District embraces SMART amp Technology to Enhance Teacher Instruction, Student Learning and Collaboration

 

December 15, 2015 – Newark, New Jersey – Newark Public Schools (NPS) unveiled a new digital learning program today called SMART amp, a virtual white board that empowers students to better understand critical subjects like mathematics through collaboration and exploration on devices. SMART amp also enables teachers to visualize students’ understanding of mathematics in real time, allowing them to adjust instruction, provide timely feedback, and address misconceptions quickly.  In addition, students are able to use the platform to present their reasoning to one another and to critique the reasoning of classmates as they work through mathematics problems together.

“In order for our students to be prepared for college and career success, they must understand mathematics and be able to communicate their ideas to others,” said Christopher D. Cerf, Superintendent of NPS. “At NPS, we are committed to providing our teachers with the resources they need to engage our young people in more effective learning experiences. By teaching students to use technology to collaborate with their peers to solve a problem, we are giving them the tools they need to be successful as they continue their academics and enter the workforce.”

SMART amp is one of the only education tools that allows for the co-creation of content.  In mathematics, students can create varied paths to a solution while working in the same virtual white space at the same time.  This technology gives educators the ability to quickly evaluate the student learning process to improve achievement outcomes.

“Students want to learn in the ways that are most natural to them. SMART amp is designed to let them access information and collaborate using any Web browser, whether they’re in the same room, across town, or halfway around the globe,” said Greg Estell, Solutions President, SMART Technologies.  “We’re delighted to see NPS adopt SMART amp to help students succeed. And because SMART amp is cloud-based and integrates with Google Apps for Education, the learning curve for students is incredibly short – they research, learn and co-create just like they would outside the classroom.”

In January 2015, NPS piloted SMART amp as part of its ongoing investment in technology.  After seeing its potential to enhance learning, the district introduced SMART amp into the mathematics curriculum in the 2015-2016 school year. Teachers incorporating SMART amp and other math content into their lesson plans receive training and instructional support services through monthly Leadership Institutes for Teacher Teams (LIFTT), Digital Learning Institute (DLI) workshops and Vice Principal Leadership Initiatives (VPLI).

Gina Antonucci, a teacher who is using SMART amp with her students at East Side High School, has seen the benefits of the technology firsthand.  “SMART amp, and its many features, fosters group work and collaboration.  As a result, I have seen students become engaged through mathematical discourse, which in turn provides me with more opportunities for formative assessment than prior to using SMARTAmp.  In particular, the assessment feature has proven to be a great formative assessment tool as I can immediately give meaningful feedback and steer class discussion based on the results.”

SMART amp is one of a number of instructional investments that NPS is making in the mathematics curriculum.  NPS recently adopted Agile Mind, a web-based learning system that provides meaningful math content and instructional support. Agile Mind provides excellent mathematical materials that help students make critical mathematical connections in the classroom.  It also outlines a more intensified Algebra curriculum that accelerates learning for students so they are prepared to take Geometry in the following academic year.

In addition, NPS is incorporating formative assessments strategically throughout the school year to gauge how students are learning and what educational tools best help students understand math content. These assessments enable educators to develop a rigorous and meaningful mathematical experience for children in a timelier manner. NPS is also effectively utilizing innovative technology-enhanced items or digital media within the curriculum to ensure students are understanding the material to prepare for the PARCC exam.

View the story on news12.com.

Enrollment application window open earlier, longer than ever before

[Newark, NJ – December 7, 2015] – Today Newark Public Schools (NPS) launched its enrollment application process for the 2016 – 2017 school year. This year’s enrollment application window, which is open earlier and longer than in previous years, will remain open for a period of 12 weeks through February 29, 2016 and will be accompanied by a wide variety of resources and tools that will aid parents in the application process.

