News

Top Scholar Athletes Recognized by the Essex County Athletics Directors Association and Super Essex Conference

Athletics - May 22
Scholar-Athletes from Central, East Side, Arts, Weequahic and University High School were among the 80 seniors that were honored at the annual Karen Fuccello Scholar-Athlete Awards Ceremony held at Mayfair Farms and received a plaque.

The Essex County Athletic Directors Association (ECADA), along with the Super Essex Conference (SEC), recognized the top scholar-athletes from its member schools at the annual Karen Fuccello Scholar-Athlete Awards program on May 9th at Mayfair Farms. Among those recipients were twenty-three of our district’s best and brightest. Our scholar-athletes posted impressive GPAs and displayed leadership and prowess in their respective sports, all while making important contributions to the community through their commitment to service.

Among the honorees were Science Park’s Paula-Marie Brown, a multi-sport standout who will be attending Cornell University; East Side’s Victor DeSouza, a boys’ volleyball player who helped lead his team to the school’s first ever county title and is ranked # 7 in the class with a 4.23 GPA; Barringer’s Cindy Alvarado who is a member of the girls’ volleyball team and carries a 4.1 GPA; and Rutgers-bound; Amir Chase from University, who led his basketball team to the county semifinals, is the salutatorian of his class and has a GPA of 4.1. We are beyond proud of our scholar-athletes and their accomplishments and wish them well as they move on to the next chapter of their lives.

Fulfilling Our Promise to English Learners: ESL Teachers Peer Coaching Thrives in NBOE

Bilingual May 22
Teachers at South Street School engaged in the initial peer coaching session.

Peer coaching is an empowering initiative that the Office of Bilingual Education (OBE) has implemented to engage teachers in deepening and strengthening their craft. Peer coaching involves experienced English as a Second Language (ESL) staff collaborating with ESL peers and sharing knowledge to enhance ESL instruction across the district. Peer coaches are utilizing the strategies learned from ongoing WESTED Trainings as the focus of coaching sessions. ESL teachers choose which focus areas they would like support in through the use of a coaching menu. Through peer coaching, teachers learn how to modify lessons to meet the needs of students at various tier levels.

Feedback is shared during the session in order to apply learned strategies to future lessons. The goal of peer coaching is for teachers to be able to self-reflect on their instruction and choose areas to further develop professional practice. Teachers are truly enjoying the experience of working with colleagues. The Office of Bilingual Education (OBE) plans to continue this peer coaching initiative and expand it to include our bilingual teachers next year.

Happiness is… a Little TLC

SEL - May22
Students actively engaged in a TLC Room

Therapeutic Learning Centers (TLC) are designed to provide students with a safe and supportive environment that offers both individualized and group counseling services in a structured educational setting with student support staff present. In addition, a TLC room provides students a therapeutic environment to address emotional and/or social challenges that interfere with academic, attendance, and behavioral concerns.

In collaboration with the Office of Student Life, Rafael Hernandez School, a Project Prevent Grant recipient, recently opened their TLC room. Students learn adaptive coping skills to address social and emotional challenges. Rafael Hernandez School has also partnered with a community organization that provides in-school mental health counseling to students in an effort to address mental health concerns that interfere with student achievement.

Five Comprehensive NBOE High Schools Commence the Middle States MSA-CESS Process

Middle States May 22
The Road to Middle States Accreditation: Newark Comprehensive High Schools Enhance Confidence

The Middle States Association Commissions on Elementary Secondary Schools (MSA-CESS) is a nationally and internationally renowned leader in accreditation and school improvement. For over 125 years MSA-CESS has been helping school leaders establish and reach their goals, develop strategic action plans, promote staff development and advance student achievement.

Five Newark Board of Education Comprehensive High Schools will begin the MSA-CESS process in SY 22-23: Barringer, Central, Malcolm X Shabazz, Weequahic and West Side. East Side High School is currently MSA-CESS accredited and will be going through the re-accreditation early 2023. These schools will be embarking on a journey of self-study for a year, culminating in a comprehensive peer review by MSA-CESS volunteers who will visit the schools to inspect the validity of the schools’ work based on the self-study and the strategic action plan. They will be assessed on the following standards: Foundations- clearly defined mission, and core values; Governance and Organization- the organizational structure has capacity; Student Well-being- nurturing school community; Resources- finances, facilities and Technology and Teaching and Learning- Curriculum, instruction, assessment and professional development.

In conclusion, as an accrediting agency, MSA-CESS helps schools and ultimately students continuously grow and improve. The MSA-CESS accreditation designates and recognizes that each school has the organizational structure, capacity and programs to provide a quality education for ALL students.

Building Acceptance and Awareness Through Activities and Education

Autism-Awareness-GraphicApril was Autism Awareness Month and on April 5th, 2022, the Office of Special Education launched its 4th Annual Autism Awareness and Acceptance Kick-Off: Building Acceptance and Awareness Through Activities and Education, with a virtual performance and an artwork presentation. This annual district event was created to promote Autism awareness, inclusion and self-determination for all students, and to ensure that each student with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is provided the opportunity to receive high quality education and achieve the highest possible quality of life. Superintendent León started the kick-off with his welcome message to all of our families, schools, administrators and their wonderful staff and students. We also had a great keynote address from Kim Rivers, from SPAN Parent Advocacy Network (SPAN). Mrs. Rivers is also the parent of a child with Autism. She shared her challenges and successes raising a child on the spectrum with all of us. In honor of Autism Awareness this year, the Newark Board of Education went beyond simply promoting Autism awareness, to encouraging the community, educators, families, students and friends to build acceptance through inclusive activities education, and a month filled with Autism Awareness parent training activities. The kick-off event was a celebration of the gifts and talents our students on the spectrum possess. We had amazing performances and also beautiful artwork as part of our celebration.

A special thank you to the following schools that participated: Fourteenth Avenue, First Avenue, South Street, Camden Street, Louise A. Spencer, Central, McKinley, Ivy Hill, American History, Salomé Ureña, New Jersey Regional Day, John F. Kennedy, Quitman, and Thirteenth Avenue. Please click this link to view the submission of students’ artwork and performances from our schools across the district.

Streamlined Improvements

Boiler replacement at Mckinley Elementary School.

McKinley Elementary School received a replacement of the two Superior Manufacturer boilers that were installed in 1972. These boilers were beginning to be problematic to maintain because of the age, and wear and tear of the equipment. Under the Energy Savings Improvement Plan (ESIP), the district installed new state of the art AERCO condensing Hydronic (hot water) heating boilers. These boilers are considered the gold standard in hot water heating. The new boilers are much more compact and they are over 90% efficient. The new boilers will also lower the cost of operating and maintenance.

The Office of Facilities Management continues to implement major system upgrades through the ESIP that provided approximately $100,000,000 of building infrastructure improvements at no cost to the district. These improvements include, but are not limited to, replacing chillers (HVAC units), upgrading lighting to light emitting diode (LED), and coating roofs which will include a 15 year warranty. To date, lighting improvements have been completed in 54 schools, caulking and weather stripping in 20 schools, pipe insulation in 10 schools, boiler replacements in 2 schools, and roof coatings at 29 schools.