Press Releases

Newark Superintendent Surprises NJ’s Largest School District’s Teacher of the Year in Her Class with Flowers, Balloons and the Unique Honor

Newark Superintendent Surprises NJ’s Largest School District’s Teacher of the Year in Her Class with Flowers, Balloons and the Unique Honor

[NEWARK, NJ, June 3, 2019] The Superintendent of New Jersey’s largest school district, along with principals, students and family surprised Newark’s Teacher of the Year, Tamara Leveridge, of Ivy Hill School, in her classroom Monday morning. Along with the surprise, she received flowers and balloons.  Ms. Leveridge will be honored along with one teacher from every Newark Public School, at a breakfast, later this week. 

Superintendent Leon said, “What makes Ms. Leveridge a well-rounded educator, is that she most importantly understands and sets as a priority, what I call the most significant heartbeat of a school – and that is the child, the student.  Ms. Leveridge is an extraordinary professional, who through her compassion and love for students and teaching, is changing lives every day.  We are honored and grateful that she is a member of the extraordinary group of teachers who call the Newark Board of Education and Newark Public Schools, home.” 

Ms. Leveridge has been teaching for eleven years.  She taught multiple grades and content across the primary grades, 1st and 2nd; the intermediate grades, 4th and 5th and middle school, 6th grade. 

According to Principal of Ivy Hill School Dorrice Rayam, “What makes Ms. Leveridge an exceptional teacher is her drive for excellence.  Ms. Leveridge does not confine herself to the textbook or traditional methods of teaching, she finds creative ways to make the material accessible to their students, and keeps up-to-date with best practices.   She strives to create interactive lessons. She believes in the importance of providing rigorous and differentiated instruction.”  Ms. Rayam added that this year, Ms. Leveridge and her six graders, with the support of her colleagues, produced the Living Wax Museum for the entire school body. 

Principal Rayam continued, “Ms. Leveridge has the respect and admiration of her students. She has earned this respect and admiration by serving as a role model for her students and always has their best interest in mind. She treats students fairly, setting high expectations and is consistent with discipline. Ms. Leveridge goes beyond interacting with students on an instructional level and works to make sure their emotional needs are met, as well.”

In addition, according to the Principal, Ms. Leveridge has a positive relationship with colleagues and has earned their respect. She regularly collaborates with other staff within the school and district.  She also takes on positions of leadership within a school, such as leading professional development sessions and mentoring.  She added that Ms. Leveridge was deemed a highly effective teacher for four school years

When surprised this morning, Ms. Leveridge said, “I am surprised.  I do this for the students.  When I was in the third grade, I decided I wanted to be a teacher.  That dream never left me and became my reality.  I love my work and the opportunity to help children.” 

One of Ms. Leveridge’s students said, “She cares about us, she helps us and she is just nice.” 

To view the students wish Ms. Leveridge well, click here. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NgL8ntfZL-uaVLCvWuF1brRIoto1uyz0/view

 

Newark Board of Education Gospel Choir to Perform at the 2019 McDonald’s Gospelfest is the First Workplace Choir to Perform in the Show’s History


[Newark, NJ – May 10, 2019] On Saturday, May 11, the Newark Board of Education (NBOE) Gospel Choir will take the stage to compete in the McDonald’s Gospelfest (competing in the adult choir category) at the Prudential Center in Newark. McDonald’s Gospelfest is the largest showcase of gospel music in the world and the NBOE choir will be the first workplace choir to participate in the show’s long history. The choir competitions begin at 5 p.m.

The Newark Board of Education Gospel Choir (NBOE) was founded by Elijah D. Griffiths, a former NBOE employee and current employee Legretha Wingo in November 2018 after performing at the NBOE holiday celebration. The NBOE Gospel Choir, which is open to all employees, has 72 members and includes a broad section of employees including executive staff, instructional, clerks, custodians, attendance counselors, paraprofessionals and others.

The Newark Board of Education Gospel Choir is the first ever public-employee based choir in the United States and the first to ever participate in a national competition and musical production. They will compete against four other choirs, in addition to sharing the same stage as celebrity gospel artists who will be paying tribute and celebrating the life and legacy of Aretha Franklin. Celebrity artists performing include Yolanda Adams, Hezekiah Walker, Fred Hammond, Shirley Caesar, Tamar Braxton, and many others! Tickets can be purchased starting at $36.00 at https://www.prucenter.com/events/gospelfest.