“The district is committed to making sure that the enrollment process works for all Newark’s families and affords every child access to a school of their choice,” said Superintendent Christopher D. Cerf. “This year’s application process is open earlier and longer than ever before, giving parents more time to learn about the schools that will best meet the needs of their children. Parents will also have more resources and tools to inform their decision-making process as they determine what their child’s academic future will look like.”

NPS collected feedback over the last year from various stakeholders including parents, students, educators and community leaders about how to improve the enrollment process. The district recently announced that it has made the following enhancements to the enrollment process for the 2016 – 17 school year:

• Simplified the application process by reducing it to only one enrollment window
• Improved sibling match to ensure siblings are placed in the same school whenever possible
• Revised geographic preferences to allow children better access to a school in their neighborhood

“There is no doubt that opening the enrollment process earlier and extending the application window will help families make the best possible choices for their child,” said Margarita Muñiz, Executive Director of Family and Community Engagement. “We are excited to help parents through the application process to ensure that their children are in well-matched school communities.”

The district has also taken steps to provide parents with the information they need to make informed decisions about their school options, including:

• A revised enrollment guidebook will be available at www.newarkenrolls.org that showcases detailed information about each school and explains the various support services and programs that are available
• Community information sessions and school open houses so that families can learn about their options directly from school staff
• School spirit videos to give parents a better sense of the unique learning environment each school has to offer

Over the next 12 weeks, families should take the following steps to maximize their children’s school enrollment options:

• Determine if their child should participate. Families should participate in the enrollment process 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/meets their needs
• Learn about school options by:
  • Researching schools through the new online school guidebook
  • Attending schools open houses and fairs
  • Watching spirit videos from participating schools
• Apply for enrollment by February 29, 2016:
  • Visit www.newarkenrolls.org and click the “Apply” tab and choose the schools parents would like their children to attend
  • Rank the schools in order of preference

If children would like to remain in their current school next fall, and do not fit the above criteria, parents do not need to submit an application in the enrollment process.

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.

Families interested in learning more about school enrollment should visit online at www.newarkenrolls.org, in-person at 2 Cedar Street, Room 918 or the Family Support Center located at 301 W. Kinney Street. The Center is open Monday – Thursday from 9:00am to 3:00pm.

South Ward Community Schools Initiative and Newark Opportunity Youth Network will empower and support city’s most traditionally overlooked families and youth.

 

Newark, NJ – December 1, 2015 – Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka, the Newark Municipal Council, Newark Public Schools Superintendent Christopher D. Cerf, and the Foundation for Newark’s Future (FNF) today announced the launch of two groundbreaking community initiatives, the South Ward Community Schools Initiative and the Newark Opportunity Youth Network (OYN), that will help provide educational and support services to the city’s most vulnerable young people.  The Foundation for Newark’s Future is investing an initial $1.2 million for planning and launching the two initiatives, and FNF funders expect to invest up to $10 million total in community schools and up to $2.5 million in OYN. These investments will enable a number of community based organizations (CBOs) to come together to offer services and support to families in need in the South Ward as well as alternative education services for disconnected youth throughout the city.

“Today’s announcement finally makes a longstanding vision a reality,” said Mayor Baraka.  “I would like to thank the Foundation for Newark’s Future and Superintendent Cerf for stepping up and making these two important initiatives – the South Ward Community Schools Initiative and the Newark Opportunity Youth Network – possible.  After today, we can begin the important work of improving educational outcomes for those who need it most.  It is so important for us to work together to make the City of Newark an excellent place to live and raise a family, and these two programs will help us lower the dropout rate, create more jobs and improve the quality of life for families throughout this city.”

The South Ward Community Schools Initiative 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. 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.

“The initiatives we are announcing today will enable us to lift up some of Newark’s most traditionally overlooked populations and provide more young people with educational opportunities and support services,” said Superintendent Cerf.  “Thanks to Mayor Baraka and the Foundation for Newark’s Future, as well as our community partners, we will be able to directly reach families in need in Newark’s South Ward as well as disconnected youth across this city, providing them the support they need to improve their educational outcomes and achieve career success.  I have no doubt that the South Ward Community Schools Initiative and the Newark Opportunity Youth Network will help transform lives and have measurable impact for our children, youth and families.”

