NEWARK N.J. – Newark Public Schools (NPS) Office of Family and Community Engagement has announced the appointment of Juceyka Figueroa as the new Executive Director of the Family Support Center, formerly known as the Enrollment Center.

A Newark resident for over 11 years, Figueroa has spent her career working for several community agencies, including Prevent Child Abuse New Jersey and La Casa de Don Pedro, a Newark organization that works to meet the ever-changing social services needs embedded across the life cycle of the children, individuals, and families in the city’s underserved communities.

Figueroa began her career with NPS in 2003as a social worker on the Child Study Team, serving the District’s special education population in a number of schools. In 2012, she became the Supervisor of Special Education at Newark Vocational High School.

“As we prepare to welcome our students back to the District in September, I am thrilled to see that the Family Support Center is now open to provide community resources and to help families with enrollment,” said Superintendent Christopher D. Cerf. “Juceyka is incredibly committed to the Newark community, and I know that the students and families who visit the Family Support Center will benefit from her leadership.”

Figueroa is a graduate of Rutgers, The State University in Newark, where she obtained her undergraduate and graduate degrees [in 2000].  She also earned her Supervisory Certification from New Jersey City University and recently completed her Principal Certification at Kean University.

“I am excited to continue my work in the Newark community here at the Family Support Center,” said Juceyka Figueroa, Executive Director of the Family Support Center. “I look forward to supporting families through the enrollment process and connecting them to the important resources that will support their children’s education.”

The District made the decision to reopen and rename the Enrollment Center as the Family Support Center to reflect the wider range of resources that will be offered to Newark families. The office and its website will continue to allow families to enroll in schools throughout the District using one easy-to-use application. Additionally, the Family Support Center will help parents access important information regarding their children’s education, as well as information about upcoming events occurring within the District and the community.

The enhanced Family Support Center opened to Newark families and new students on July 13, and is offering additional targeted support during the periods listed below:

• Weeks of July 27 & August 3: Kindergarten & New Students
• Weeks of August 10 & August 17: Transfer Students

The Family Support Center is located at 301 West Kinney Street and is open Monday through Thursday from 9:00am to 3:00pm.  The Family Support Center website can be accessed at http://newarkenrolls.org.

NEWARK – Newark Public Schools (NPS) Superintendent Christopher D. Cerf today issued the following statement in response to the State’s recent release of the Quality Single Accountability Continuum (QSAC) District Performance Review:

“Last Wednesday, I received the QSAC District Performance Review from Commissioner Hespe, which outlines the District’s performance in a number of key areas. I’ve had the opportunity to share this report with the Board and it is currently under their review. While the report shows that there is still work to do, I want to make clear that it will not impede either our commitment to restore the District to local control, or the progress we are making towards fulfilling that commitment. I look forward to working with the Board and continuing our efforts to move the District forward.”

» Press Release from NJ State DOE

82 percent of students matched to top choices for 2015-2016 school year, up 18 percent from last year

Continuing the commitment to increase equitable public schools in Newark, Superintendent Cami Anderson today joined NPS School Advisory Board Chairman Rashon Hasan, Newark Trust for Education President and CEO Ross Danis, and Newark families to announce the Universal Enrollment Round 1 match results for the upcoming school year. The announcement came after the district held a match breakfast for families earlier in the morning, allowing them to converse with the principals of their newly matched schools.

“We have worked hard over the past year to implement the changes needed to ensure equity throughout the district, and this is an exciting step for all schools in Newark and for Newark families,” said Superintendent Cami Anderson. “By fully implementing a system that focuses on choice and student achievement, we are empowering families to choose schools that best fit their child’s needs.”

Part of the OneNewark plan, Universal Enrollment empowers Newark families to apply to a variety of schools – including charter and traditional public schools – and base their choices on their preferences. In the past, families had fewer options, largely due to the fact that students were assigned to schools based solely on their address. Now, families can choose to attend a school near their home or apply to schools outside of their neighborhood depending on their needs and preferences.

