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Essex County Track Meet 2021

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The 2021 Essex County Track Meet attracted countless teens to Newark School Stadium today in Newark. Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the annual track meet was cancelled last year so teens were excited to gather today for some fierce competition. There were more than 600 teens from various high schools throughout the County of Essex, many of whom had experienced anxiety and isolation as a result of remote learning. The High School Academic Support Program was on hand to provide Pandemic Relief for our teens which included: masks, hand sanitizer, toiletries, beverages, treats, summer job listings for teens, college scholarship lists and eyewear from EyeBuyDirect to reduce eyestrain during remote learning.

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

Virtual Career Day 2021

Virtual Career Day

The Newark Public Schools Strategic Plan and logic model calls on “Game Changers” activities for students to engage in while they go through our schools, leading them to reinvest, reinvigorate and return to Newark. Game changers include, jobs, apprenticeships, internships and mentorships. To prepare students for these experiences, Career Day has been established as a district wide event, taking place in every school for students in Grades 3-8.

School Counselors, Social Workers, and Support Staff throughout the district, partnered with community agents to secure live and pre-recorded presentations from various career paths in an effort to bring a virtual learning experience to students. The students were able to interact with presenters, highlight their interests, and participate in Q&A sessions on career paths. Students enjoyed the continuation of Career Day with a virtual spin!

View the presentations by clicking on the list of participating schools below:

Abington Avenue
Ann Street
Avon Avenue
Belmont Runyon
Camden Street
Chancellor Avenue
Cleveland Elementary
Dr. E. Alma Flagg
Dr. William H. Horton
East Ward Elementary
Elliott Street
First Avenue
Franklin School
George Washington Carver
Harriet Tubman
Hawkins Street
Hawthorne Avenue
Ivy Hill
Lafayette Street

Lincoln School
Louise A. Spencer
Luis Muñoz Marín
McKinley
Mount Vernon
Oliver Street
Park Elementary
Peshine Avenue
Quitman
Rafael Hernandez
Ridge Street
Roberto Clemente
Salomé Ureña
South 17th Street
South Street
Speedway Avenue
Sussex Avenue
Thirteenth Avenue
Wilson Avenue

Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Teachers visits First Avenue School

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On Monday, May 24th, American Federation of Teachers President (AFT) Randi Weingarten visited First Ave School as part of her nationwide tour to highlight in-person school reopening and celebrate educators for their role in the collaborative, safe, and equitable reopening of schools for in-person learning.

During Monday’s tour, Weingarten visited classrooms with American Federation Teachers New Jersey President Donna Chiera, Newark Teachers Union President John Abeigon, Newark Public Schools Superintendent Roger León, and school principal Rosa Bronco. The group highlighted the work parents, teachers, and administrators have done to keep schools safe for in-person learning while simultaneously meeting the needs of the students in a way that allows them to recover from this past year socially, emotionally, and academically.

Additionally, Weingarten shared some of her vision for reimagining public education as the country continues to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The AFT represents 1.7 million members across the country and champions fairness; democracy; economic opportunity; and high-quality public education, healthcare and public services for our students, their families and our communities.

East Side High School Teacher to Be Honored at Princeton 2021 Commencement

This Sunday, May 16, 2021, Visual & Media Arts teacher, Andrew Teheran of East Side High School will receive honors at Princeton’s 2021 Commencement. A recipient of Princeton’s Prize for Distinguished Secondary School Teaching, Teheran along with three other educators will be acknowledged for their dedication by the university’s “Program for Teacher Preparation”.

Upon reviewing applications for this award, the Program in Teacher Preparation team considers recommendations from colleagues and students as well as evidence of the teachers’ accomplishments in the school and community. Todd Kent, director of the program states “While the pandemic conditions of the past year were very challenging for both teachers and students, the four teachers being honored this year excelled in providing the highest quality education possible for their students.” He also went on to say “Their stories are truly inspirational. The prizewinners are exceptional teachers because they transform and impact their students’ lives and their school communities.”

As a teacher at East Side High School for over 23 years, Teheran has done more than just encourage students’ creativity, he’s encouraged them to take on internships, compete in film festivals, and connected students with other Newark creatives building their own network in order to nurture their future dreams and aspirations. At the core of his teaching, Mr. Teheran works with students and pushes forth the notion of creating art that can live a life outside of the classroom. “I encourage them to do things that have meaning for them, their family and their community -- Purposeful work.”

While Teheran has aided in the growth of future-filmmakers and artists within Newark, New Jersey; he’s also promoted media arts education throughout the northeast with the Media Arts Coalition of Educators. In 2016, East Side High School’s Media Arts magnet program, founded by Teheran served as the pilot school for the National Core Arts Standards (NCCAS) Model Cornerstone Assessment of the new national standards. In coordination with the national team, students’ media art works were used as exemplars of advanced high school achievement at the test run of standards in Las Vegas. Due to his involvement and the success of the program, Teheran was then invited by the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) to join the writing team for the revised New Jersey Student Learning Standard – Visual and Performing Arts (NJSLS-VPA).

When asked what this award means to him, Teheran states “This award is more about what my students have done than it is about me as a teacher. I have been supported by administration at East Side and members of the faculty, and this award is more of a conduit of all the support within this school and the Newark community.”

Teheran’s impact within East Side High School and the City of Newark is beyond evident, colleagues and students alike happily sing his praises for the work he’s done. A colleague shared “Teheran’s classroom embodies the vision of what extraordinary teaching and learning should look like.” A former student followed in the sentiment sharing “Despite having projects to do for East Side and the district, a class to teach, students coming into his room every day after school for help and to work with his mentorship on a personal creative undertaking, he still manages to have time for everything. Although I no longer have his class, I still feel like I can go to him with any idea I have in my mind of things I want to create or learn.”

Newark Public Schools couldn’t be any more fortunate than to have Mr. Andrew Teheran as one of their educators. It is due to his continued approach in education, much like many of teachers in the district; that we continue to thrive and our students to soar.

For more information: https://www.princeton.edu/news/2021/05/03/four-outstanding-secondary-school-teachers-be-honored-princeton-commencement

Andrew Teheran
Andrew Teheran
Visual & Media Arts Teacher
East Side High School

In the News

Information on Andrew Teheran

Andrew Teheran is a Newark, New Jersey based artist, educator and filmmaker. He was born in New York City to parents of Colombian and Finnish descent. Holding a degree in Art History from Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Mr. Teheran went on to study sculpture and art education at Montclair State University where he received his teaching credentials and earned his MFA in Creative Practice with Transart Institute in Berlin, Germany. Mr. Teheran has been teaching at East Side High School in New Jersey’s Newark Public School district for over twenty years. Within the district and throughout the state, he has been decorated for his work in arts education.

Information on Princeton Prize for Distinguished Secondary School Teacher Award

Princeton has honored secondary school teachers since 1959 after receiving an anonymous gift from an alumnus to establish the program. The teachers are selected for the award based on nominations from public and private schools around the state. They each will receive $3,000 for their school libraries. The prize was not awarded in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and 15 finalists were selected from the pool of applicants from both the current and previous year. The 15 finalists were visited at their schools by Rosanne Zeppieri, a member of the program staff. The winners were then selected by a committee chaired by Elizabeth Colagiuri, deputy dean of the college, that also includes Kent; Jennifer Jennings, professor of sociology and public affairs, Princeton School of Public and International Affairs; Stanley Katz, a lecturer with the rank of professor in public and international affairs at the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs; and William Miron, principal of Millburn High School in New Jersey and a 1978 Princeton University graduate.