“I am also excited to ensure that these schools operate on a level playing field with respect to other public schools in the city, including magnets and charters,” Superintendent Cerf added. “By giving them more control over budget, staffing, and curriculum, these schools will have a greater opportunity to both compete and succeed.”

The Foundation for Newark’s Future funders expect to commit up to $10 million towards this critical community schools effort, starting with an initial planning and launch grant of $600,000. The South Ward Community Schools Initiative will serve as a pilot that is targeted for a 2016-2017 school year launch.

“Community Schools are an approach to education that require every stakeholder including parents, students, educators, city agencies, universities, and local organizations to work together to provide opportunities and resources in neighborhood schools for all children to thrive,” said Dr. Lauren Wells, Chief Education Officer for the City of Newark. “The community has been calling for these schools in Newark because across the nation community schools are transforming learning and improving outcomes for children. The South Ward Community Schools initiative brings us one step closer to achieving for every child in Newark.”

The Strong Healthy Communities Initiative (SHCI), under the leadership of Director Monique Baptiste-Good, will serve as the lead planning agent for the South Ward Community Schools Initiative.

“The South Ward Community Schools Initiative has been a dream for so many of us, and I am proud to be working with the Mayor, Superintendent, and other community stakeholders to ensure this project will be a success,” said Baptiste-Good. “It is our hope that this project will give our most under-served families in the South Ward access to the tools and resources that are critical to life success.”

In addition, the Foundation for Newark’s Future funders expect to invest up to $2.5 million to help launch the Newark Opportunity Youth Network, an intermediary that will provide educational and support services to some of the city’s most disconnected youth.  Approximately 20 percent of Newark’s young people, age 18 to 24, do not have a high school diploma.  Over 3,800 of Newark’s dropouts are either unemployed or under-employed.  Nearly 1,000 students fall behind their classmates each year, placing them in danger of dropping out or not being able to find a job. The City of Newark, Newark Public Schools, Rutgers University-Newark, the Newark City of Learning Collaborative, the Prudential Foundation, Victoria Foundation, and the Foundation for Newark’s Future came together to establish the Newark Opportunity Youth Network to address this disengagement crisis and establish a network of campuses and programs led by local community based organizations (CBOs) to provide educational, social and job training services throughout the city.

“The Foundation for Newark’s Future is proud to invest in these smart, innovative, life-changing community initiatives that will have a profound impact on some of Newark’s most vulnerable populations,” said Foundation for Newark’s Future President and CEO Kimberly Baxter McLain. “I would like to thank Mayor Baraka and Superintendent Cerf for their leadership on these issues and look forward to seeing the results these programs will produce not only in the classroom but in the lives of each of these kids.”

The Newark Opportunity Youth Network has identified five CBO partners to spearhead these efforts across all wards: La Casa de Don Pedro, Urban League of Essex County, New Community Corporation, Rutgers TEEM Gateway and Leaders for Life, Inc.  Additional community partners will be added in subsequent years. The Newark Opportunity Youth Network will help to strengthen the city’s workforce, reduce the rate of dropouts, and positively alter the life trajectory of thousands of school-aged youth.

“These are both important initiatives to expand opportunity for Newark residents,” said Nancy Cantor, Chancellor of Rutgers University-Newark, referring to the Community Schools and OYN initiatives. “Helping to bring the many young people who have left school before graduating back into a formalized learning setting benefits Newark’s development in so many ways. These efforts are so important for Newark’s future and we at Rutgers University-Newark and the Newark City of Learning Collaborative (NCLC) together look forward to working with our partners to make them a success.”

The expected $12.5 million investment marks the start of the last series of donations the Foundation for Newark’s Future will be making in the final year of its five year commitment to funding educational success in the City of Newark.

