Families who have not yet submitted an application for the 2016-2017 school year have until February 29th to apply for a new school in the fall

[Newark, NJ – February 26, 2016] – Families interested in exploring school options for the 2016-2017 school year must complete the Newark Enrolls application online or in person at any district or participating charter school or at the Newark Public School’s (NPS) Family Support Center located at 301 W. Kinney Street prior to the Monday, February 29 deadline. The online application will close at 11:59pm on the 29th, and the Family Support Center will have extended hours on Monday from 5-7 pm to assist those who need last minute support.

“The district is committed to creating a level playing field for our students, and Newark Enrolls ensures that all of our young people have access to the best education Newark has to offer,” said Superintendent Christopher D. Cerf of Newark Public Schools. “We are doing everything we can to reach out to as many families as possible, and we are confident that our efforts will be helpful as families consider what’s important for their child’s educational success.”

NPS has made a concerted effort since enrollment opened on December 2015 to reach out to as many families as possible through school fairs, social media and community engagement. Earlier this month, more than 1,000 people attended the Newark Enrolls School Fair hosted by NPS at Central High School where attendees learned more about their school options and received assistance in the Newark Enrolls application process. In addition, 37,000 families received messages through the district’s communication system, Blackboard Connect. Text messages were also sent about the enrollment deadline to all parents who use the district’s Remind App.

“Applications are on track for the 2016-2017 school year, and it has been exciting to see so many families take a proactive role in their child’s education,” said Executive Director of Enrollment, Gabrielle Ramos-Solomon. “We want to make sure all families take advantage of the great school choices that are available to them and will be sending out reminder notices and calls in the coming days to ensure everyone has an opportunity to participate in Newark Enrolls and get their child placed in a school that is right for them.”

In addition to reminding parents about enrollment options across the city, the district has also intensified efforts in the South Ward particularly through school fairs, Blackboard Connect messages and neighborhood canvassing to make sure community members are aware of the five Newark schools that will be participating in the South Ward Community Schools Initiative (SWCSI). SWCSI is an initiative that will help provide educational and wrap-around support services to some of the city’s highest need students. The five schools selected for the project are Malcolm X Shabazz High School, BRICK Avon Academy, Belmont Runyon Elementary School, Louise A Spencer Elementary School, and Peshine Avenue School.

If families are interested in applying to these community schools, there are several easy options available:

1. If families have not yet submitted an application online, they can simply rank a community school as their first preference when they do.
2. If families have already submitted and want to change their enrollment selection based on this new information, they are able to do so by accessing their account online up until the deadline.
3. If a family in the South Ward community decides after the deadline that they would like to attend a community school, they can visit the family support center located at 301 W. Kinney Street to get more information about next steps.

As a reminder, parents should complete a Newark Enrolls application if:

• Their child is in the last grade in their current school, including those:
  • In grade 8 of all K through 8 schools
  • In grade 6 of Harriet Tubman School
  • In grade 4 of Benjamin Franklin, Branch Book, Fourteenth Avenue, Newark Educators’ Community Charter, Roberto Clemente, Roseville Community
  • In Pre-K4 of the Early Childhood Schools (Berliner, Gladys Hillman Jones, South, West) and all community-based Pre-K4 providers
• Their child will be enrolling in public school for the first time in fall 2016, including:
  • New Pre-K students
  • New Kindergarten students
• Their child wants to attend a new school for fall 2016 that better fits their needs

If children would like to remain in their current school next fall, parents do not need to submit an application.

Families who submit applications by February 29, 2016 for a new school will receive their match letters in mid-April 2016. The match letter will inform families of their school placement for the fall and provide families with next steps to register and confirm their placement with their school.

For more information please visit www.newarkenrolls.org.

[Newark, NJ – February 22, 2016] – This weekend over 600 people attended the Second Annual KHEM COMIC FEST at Central High School, a convention, festival and celebration dedicated to promoting youth literacy and the arts.  The convention, which was sponsored by Central High School and PBS Media, featured creators of comics, books, film, video games and other media with an emphasis on people of color.

“The KHEM COMIC FEST gives us an opportunity to celebrate the significant impact that the artistic community has on our culture,” said Superintendent Christopher D. Cerf of Newark Public Schools. “It was wonderful to see so many members of our community participate in the KHEM COMIC FEST, and I hope that the events this weekend will give more young people the encouragement they need to express themselves creatively.”

