Hawkins Street

Newark Public Schools Partners with Newark Yoga Movement to Host Staff Development Focused on Wellness

[Newark, NJ – August 31, 2017] This week, Newark Public Schools (NPS), in partnership with the Newark Yoga Movement (NYM), hosted a staff development (SD) for teachers and administrators at 8 schools in Newark. The SD was focused on wellness of the mind, body and spirit and provided tools for school staff (administrators and teachers) to learn and apply breathing and calming techniques in school and in their daily lives. The SD took place at 8 different Newark district schools; West Side High School, Camden, Cleveland, 14th Avenue, George Washington Carver, Hawkins Street, NJ Regional Day and Rafael Hernandez schools and included administrators and staff. According to the Newark Yoga Movement (NYM), over 400 staff members were trained over the course of the week, including students and staff at George Washington Carver School.

The SD provided staff members with tools to self-soothe and self-regulate themselves to get them ready to better serve their students. Christopher N. Cerf, NPS Superintendent of Schools said, “The benefits of offering yoga to both administration and staff are many, which is why NPS has worked with NYM since 2009 and is now extending the NYM program to more schools in the district and to the administrative arm of teaching and learning.”

Debbie Kaminsky, founder of Newark Yoga Movement said she is honored to be the recipient of these unique micro grants from NPS to provide yoga to students and administrators. She stated, “Teaching students to breathe and relax as they learn is a great step forward in education and in social and emotional learning.”

The Newark Yoga Movement will be teaching yoga and its related properties and benefits to 9 schools this year. More than 500 students at Sussex Avenue Renew School learned yoga as a way to reduce stress, help them concentrate and remain calm in different situations according to school administrators.

Newark Yoga Movement team has been meeting with school leaders and tailoring yoga programs that fills their school needs. According to Ms. Kaminsky, many of the schools are looking to yoga to help give children dealing with behavioral issues a leg up through gaining additional tools. She said one school has added the important parent component and children with special needs will also be receiving yoga in several schools especially for the self-soothing/self-regulating benefits and beginning in September at one school, Newark Yoga Movement will be teaching yoga to both children who are deaf or blind.

Newark Public Schools Teams Up with United Way of Essex & West Hudson, and Scholastic to Bring Author & Educator Sharon Robinson to Schools To Promote My Very Own Library Program

Daughter of the late Jackie Robinson visits three schools as part of national initiative

[Newark, NJ – June 20, 2017] Three Newark Public Schools hosted the United Way of Essex and West Hudson’s (UWEWH) My Very Own Library (MVOL) program, and author and educator, Sharon Robinson, daughter of the late, great Jackie Robinson on Friday, June 16.

Students at Hawkins Street School, Quitman Street School and Cleveland Elementary School were treated to day of reading as part of this national program, conducted in conjunction with Scholastic Book Fairs, a division of Scholastic, the world’s largest publisher and distributor of children’s books. In talking with the students, Ms. Robinson shared her journey as an author, educator and daughter to one of the greatest American hero’s, Jackie Robinson.

Roger León, Assistant Superintendent of NPS said, “Thank you to the United Way, Scholastic, My Very Own Library and Ms. Robinson for bringing this special reading program to Newark Public Schools. My Very Own Library helps to further our mission of encouraging students to read.” Joining Assistant Superintendent Leon was Assistant Superintendent Erskine Glover, who added, “Having Ms. Robinson in the District and participating in My Very Own Library Program, provides a unique opportunity for our students to experience the joy of reading. This program launches summer reading in a way students will remember and appreciate.”

Sharon Robinson, daughter of baseball great and civil rights icon Jackie Robinson, is an acclaimed author of works of fiction and nonfiction as well as an educational consultant for Major League Baseball. She is the founder of Breaking Barriers: In Sports, In Life a baseball-themed national character education curriculum that helps empower students overcome obstacles in their lives. Robinson’s widely praised nonfiction books about her father, baseball legend Jackie Robinson, include Testing the Ice: A True Story About Jackie Robinson and Promises to Keep: How Jackie Robinson Changed America. Her other books include novels: The Hero Two Doors Down, Safe at Home, and Slam Dunk. Prior to joining Major League Baseball, Ms. Robinson was an educator and taught at Yale, Columbia, Howard, and Georgetown University. She currently serves as Vice Chairman of the Jackie Robinson Foundation.

The partnership between NPS, UWEWH and MVOL allows students the opportunity to select three new children’s books at three special Scholastic book fairs, three times a school year.

“We are thrilled that Sharon Robinson is visiting students in Newark,” said Catherine Wilson, President and CEO. “This gives students an opportunity to not only connect with an author, but a woman whose family has made an indelible mark on African-American History. Our students are incredibly lucky to be able to learn from Ms. Robinson and connect her to their reading experiences.”

Lucia Couto Receives Full Scholarship to Harvard University

Lucia Couto says academic excellence was stressed every day in her home growing up in Newark and attending First Avenue School. Lucia is the Valedictorian of her at Arts High School and will attend Harvard University in the fall on a full scholarship where she will study Medical Physics.