“Over the last five years, we have met with so many incredible community leaders who all share a common goal to providing an excellent education for all of Newark’s children,” said Ms. McLain.  “We are looking forward to working with stakeholders in the coming weeks and months to support programs and initiatives such as Community Schools and OYN that have the potential to result in meaningful and long-lasting impact.”

[Newark, NJ – November 24, 2015] – Superintendent Christopher D. Cerf and Newark Public Schools (NPS) staff members announced improvements that will be made to the 2015-16 Newark Enrollment Process for the 2016–17 school year at the Newark School Board’s monthly meeting Monday night. The district has been collecting feedback over the last year from various stakeholders including families, community leaders, and other school community members about how to improve the open enrollment process in a way that gives all of Newark’s children access to an excellent education.

“It is imperative that we give every child in Newark access to the best education possible, regardless of where they live,” said Superintendent Chris Cerf. “Over the last year, we have gone to great lengths to gather feedback from the community about how we can improve the enrollment system so it works for all of our families. We are incorporating that feedback in a way that will simplify the application process for families, giving them more time to fill out the application and more opportunities to learn about the great schools in Newark that are available to them, among other improvements.”

Feedback from the community in prior years indicated that there was inadequate communication and community engagement, initial execution challenges, and policies shortfalls that did not allow for families to prioritize keeping siblings together.

In response to feedback, the district will be implementing policy changes and process improvements in preparation for the opening of this year’s enrollment process. NPS outlined some of the following modifications to Newark’s enrollment process:

Superintendent Cerf engages community members in a dialogue about district plans and priorities

 

[Newark, NJ – November 18, 2015] – Newark Public Schools (NPS) announced this week that it will begin a series of more targeted meetings with families, students, educators, and community members over the next few months. These conversations, called School Community Conversations, are a continuation of the work Superintendent Chris Cerf has been engaged in since joining the district in July, when he began speaking with community members about the district’s challenges and successes. They will be focused on how the district can best identify and act on key priorities as it continues to work towards the transition to local control.

“Our team is committed to partnering with educators, students and families to identify a clear vision and set of goals to move the district forward. These conversations will allow us to meet directly with school community members in an informal setting to ensure that their views are reflected in our planning,” said Christopher D. Cerf, Superintendent of Newark Public Schools.  “Our greatest responsibility is to the families we serve. This is another opportunity to have an open and honest conversation about how to best serve our students.”

NPS held its first School Community Conversation meeting on Monday at Harriet Tubman Elementary School with a group of about 20 parents. All parents at the school were invited to attend, and those who joined were able to sit with Superintendent Cerf and members of his team to discuss the strengths of their school, and suggested areas for improvement. These informal conversations will be held in a different district school with groups of students, teachers, parents and school leaders being invited to participate monthly.

The district will continue these conversations with the Newark community as part of the strategic planning process that was announced last month. The district intends to partner with board members and the larger Newark community in the coming weeks and months to identify key priorities as a part of its broader effort to create a sustainable organization. These conversations will be a critical step in the process that the district expects to culminate into local control.

“It is encouraging that the district is opening up a line of communication and meaningfully engaging with parents, students and teachers to improve our schools,” said Verndry Elliot, parent and member of the Black Alliance for Educational Options (BAEO). “I look forward to seeing how our dialogue with the district will impact Newark’s children in the months and years ahead.”

The strategic planning process will also include an open survey and open community forums in January and February to ensure all voices are heard. School Community Conversations will help the district identify broad priorities and inform NPS as it develops strategies to not only improve the district’s performance on the State’s accountability system known as QSAC, but to identify what the district needs to best serve Newark students and their families.

“We understand there is a great urgency from the Newark community to move towards local control,” added Superintendent Cerf. “Our overarching goal is to work together with educators and families to ensure that we are making substantive progress on this transition, while doing everything we can to ensure we are leaving a district that is prepared to provide a high quality education for our children. Our hope is that these community engagements help us achieve both of these goals.”