The festival also underscores the importance of popular arts and literature in education. This year, KHEM COMIC FEST integrated Common Core standards into the programming to show how comic books or similar media can be used to communicate lessons in a way that students can relate.

“As the Pre-Engineering Academy Vice Principal, my mission is to stimulate and develop student interest in the various STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics) disciplines.  The KHEM Comic Book FEST provides another medium to achieve this goal,” said Mr. Naseed Gifted, Vice Principal of Curriculum & Instruction, Pre-Engineering Academy, Central High School.

The KHEM COMIC FEST also served as a networking event for professionals and aspiring artists alike.  The event featured several workshops dedicated to the arts including comic book workshops, panel discussions and screenings.

South Ward Community Schools Initiative will empower and support some of Newark’s schools that are most in need

[Newark, NJ – February 19] The City of Newark and Newark Public Schools (NPS) announced the selection of five Newark schools that have been invited to participate in the South Ward Community Schools Initiative (SWCSI), an initiative that will help provide educational and wrap-around support services to some of the city’s highest need students. The five schools selected for the project are Malcolm X Shabazz High School, BRICK Avon Academy, Belmont Runyon Elementary School, Louise A Spencer Elementary School, and BRICK Peshine Avenue School. These schools will participate in a six-month planning period, before officially launching as community schools in the 2016-2017 school year.

“We are very excited about the schools that have been selected to take part in this initiative,” said Superintendent Christopher D. Cerf of Newark Public Schools. “Bringing the community schools model and additional resources to these communities will allow us to provide more of our students with an excellent education, along with the fundamental support services they need to attain educational and career success.”

The SWCSI, a partnership project of Newark Public Schools and the City of Newark, was announced in December of 2015. The Foundation for Newark’s Future is investing an initial planning and launch grant of $600,000 and the funders expect to commit up to $10 million towards the community schools effort.

Since the announcement, a cross-sector working group of community stakeholders convened by Dr. Lauren Wells, Chief Education Officer for the Mayor’s Office of Comprehensive Community Education, have met weekly to further develop the long-term plan for the South Ward schools. The working group, which includes members of the School Board, representatives from Rutgers University, NJ Communities United, and the Alliance for Newark Public Schools, will continue to support these schools as they create a long-term vision for success.

“Community schools remove barriers to learning, create rich academic and instructional environments for students and teachers alike, and bring stakeholders together to ensure the success of students and schools, They are vibrant places that use the assets of their students, families, and communities as vital resources for learning,” said Dr. Wells,. “These schools are beginning an exciting journey of transformation that will enrich their students and families while at the same time charting a path for community schools in the future. Several years of advocacy for community schools have taken root in this initiative with widespread support and enthusiasm. This is an important moment for us all.”

The Clinton Hill neighborhood was identified as a starting place for the Community Schools Initiative. All traditional public schools in the community were eligible to apply. The Strong Healthy Communities Initiative (SHCI), under the leadership of Director Monique Baptiste-Good, is the lead planning agent for the SWCSI.

“After weeks of meeting with principals, educators and community members on this exciting project, we are thrilled to announce the selection of the first community schools in the South Ward of Newark,” said Baptiste-Good. “This is a major first step in the process, and we look forward to working hand-in-hand with community members to design schools that deliver both high-quality instruction in the classroom, and that partner with community organizations to offer a range of enrichment, health, social and other services for children and their families.”

Each of the five schools that have been selected will begin a needs assessment and planning period this spring. This process will engage school and community members to create vision for each school that meets the needs of the student population they are serving.

“We are very grateful to the Mayor’s Office, the School District and the other leaders of this effort for giving us the opportunity to take part in this initiative,” said Shawn Oxendine-Walter, Principal of Belmont Runyon Elementary School. “We are also excited to begin to engage further with our community in this process so that we can create a vision that will help us fully support the unique needs of our children.”

The selected schools will immediately begin to outreach into their communities to let them know that they have been chosen for these additional supports and resources. This weekend the district will be holding a number of activities in the South Ward to ensure families have the information they need to make enrollment decisions. School fairs and application support will begin on Friday and continue through the weekend with door to door canvassing and additional application help on Saturday and Sunday, February 20th and 21st. For information on these activities, go to www.newarkenrolls.org.

“Now that we have been selected to participate in this initiative, we want families to know how these additional services, resources and conditions will benefit them over the long term,” noted Jennifer Pellegrine, Principal of Louis A. Spencer Elementary School. “We are just as committed as we have always been to the success of our children, and believe we are now better positioned to rally our community members to co-create a vision that will provide our students with vital supports that enable them to achieve at higher levels and ultimately transform the greater community.”