After the McDonald’s Gospelfest, the NBOE Gospel Choir will be performing at the Kick-Off for Gospel Music History Month at Newark City Hall on Friday, May 31 at 11:00 AM in the Council Chambers. They are also scheduled to perform at a celebration including the Governor on Saturday, June 29, in Trenton, NJ.

For more information on the Newark Board of Education Gospel Choir please contact: Eli.dgriffiths@nullgmail.com.

Creating an Educational Ecosystem to Benefit Newark Children

NPS CLARITY 2020’S First Set of Reports to Presented to the Public

Academic, Business, and Civic Partners Present Their Formal Presentations on the Future of Education in Newark

NEWARK, NJ – April 29, 2019 – Academic, business and civic partners, who comprise 9 stakeholder groups, will make their final presentation on their recommendations on the future of education in Newark to Newark Schools Superintendent Roger León, members of the Board of Education and the Newark community on Wednesday, May 1, 2019. The presentation will take place from 6 – 8 p.m. at the Paul Robeson Center at Rutgers University, 350 Dr. Martin Luther King Boulevard in Newark. The recommendations will be incorporated into the NPS Clarity 2020 plan.

The formal presentation of the findings of the 9 stakeholder groups will be presented on May 1. The final plan will be presented on June 13. According to the Superintendent, NPS Clarity 2020 is intended to create a one-year strategic plan that fuels and funnels a 10-year strategic plan entitled The Next Decade: 2020-2030. He said, “Every voice in Newark can help us move closer to the ultimate goal of creating a new educational ecosystem in Newark, that will benefit our students, our district and our city for the next 10 years.

The foundation of the future of education in Newark is presented in NPS Clarity 2020. NPS Clarity 2020 is the strategic plan that has at its core, to identify how we begin to develop schools and students in a way that students and the community have long desired and deserved, according to Superintendent León. The objectives of this one-year strategic plan are three-fold. The three major public components of the plan are a Community Conversation, hosted by the Superintendent in January at which more than 300 people attended, followed by 9 roundtable stakeholder teams who have met regularly to develop plans in 9 categories, followed by the final presentation.

The second public element of NPS Clarity 2020 is the Formal Presentation to the Superintendent from the 9 stakeholder groups who were charged with developing a plan. The meeting to present the plan will be held on May 1 at the Paul Robeson Center at Rutgers University. The final public element of NPS Clarity 2020 is the unveiling of the Strategic Plan in June.

Superintendent Leon added, “As we continue to expand our plans for every student to excel, we also began a journey of what education should look like in Newark. From the start, we knew community input (government, civic and business) would be a part of the narrative because of their significance in moving our students forward. I look forward to their presentation on May 1.”

The public is encouraged to attend.

Panasonic and The Hispanic Heritage Foundation Launch Code as a Second Language in Newark, NJ, to Introduce Students to Needed Tech Skills

Over a Hundred Students to Learn Coding in Newark, NJ; Reno, NV; Atlanta, GA; and Calexico, CA

 

NEWARK, NJ (April 18, 2019) – The Panasonic Foundation and the Hispanic Heritage Foundation (HHF) will launch a Code as a Second Language (CSL) effort in four cities across the country starting with Newark, NJ, followed by Reno, NV, Atlanta, GA, and Calexico, CA as hundreds of students will be introduced to and taught computer coding.

The CSL Academy in Newark will launch on April 18th, 3:30 – 5:00 pm at the Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club Newark – Ironbound, 11 Providence St Newark, NJ. – press ops will be available

“Educating the next generation of workers means training more coders, software engineers, web developers and others with skills in computer science,” said Governor Phil Murphy. “I am grateful to the Panasonic Foundation and Hispanic Heritage Foundation for partnering to expand computer science education for Newark students and preparing them for jobs in the 21st-century economy.”

Photo #23 from left to right is: Lieutenant, Brandon Gonzalez-Cottrell, The Salvation Army Boys and Girls Club of Newark Ironbound; Alejandra Ceja, Director, Office of Corporate Social Responsibility & Executive Director, Panasonic Foundation; Antonio Tijerino, president and CEO of the Hispanic Heritage Foundation; Roger León, Superintendent, Newark Public Schools; Assemblywoman Eliana Pintor Marin; Zelia Oliveira, Program Director at the Boys and Girls Club.