Lucia Couto says academic excellence was stressed every day in her home growing up in Newark and attending First Avenue School. Neither Lucia’s mother nor father had an opportunity to attend college and wanted to make sure their children attended college, and had an opportunity to excel, in a way that escaped them. Lucia’s sisters, a teacher at Hawkins Street School and a registered nurse, are putting their support behind her as she begins to plan for her college years at Harvard University, where she has received a full scholarship. Lucia is the Valedictorian of her class at Arts High School. She is a leader and a standout in her focus area of dance. In addition, she is an athlete, a peer leader, and a member of the National Honor Society and Pathways to College. According to her principal, Mr. Pedro, you will find Lucia at the head of almost any activity or organization.

Lucia’s focus at Arts High School is dance. She loves singing and dancing; primarily Modern, West African, Afro Cuban, Ballroom and some Ballet. She said attending Arts has provided an extraordinary opportunity for access to Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, which she loves!

Lucia said, “I don’t believe in excuses, which is why I take advantage of opportunities afforded to me.” She continued “one of my greatest passions is to reach back and not be afraid to dream and to follow my dreams, regardless of where they come from. Don’t let what people’s opinions about where you come from make you think in a certain way. I love Newark and I am proud to say I live here. I will prove to anyone that I deserve to be at Harvard as much as anyone else. A lot of good things and people come from Newark,” Lucia added.

Lucia has always been fascinated by Albert Einstein and will major in Medical Physics at Harvard.

Hero & Daughter Dance at Hawkins Street School

Hawkins Street Hero Dance 2017On Friday, March 10, 2017 Hawkins Street School hosted a Hero and Daughter Dance with over 250 attendees.

The dance was designed to have pre-k to 4th grade girls honor and invite their male hero; dad, uncle, grandfather, brother or other prominent male figure. Everyone in attendance was dressed to impress and the music kept all in a festive mood. Guests were also invited to experience a photo booth and enjoy a light dinner.

NPS Teachers Awarded for Excellence

Governor’s Recognition Award

These eight individuals stand out as top staff members in their schools based on their ability to inspire students of all backgrounds; foster a strong student learning environment, demonstrate leadership in educational activities; and are dedicated to the school and community. These are not just teachers but also our education service professionals who work closely with our children.

  • Jessica Allen a teacher from Quitman Elementary
  • Glenda Capers a teacher from BRICK Avon
  • Josephine Cooper – a Social Worker from Quitman
  • Lucinda Lopez – a teacher from First Avenue
  • Melissa Milara (Ramirez) a teacher from Miller Street
  • Alberta Shiavo a teacher from John F. Kennedy school
  • Deborah Sims a Behavioral Specialist from John F. Kennedy school
  • Hilda Soto-Yao a teacher from New Jersey Regional Day

School Teacher of the Year Award

These teachers were nominated as the top teacher in their school based on their individual accomplishments and contributions in the classroom as well as for their leadership. Not only do these teachers consistently exhibit preparedness and instructional excellence, but they also take on formal and informal mentoring and leadership roles to broadly improve the quality of education at their school.

  • Marisa Alves, from Lafayette Street School
  • Andrea Arguello from South Street
  • Tammy Chavez from Ann Street
  • Nicole Coppola from Park Elementary
  • Deirdre Corley from Hawthorne Avenue
  • Whitney Farrand from Mount Vernon
  • Lisa Fischman from Harriet Tubman
  • Angelisa Guilford from Lincoln Elementary
  • Michelle Gutierrez from Abington Avenue
  • Stacy Guzman from McKinley
  • Stephanie Hairston from Chancellor
  • Nicole Harris from Hawkins Street
  • Sadiqua Harvard from George Washington Carver
  • Natasha Javed from Camden Street School
  • Celia Laricchia from East Side High
  • Cristano Liborio from Science Park High
  • Matthew Lichten from Ridge Street
  • Susan Lopes Oliveira from Wilson Avenue
  • Melissa McSweeney from Elliott Street
  • Jessica Morais from Oliver Street
  • Kariema Muhammad from Belmont Runyon
  • Sean Nally from Barringer Arts and Humanities
  • Teresa Oliveira from BRICK Avon
  • Marcela Palma from Miller Street
  • Anany Rodriguez from Luis Munoz Marin
  • Kimberly Rubenstein from Rafael Hernandez

Special congratulations to District Teacher of the Year recipient, Edith Battle. She is a teacher who exemplifies the highest level of excellence and is a true example for all other teachers in the district.