Throughout the coming year, SWCSI will continue to move forward with wide-ranging engagement efforts in the South Ward, working with local community leaders to further develop what these community schools will look like and how the specific support services will be structured.

“The school board and the Newark community welcome the re-dedication to community schools that the SWCSI represents,” said Antoinette Baskerville-Richardson, Newark Board of Education member. “We applaud the collaborative effort to support a model that is improving attendance and graduation rates throughout the country. The community schools will attract families to our district schools. The school board and the community will continue to monitor and support the process, because we believe that the success of our students and the future of the Newark Public Schools system rides on the success of this effort.”

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Background on South Ward Community Schools Initiative

SWCSI will allow for the creation and ongoing support of community schools, an intervention model that provides academic, social, emotional, and health services support to those students who need it most. Over one-third of Newark’s children are living in poverty, and even higher percentages are concentrated in the South Ward. Poverty is a significant obstacle to a child’s ability to learn and succeed in school, as well as to be successful in the future. This initiative will bring together community organizations and institutions to improve student achievement and youth development outside of the classroom through programs before and after-school, on weekends and over the summer that aim to nurture the whole student.

SWCSI will follow the community schools model. Built around a strong instructional core, full-service community schools offer comprehensive services and programs to support student achievement, school success and positive youth development, while operating beyond the hours of a traditional school day – including before and after school, evenings, weekends, and throughout the summer. Community schools are characterized by a rigorous curriculum and core instructional program, high standards and expectations, and an integrated focus on academics and family support. Such schools may offer before and after-school programs, health and dental care, mental health services, social services, and enrichment programs for the whole family.

SWCSI will generally share the following principles:

• Equity: Community schools mobilize the human, institutional, and financial resources of their communities needed to close the opportunity gap and the achievement gap and ensure that all young people have a fair chance at success.
• Strong partnerships: Partners share their resources and expertise and work together to design community schools and make them work.
• Shared accountability: Clear, mutually agreed-upon results drive the work of community schools. Data helps partners measure progress toward results and agreements enable them to hold each other accountable and move beyond “turf battles.”
• High expectations for all: Community schools are organized to support learning. Children, youth and adults are expected to learn at high standards and be contributing members of their community.
• Community’s strengths: Community schools marshal the assets of the entire community — including the people who live and work there, local organizations, and the school.
• Embrace diversity: Community schools know their communities. They work to develop respect and a strong, positive identity for people of diverse backgrounds and are committed to the welfare of the whole community.
• Local decision-making: To unleash the power of local communities, local leaders make decisions about their community schools strategy, while individual schools respond to their unique circumstances.

Newark Public Schools, Strong Healthy Communities Initiative, and the Office of Councilman John S. James host the fifth and final strategic planning meeting session in South Ward

[Newark, NJ – February 11, 2016] – More than 85 members of the community attended Newark Public Schools’ (NPS) South Ward strategic planning session on Wednesday, hosted by the Strong Healthy Communities Initiative and the Office of Councilman John S. James at Malcolm X Shabazz High School. Wednesday’s meeting was the fifth and final meeting in a series of five strategic planning meetings that the district will be hosting in each ward, and was well attended by community members, leaders and school staff. Mayor Ras Baraka attended the session and shared his thanks to all those who participated. Strong Healthy Communities Initiative helped facilitate several small-­‐group discussions in which parents, educators and community leaders were encouraged to share their feedback and insight on the following subjects:

• Curriculum and academic programs
• Student supports
• Education development, effectiveness and retention
• School planning and choice
• Data use, measurement and accountability
• Operations, finance and governance
• Community engagement

The purpose of these meetings is to discuss how the district can best plan for success in the years ahead. At the end of the meeting all attendees were asked to complete an engagement survey which included a comprehensive list of questions that gathered further information and input from the community. This survey is also available online here: http://tinyurl.com/npsstrategicplan. All feedback will be shared at a final meeting on Thursday, February 25 where the district will present a draft plan for consideration before presenting the final plan to the public.

For more information about upcoming community engagement meetings, or any other details related to the Strategic Planning Process please visit: https://newark.apppresser.com/strategic-plan/.

[Newark, NJ – February 17, 2016] Today, Newark Public Schools Superintendent Christopher Cerf announced the formation of an Attendance Committee comprised of Newark community members and district leaders to focus on reducing absenteeism across Newark Public Schools. Students across the district continue to be chronically absent at rates well above the state average, and that high rate has remained essentially unchanged for many years.