Based on the first round of match data for the 2015-2016 school year:

• 76 percent of all applicants received one of their top three choices.
• 82 percent of all applicants received one of their top five choices.
• 83 percent of all applicants who prioritized attending schools with siblings were matched.
• Additionally, the majority of students in transition grades, like Kindergarten and 9th grade were matched to schools of their choice.
  • 95% of kindergarten students were matched to one of their top 3 choices
  • 80% of 9th grade students were matched to one of their top 3 choices.

Last year, only 64 percent of applicants received one of their top three choices while 71 percent received a match included in one of their top five choices.

“Ensuring equity in education is the key to improving our community,” said SAB Chairman Rashon Hasan. “Implementing a system that encourages school choice and empowers parents is an essential part of building a better educational system and a better future for our kids here in Newark.”
This year’s Round 1 match data comes after a number of improvements were made to the enrollment process based on crucial feedback from the community. Provided through a survey led by the Community Review Committee, community feedback regarding last year’s enrollment process was generally positive, but also showed a need for better customer service and communication.

“There is nothing more important to me then making sure that my child is receiving the best education,” said Eagle Academy for Young Men of Newark Parent Keisha King. “The Universal Enrollment system has given me control and allowed me to determine which school will best serve my child.”

Families who were matched to a school in Round 1 will now need to register at their student’s new school by April 24. Families who did not participate are encouraged to apply in Round 2, which opens on April 20 for pre-kindergarten, and April 27 for kindergarten through 12th grade.

Newark, N.J. –Newark Public Schools Superintendent Cami Anderson hosted a reception last evening celebrating the district’s highly effective teachers and teacher leaders and highlighting opportunities for teachers to continue growing and leading change in Newark Public Schools.

“Every day we are working to raise the bar for Newark’s students by supporting excellence in the classroom. We believe that recruiting, supporting and developing, and celebrating and rewarding the absolute best educators will unlock the extraordinary potential of our students and ensure they are college and career ready,” said State Superintendent Cami Anderson. “The passion and commitment of everyone in this room is critical to realizing our goal of 100 excellent schools in Newark – and we are inspired by your hard work.”
In addition to celebrating highly effective teachers, the District also celebrated the innovative Leadership Institute for Teacher Teams (LIFTT) program, which supports ongoing, job-embedded professional development to teachers by teachers .

“As a teacher with over 10 years of experience, I know firsthand the challenges that exist in the classroom,” said Amy Panitch, a Newark LIFTT Teacher. “As a teacher leader participating in the LIFTT program, I’m able to work with my colleagues to implement highly effective instructional strategies that put students first and prepare them for college and career readiness.”

The district also recognized their partners in the district’s work of both recruiting and building great teachers. Specifically, the district acknowledged a new $5 million grant the U.S. Department of Education provided to Montclair State University, in partnership with the district, for a five-year urban teacher residency. Additionally, the District announced a partnership with the Relay Graduate School of Education (Relay GSE), naming it a district-approved program.

As part of the ground-breaking teacher contract, teachers completing a district-approved master’s program that will help teachers support their students in meeting the demands of the Common Core State Standards are entitled to total reward compensation of up to $20,000: $10,000 to be received upon completion of the program, and $10,000 to be received upon completion of an additional three years of service to NPS. Relay’s new one-year graduate program or two-year Master’s Degree program is just one of the many innovative practices in the labor agreement.

“Since Relay’s inception we have been eager and excited to expand our work with teachers in our Newark district schools,” said James Verrilli, Dean of the Relay GSE programs in Newark. “We love Newark, teaching and teachers, and we believe education is a powerful tool for social justice for the children of Newark. We understand that great teachers are developed, not born, and that every teacher has the capacity to be great.”
The event included various speakers, including students, who discussed both the work the District is doing with teachers in Newark and the tremendous value of our highly effective teachers.

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