a full scholarship to attend the internationally renowned Jamey Aebersold Summer Jazz Workshop, at the University of Louisville (KY) on July 6-11.

Derek’s message from Dr. J. B. Dyas read: “On behalf of our chairman Herbie Hancock and everyone at the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz, it is my pleasure to inform you that out of all the students attending the 11 performing arts high schools around the nation that we support, YOU have been awarded our full scholarship to attend the internationally renowned Jamey Aebersold Summer Jazz Workshop. Congratulations!”

Additionally, the Arts High School Jazz Sextet will perform a FREE public concert on Friday, June 20 at 7:30 p.m. (Chase Room) – along with internationally acclaimed jazz saxophonist and recording artist Bobby Watson, as well as students from NPS’ Barringer, Arts, East Side and Science Park High Schools – at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (1 Center St., Newark). The concert is presented by the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz, in conjunction with Newark Public Schools and the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC). Under the direction of teacher/flutist Lawrence Liggins and saxophonist Anthony Ware, the sextet is comprised of trumpeter Carlos Juncal; trombonist Craig Jacobs; guitarist Rahsaan Pickett; pianist Galo Inga; bassist Joseph Quiles; and drummer Derek Fykes.

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The concert is made possible by The Prudential Foundation, which provides year-round music programs at Arts High and other Newark public schools through the Monk Institute. Watson will serve as artist-in-residence during the three days leading up to the concert. The event marks the culmination of the Institute’s 2013-2014 National Performing Arts High School Jazz Program, which helps prepares students in Newark and eight other cities across the nation to become jazz’s next generation.

First Avenue School Turns Into a Wax Museum Gallery of Famous Historical Figures

First Avenue School became a Wax Museum Gallery on Friday, June 6, 2014. The 8th grade showcased “Famous People in History Living Wax Museum.” Each scholar researched a famous person in history, wrote a monologue, designed a costume and created a backdrop to highlight their presentation as each were placed around the entire school for display. A “magical” button was placed on the floor before each “figure.” Students from other grades stepped on the wax figure’s button and watched in amazement as the historical figure “came to life!” Students portrayed such people as Ronald Reagan, Frank Sinatra, Alice Paul, Cleopatra, Harriet Tubman, Cher, Selena, Elvis, Napoleon and the “Unsinkable” Molly Brown, just to name a few! Quite a cast of characters! F.A.S kids ROCKED this exhibit. These imaginative students will graduate June 25, 2014 and will soon make their mark in history.