The effort is designed to bridge a gap between the business community’s need for talent with technology skills and for students to be exposed to computer science.  Among Black and Hispanic students, those who take Advanced Placement Computer Science in high school are 7 to 8 times more likely to take computer science in college, according to Code.org. In the United States, there are 500,000 unfilled jobs in tech, which is estimated to nearly triple to 1.4 million unfilled tech jobs by 2020.

“Congratulations to the Hispanic Heritage Foundation on receiving this generous grant from the Code as a Second Language (CSL) Academies in partnership with the Panasonic Foundation,” said Superintendent of Newark Schools Roger León. “This investment in Newark’s children today will provide a good foundation for their future.” The Superintendent added, “It is our goal to ensure every Newark student has a computer science education. In Newark, we have developed an aggressive program to ensure all of our students develop computational thinking and problem-solving skills and knowledge through coding and programming in- and out-of-school classes and activities. This initiative with the Hispanic Heritage Foundation, Panasonic and The Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club Newark-Ironbound will afford our students access to the very best in education so that they will become global citizens to meet the growing demand of computer science careers.”

Through this partnership, Panasonic and HHF will teach middle and high school kids to code and will expose them to tech professionals, who can serve as mentors.

“This collaborative partnership helps us address one of the most critical issues minority students are facing today,” said Alejandra Ceja, Executive Director Panasonic Foundation. “The harsh reality is that a lot of students of color in predominantly low-income areas do not have access to the full range of stem courses in their schools. Through this partnership, Panasonic is providing more students with hands-on access to innovation and technology that is crucial to the 21st century workforce.”

The Coding as a Second Language Panasonic Foundation effort will include Coding as a Second Language Academies, which are 6- to 8-week coding courses with students meeting once a week for 1 to 1.5 hour, either as part of their school day or as part of an afterschool program.

“Driving CSL is the fundamental belief that all youth deserve access to technology-based programs and the opportunity to enter the workforce in a stronger position which will help America move forward,” said Antonio Tijerino, President and CEO of HHF. “The Panasonic Foundation shares that vision and we are grateful their leadership in preparing Latino youth for the classroom and workforce.”

The students will also be referred to the LOFT (Latinos On Fast Track) Network for ongoing on-line instruction and will connect to other students, mentors, networking, resources, STEM-related events and later potential internships and full-time positions with Fortune 500 companies. By 2020, more than half of all jobs will require technical skills, but a majority of students wouldn’t have learned coding in school. Coding will also enable students to be creators, innovators and entrepreneurs rather than just consumers of technology. CSL was established in Los Angeles in 2013 and by the end of this year will be in 75 regions, including Puerto Rico and Mexico, reaching more than 100,000 students.

About the Hispanic Heritage Foundation

The Hispanic Heritage Foundation, a national nonprofit, concentrating on education, workforce, culture and leadership with a special focus on technology through the Code as a Second Language (CSL) program which includes academies, bootcamps, workshops, apprenticeships and sourcing talent for Fortune 500 Companies. HHF is headquartered in Washington, DC, and Los Angeles, with satellite workspaces in New York, Silicon Valley, San Antonio, and Miami (Visit www.HispanicHeritage.org).

About the Panasonic Foundation

Panasonic Foundation is an operating, not grant-making, non-profit foundation whose mission is to advance equity in PreK-12 public education in the United States. From its creation in 1984, the Panasonic Foundation has been deeply rooted in advancing equity as the driver to improve the academic and social success of ALL students. The Foundation invests in the incubation of new ideas and public/private partnerships that directly support student achievement and in the development of skills and credentials students need to lead fulfilling and successful lives.  Learn more about Panasonic’s Office of Corporate Social Responsibility at https://na.panasonic.com/us/CSR.