“High absenteeism directly undermines a child’s learning and academic performance in the classroom, compromising their long-term success,” said Superintendent Cerf. “There are a number of great things happening across our schools, but if a child is not present in the classroom, it makes it difficult for educators to help them succeed. We are committed to doing everything in our power to address this critically important issue. The formation of this committee, in partnership with the broader Newark community, is an important step to better understand why students are chronically absent, and to help design effective community-wide strategies to address this challenge.”

The Newark Public Schools Attendance Committee will bring together the school district, city agencies and community groups to work together to identify solutions to combat absenteeism.

Advocates for Children of New Jersey Executive Director Cecilia Zalkind, whose organization recently released a study on chronic absenteeism across New Jersey school districts, will play a critical role in this effort. “The findings in our report, Showing Up Matters, signal a call-to-action among district and community leaders. We are eager to partner with Newark Public Schools and the broader community to address this urgent problem,” said Zalkind. “The best response to research is action, and this is what we are committed to do in the weeks and months ahead. We are confident that through this collaborative effort we will be able to design strategies that effectively address the specific challenges facing our students and families.”

In addition to the targeted work of school leaders and the attendance committee, the district has initiatives underway, such as the South Ward Community Schools Initiative, and the Opportunity Youth Network that aim to support students and families outside the classroom to improve student attendance rates.

“I am so grateful to our educators, who work tirelessly each and every day to help combat this challenge. We are forming this committee because we recognize that this is a problem we cannot solve on our own,” said Superintendent Cerf. “It’s one that requires deep collaboration and partnership across the city. I look forward to working closely with the committee to improve our attendance rate and to ensure that our classrooms are great learning environments for our young people.”

Confirmed members of the Newark Public Schools Attendance Committee include the following individuals:

• Cecilia Zalkind, Advocates for Children of New Jersey
• Crystal Fonseca, NPS School Board
• Nathan Ruben Dos Santos, Student Representative, NPS School Board
• Bari Erlichson, New Jersey Department of Education
• Monique Baptiste Good, South Ward Community Schools Initiative
• Kathy Duke-Jackson, First Avenue Elementary School Principal
• Angela Mincy, Barringer STEAM Academy Principal
• Wilhelmina Holder, Secondary Parents Council
• Lucious Jones, Parent Representative
• Monica Darko, Parent Representative
• Mike Mallairo, NTU Representative
• Mike Iovino, Teacher Representative

[Newark, NJ – February 12] – More than 9,000 students at 32 Newark Public Schools (NPS) participated in National No One Eats Alone Day today, a lunchtime school event dedicated to getting students to engage with one another, find common interests and make everyone feel included. Students played ice breaker games and engaged in conversations to help them build better relationships with their peers.

“The district is committed to promoting a safe and inclusive learning environment that makes all of our students feel supported,” said Superintendent Christopher D. Cerf of Newark Public Schools. “National No One Eats Alone Day is an important initiative that is making meaningful progress toward combatting social isolation and peer pressure in schools across the country. We will continue to encourage our students to reach out to one another through the positive activities they learned today.”

Created by Beyond Differences, a non-profit organization that empowers youth to end social isolation, No One Eats Alone Day encourages students to build more inclusive environments at schools, particularly in middle schools where adolescents can be insensitive to students who are being excluded during lunchtime, which is often times the longest or most difficult period of the day for young people who feel socially isolated.

“No One Eats Alone Day asks students to engage in a simple act of kindness at lunch – making sure that no one is eating alone,” says Laura Talmus, founder of Beyond Differences. “No One Eats Alone is a powerful program. We’ve seen students connect during No One Eats Alone despite their differences,” says Talmus. “And, we’ve learned through teachers and families that new and lasting friendships have been forged during these events.”

In 2015, more than 400,000 students in 700 schools and 38 states participated in National No One Eats Alone Day. Beyond Differences will reach a million students in more than 1,100 schools in 50 states this year.

“Social isolation has serious health consequences such as depression, eating disorders, sleep disturbances and risk high blood pressure and cardio vascular disorders,” says Matt Pantell, M.D., pediatrician at UCSF Medical Center in San Francisco. “It can lead to truancy, substance abuse, suicide and even community violence.”

For more information about No One Eats Alone visit: http://www.nooneeatsalone.org/.