In Pursuit of 100 Excellent Schools, NPS Appoints Eight New Renew School Principals

June 19, 2014 (Newark, NJ) – Reaffirming its commitment towards realizing 100 excellent schools across the district, Newark Public Schools (NPS) today announced the appointment of eight principals to lead the 2014-2015 Renew Schools cohort. Renew Schools – created in line with extensive research identifying the common characteristics of successful schools – provide a wide-range of additional academic and social-emotional supports in order to ensure the needs of each individual child are met. This cohort of seasoned school leaders, with over seventy years of combined experience as educators and demonstrable capacity to improve school outcomes, is uniquely prepared to move these eight schools in a bold new direction in order to achieve academic success for all of their students. This cohort joins ten other Renew Schools for a total of eighteen Renew Schools across the district.
The five qualities successful schools with high levels of student achievement share are great school leaders; excellent teachers; a clear vision and mission; a safe building with flexible resources; and engagement with students and families. With a great principal at the helm of these new Renew Schools, the other four characteristics can come into place.
“The most critical goal of the Renew Schools strategy is to create the conditions necessary for success,” said Superintendent Cami Anderson. “With strong leaders at the helms of these schools, tightened accountability measures, and the ability to recruit, train, and retain the best talent, we can chart a course for enhanced learning environments and thus outcomes for our students.”
In Newark’s Renew Schools, principals will select their staffs through a city-wide hiring process that will ensure the right teachers are in the schools that make the most of their specialized skills. These schools will offer social and emotional supports that ensure students are ready and able to learn, including serving three healthy, organic meals daily, launching a school-wide mentoring program, offering families Adult Education classes in the evenings and on weekends, in literacy, math, and English. Renew Schools also make significant investments to create 21st century learning environments including updating their building’s wiring and internet access capabilities, and upgrading their computer labs with software aimed at reading and math acceleration and individualized learning.

The 2014-2015 Renew Schools Cohort is as follows:

Belmont Runyon Elementary School – Shawn Oxedine-Walter

An educator in the district since 1999, Shawn has worked as a bilingual Math teacher, Math Coach, and is now the Vice Principal of Miller Street. Under her leadership, Miller Street achieved gains in math on the NJASK. Shawn is committed to creating a collegial working environment where staff, families, and students can thrive.

Dr. E. Alma Flagg Elementary School – Ganiat Rufai

Ganiat Rufai is an instructional leader with an extensive background in special education. She has teaching experience in Washington D.C. and Brooklyn, NY, and has served as a Vice Principal in Washington, D.C. for the past four years. Ganiat is a results-driven leader who sets high expectations and has a record of building strong relationships with students, staff, and community members.

Hawkins Street Elementary School – Sandra Marques, Returning

Sandra began her fifteen-year career in the district as a teacher at Hawkins Street where she became Principal in 2012. She also served as Vice Principal at Wilson Street for eight years. Sandra emphasizes a culture of collaboration and collective responsibility amongst her staff and has expertise in aligning school operations with its values.

Rafael Hernandez Elementary School – Patricia Gois
A Wilson Avenue School alumna and an NPS educator since 2002, Patricia Gois has long been dedicated to serving the Newark community. She began her career as a teacher at Ann Street School, and has been Vice Principal there since 2010. Patricia is fluent in English, Spanish, and Portuguese and is relentless in her pursuit of excellence.
Dr. William H. Horton Elementary School – Ginamarie Mignone, Returning
A career educator in Newark Public Schools, Ginamarie began her district career in 1998 as a teacher and Literacy Coach at Burnet Street School, to where she returned as Vice Principal in 2007. She served as Vice Principal of Quitman Street Community School for one year before heading back to Burnet Street. In August 2013, Ginamarie became Principal of Dr. William Horton Elementary School. Her leadership skills and focus on family engagement fosters a high quality educational environment focused on student achievement.
Louise A. Spencer Elementary School – Jenn Pellegrine, Returning
Jenn Pellegrine will continue as the Principal of Louise A. Spencer for a third year. Prior to joining the Newark Public Schools, Jenn was a New Leaders Aspiring Principal, taught in public and charter schools in New York City, and served as Director of Data and Assessment at Newark’s Our Lady Liberty Charter School. Striving to continually develop her own leadership skills, Jenn actively seeks out opportunities for professional training in programs such as Research for Better Teaching and Relay Leadership. Leading by example, she encourages her staff to grow professionally as well.
Luis Munoz-Marin – Maria Ortiz
Building on her successful career with the Newark Public Schools, Maria will take the helm at Luis Munoz-Marin – where she started her district career as a Language Arts teacher – after serving as Principal at Alexander Street School. She has also been Vice Principal at Rafael Hernandez School and a Literary Coach Coordinator at both Miller Street Elementary School and Barringer High School. Maria’s spirit of grit and high standards helps establishing a goal-oriented and results-driven culture for staff, families, and students.
Speedway Elementary School – Atiba Buckman, Returning
Returning for a third year, Atiba Buckman will continue as Principal of Speedway Renew. Atiba studied reading at Columbia University’s Teacher’s College and brings expertise in literacy. Prior to joining Newark Public Schools, Atiba was a Vice Principal in New York City. Her commitment is to create a supportive school environment that prepares students for success in high school and beyond.