For HHF and CSL programmatic information contact Technology and Innovation Manager, Alberto Avalos – alberto@nullhispanicheritage.org

For information regarding Panasonic contact Corporate PR, Betsy Sagges – Betsy.Sagges@nullus.panasonic.com

 

Registration is Open for Summer Programs

Academic Enrichment, Athletic, Visual & Performing Arts & More

Space is Limited for Some Programs

[Newark, NJ – April 15, 2019] Families interested in having their child/children participate in Newark Public Schools’ (NPS) Summer Programs must complete an application by Tuesday, April 30. Summer Programs are a free district-wide initiative to curb summer learning loss and provide enrichment experiences for students that enhances and expands their academic experience over the summer months. Programs this summer will focus on accelerated learning and enrichment and recreational courses. Summer Programs are available for students in grades Pre-K through eleven beginning Monday, July 1 through Friday, August 2.

“This year, one of our goals is to provide year-round learning to our students and families – we want to keep students engaged in learning during the summer months. Summer learning will help prepare our students for school in September with tools necessary for them to have a great school year,” said Roger León, Superintendent of Newark Schools. “This year, we have added new options for students, from Pre-K through high school, some of which are similar to summer camps.”

The Summer Programs include Summer Plus, English Plus, K-Ready Kindergarten Boot Camp, High School Academy: Summer Jump-Start, Special Education Programs, High School Summer Courses, High School Summer Bridge Program, Summer Sports Camps, Middle School Enrichment, and Summer Visual & Performing Arts.

Summer Plus was developed by NPS’ curriculum experts to improve critical math and literacy skills and ensures that participants are prepared for the upcoming school year. It also includes enrichment experiences in arts, STEM, and health and fitness aligned to academics, so that summer learning is a fun and rich experience.

“We are proud to be able to offer additional opportunities for our students to continue their education outside of the regular school year,” said Sarah Cruz, Special Assistant of Extended Learning Time. “Students who participate in Summer Programs are better prepared for the next step in their education and feel more confident taking on new challenges in the classroom.”

SUMMER PLUS is available for grades K – 7. The program includes math and language arts classes in the morning and fun learning activities in the afternoon. All students must be Newark residents. Students in need of academic remediation will receive preference. The program begins July 1 and ends on August 2 from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Breakfast and lunch are served for this portion of the program. Students who register for the 3 – 6 p.m. portion of the program receive a snack, as well. Summer sites are assigned based on the student’s current school. In addition, three additional programs are being offered this year; ENGLISH PLUS, EXTENDED SCHOOL YEAR AND SUMMER SPORTS & ARTS CAMPS.

English Plus is offered for grades K – 11 and is available for current bilingual students. This program focuses on developing English skills through reading, writing, speaking and listening, as well as, hands-on science experiences and mathematics. Special Education Program – Extended School Year is for current IEP eligible students with Special Needs in grades PK – 11. Summer Sports Camps range from cheerleading to football/track, girl’s basketball and sports, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming and more. Summer Sports is for grades 2 – 11. All programs are free.

This year we have added the Extended Day Option, which provides a late-afternoon enrichment program for students who need additional child care from 3 – 6 p.m. Also added is the K-Ready Kindergarten Boot camp, a full-day academic enrichment program for students transitioning to the kindergarten. The High School Academy: Summer Jump Start program is for students in grades 5, 6 and 7. These students will have an opportunities explore the Academies at each of our comprehensive schools.

Middle School Enrichment programs will be offered this summer, as well as Summer Visual & Performance Arts programs for students with a passion for the arts. Finally, for high school students, there will be High School Summer Courses that will include Credit Recovery, High School English Plus and Accelerated Courses and the High School Summer Bridge Program, which includes team and culture building, academic enrichment, school spirit activities and exposure to the arts and athletics.

For complete details about NPS Summer Programs, please visit: https://newark.apppresser.com/summerprograms

Jersey Cares Launches Health in the Community Initiative to Improve Access to Nutrition and Fitness Education at Essex County Schools with Grant from the Aetna Foundation

[Newark, NJ, April 11, 2019] Jersey Cares,a nonprofit organization that recruits and engages volunteers in rewarding, effective efforts that address community-identified needs, today announced the launch of the Health in the Community Initiative during an event at Sussex Avenue Renew School in Newark, New Jersey. The Essex County school-based project was made possible by a $250,000 grant from the Aetna Foundation, a philanthropic arm of CVS Health (NYSE: CVS). The event consisted of a formal check presentation and was complemented by volunteer activities with elementary students that took place throughout the school.

The Health in the Community Initiative is an innovative, cross-sector collaborative, inspiring a culture of health in schools through the implementation of fun nutrition and fitness education for K-5th graders across Newark, New Jersey, with extended benefits to families and peers of the children reached. Additionally, onsite gardening programs for students will support the instruction education, to include building of greenhouses and gardens at each school. Enhanced outdoor spaces will be created to encourage active play as classroom and activity-based fitness workshops are provided. We believe that by connecting kids to a lifestyle of health and wellness while in elementary school we can affect their relationship to food and ensure kids develop healthier habits and grow up to lead healthier, more productive lives.

“Health in the Community is a ground-up program that will be evolved through the participation of parents, guardians, teachers, and school leaders, built with the incredibly generous support of the Aetna Foundation and powered by the intention to give children a real, sustainable likelihood of a healthy and brighter future,” said Brian Dean, President and CEO of Jersey Cares. “This initiative is a compelling opportunity to demonstrate what all of us can accomplish by working together as individuals and as organizations.”

“At CVS Health, we know that the path to good health starts locally in our schools and homes. Today we are excited to have the opportunity to work collaboratively with the team at Jersey Cares on this important initiative with the Newark school system,” said Dr. Garth Graham, President of the Aetna Foundation. “The Health in the Community Initiative is an innovative project that will give students and their families’ access to the tools they need to make good decisions when it comes to nutrition and fitness, critical components to establishing long-lasting health and wellness.”

Jersey Cares will establish a new division, built on its existing model of addressing community needs via well-managed volunteers that will focus exclusively on developing and delivering this healthy living program. For 25 years, Jersey Cares has engaged New Jersey residents in solving the challenges faced by their communities. Jersey Cares’ expertise lies in delivering, via a cadre of volunteers, impactful programs of the model proposed herein to improve the nutritional habits of children in Newark. Jersey Cares works with each of hundreds of nonprofits every year to help them analyze the potential for volunteers to accomplish their goals and then recruits thousands of volunteers to do just that. Since 2006, Jersey Cares has intentionally expanded from offering programs that engaged close to 2,000 volunteers and gave slightly over 4,000 hours of service to providing programs that engaged more than 26,000 volunteers to produce over 89,000 hours of service last year. This growth is indicative of the effectiveness of the Jersey Cares model of utilizing civic participation to deliver efficient, impactful programs.

The Aetna Foundation grant to Jersey Cares builds upon the outstanding tradition of community investment by CVS Health and Aetna and advances our purpose of helping people on their path to better health. For more information on the Health in the Community project, please visit: https://www.jerseycares.org/.

About Jersey Cares

Jersey Cares is a dynamic nonprofit organization that meets community needs by making volunteering in New Jersey easy and meaningful. Jersey Cares works directly with local nonprofit organizations and schools, identifying their needs and training volunteer leaders to manage projects that address them. Jersey Cares offers meaningful volunteer opportunities that showcase the rewards of civic engagement and address some of our communities’ most serious needs. For more information, please visit www.jerseycares.org.

About CVS Health

CVS Health is the nation’s premier health innovation company helping people on their path to better health. Whether in one of its pharmacies or through its health services and plans, CVS Health is pioneering a bold new approach to total health by making quality care more affordable, accessible, simple and seamless. CVS Health is community-based and locally focused, engaging consumers with the care they need when and where they need it. The Company has more than 9,800 retail locations, approximately 1,100 walk-in medical clinics, a leading pharmacy benefits manager with approximately 93 million plan members, a dedicated senior pharmacy care business serving more than one million patients per year, expanding specialty pharmacy services, and a leading stand-alone Medicare Part D prescription drug plan. CVS Health also serves an estimated 39 million people through traditional, voluntary and consumer-directed health insurance products and related services, including a rapidly expanding Medicare Advantage offering. This innovative health care model increases access to quality care, delivers better health outcomes and lowers overall health care costs. Find more information about how CVS Health is shaping the future of health at www.cvshealth.com.

About the Aetna Foundation

The Aetna Foundation is an independent charitable and philanthropic affiliate of CVS Health (NYSE:CVS). As a national health foundation, the Aetna Foundation promotes wellness, health, and access to high-quality health care for everyone. This work is enhanced by the time and commitment of company employees, who volunteered 670,000 hours in 2018 alone. For more information, visit www.aetna-foundation.org.