Schools

NPS Hosts Their 1st TriMATHlon More than 600 Students Participate in 4-Day Math Adventure

Trimathlon Logo

[NEWARK, NJ – June 1, 2018] Newark Public Schools hosted their first TriMATHlon, a four day program of math exploration for students, hosted by the Math Department. The TriMATHlon engaged more than 600 students in three areas; “Making a Math Game,” “Creating a Prediction Station” and creating a “Game of 24 Championship.”

“The Math Department of NPS has created a day of learning and excitement, centered on inspiring students to develop a love of math,” said Interim Superintendent Robert Gregory. “I commend them for developing a creative way to raise the level of engagement for students in math by developing games and using problem solving methods to address their respective projects.”

Each school participated in the three projects:

Event 1: Make a Math Game
Students created an interactive math game that incorporated the major work of the respective grade. Games included but were not limited to carnival type games, board games, escape rooms, developing apps and more.

Event 1 Winners:

  • 1st Place: BRICK Peshine Academy
  • 2nd Place: Elliott Street School
  • 3rd Place: Ann Street School

Event 2: Prediction Station
Students completed an investigation and created a mathematical model based on a given phenomena.

Event 2 Winners:

  • 1st Place: North 10th Street School
  • 2nd Place: Speedway Academies
  • 3rd Place: Dr. William H. Horton School

Event 3: Game of 24 Championship
Students competed in an arithmetical card game in which the objective was to find a way to manipulate four integers so that the end result is 24.

Event 3 Winners:

  • 1st Place: Elliott Street School
  • 2nd Place: Wilson Avenue School
  • 3rd Place: Branch Brook School

Nicholas Romagnolo, Director of The Math Department said, “I had a great time developing and executing the TriMATHlon, along with my team and volunteers. We want to open the door for students to understand math and its use to solve problems and to use in their daily lives. I look forward to using what we learned from our first TriMATHlon to engage students further in their journey into Math.”

Newark Public Schools Announces and Surprises the 2018 Teacher of the Year during the Launch of Teacher Appreciation Week

Teacher Lourdes Reyes Exceeds Expectations for Students and Families

Photographed are Principal Fuentes, Vice Chair of the Board Dawn Haynes, Ms. Cruz (Ms. Reyes’ daughter), Teacher of the Year Lourdes Reyes, Interim Superintendent Robert Gregory and Board Member Asia Norton.

NEWARK, NJ – May 7, 2018 – Interim Superintendent of Newark Public Schools Robert Gregory, along with administrators and the principal of First Avenue Elementary School today surprised the 2018 Newark Public Schools Teacher of the Year Lourdes Reyes.  Ms. Reyes has been teaching for 20 years, 15 of those years at First Avenue School, where she teaches Grades 1 and 2, including teaching children with autism. 

“Ms. Reyes represents the best in teachers in Newark Public Schools,” said Interim Superintendent of Newark Public Schools Robert Gregory.  “Teachers are the backbone of our schools, communities and society – when they do a great job, it is evident in how our students are engaged and excel in the classroom and in life.”  The Interim Superintendent presented Teacher Reyes balloons and a bouquet of flowers before her class, teachers, administrators, family members and parents.  One of Ms. Reyes students commented, “She is the best teacher.” 

Ms. Reyes is known for exceeding expectations and going above and beyond the needs of students, including engaging the family in the learning process right in the classroom, according to First Avenue Principal Jose Fuentes, who submitted Ms. Fuentes name for the annual recognition program, which recognizes a teacher of the year overall and a teacher of the year for each of the district’s schools.  Teachers representing all Newark Public Schools will be recognized at a luncheon on May 30. 

Essex County Freeholder Robert Mercado presents a proclamation on behalf of the Essex County Board of Chosen Freeholders. Looking on are Assistant Superintendent, NPS Dr. Yolanda Mendez, Ms. Reyes and her daughter, Ms. Cruz.

Mr. Fuentes said, “Ms. Reyes brings out the best in every student through unique and engaging lessons.  She is patient, kind, thoughtful, compassionate and excited about teaching – and her love of her students engages the entire family in her class.  In addition, she identifies the best methods to aid her students, including incorporating cooking into the classroom.”  According to the Principal, some students who were non-verbal are now verbal and express themselves well and are skilled in sign language. 

At the presentation today, Ms. Reyes was joined by her daughter, a teacher at Newark Public Schools Elliott Street School, who commented, this is my mother’s life – she loves the children, and she loves her job.  Ms. Reyes was also presented a proclamation from the Essex County Board of Chosen Freeholders, presented by Freeholder Robert Mercado.  Ms. Reyes tried to hold back tears when she said, “This work means the world to me….my son is autistic, he graduated from Regional Day School/a Newark Public School – the love and education he received at Regional Day has allowed him to live a full life – I am proud and honored to serve the children of Newark and First Avenue School.”   

 NPS Board members, Vice Chair Dawn Haynes and member Asia Norton also participated in the surprise presentation. 

 

Camden Street Students Tour ABC Studios

Camden Street Students Tour ABC Studios
Camden Street ABC Studio Tour 2Students from Camden Street School recently spent the morning at Good Morning America at ABC Studios in New York City. Thanks in part to Art Teacher Serifatu Alaka Hughes, who has been teaching with NPS for 16 years. Art and Eden arranged for our students to go on a tour of ABC studios, which included asking questions while exploring careers in broadcasting.

Branch Brook Elementary School Named a 2018 KWN New Vision Award Winning School!


Panasonic and the KWN staff have selected Branch Brook Elementary School as one of three 2018 KWN New Vision Award Winning Schools for their “SM & Internet Safety for Kids” in the Eco-Effect Best PSA of the Year category!

This is a wonderful achievement for our students and we are very proud of them.

Students will attend a private awards luncheon and student exchange on Friday, May 11th at Panasonic HQ in Newark, NJ. As part of the weekend activities, students will also visit Glassroots.

Primary Schools – Human Interest Winners

  • Branch Brook School (Newark, NJ) – “SM & Internet Safety for Kids”
  • Marcus Garvey School (Chicago, IL) – “Overcome your Challenge”
  • Rancho Minerva Middle School (Vista, CA) – “Nurtured by Nature”

NFL Linebacker Tahir Whitehead Celebrated by Newark West Side Community

By: Mike Kinney | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com | March 23, 2018

Giving everything he’s got has always seemed to be a natural inclination for Tahir Whitehead in all matters football related.

Giving back, on the other hand, is an acquired gift.

The NFL linebacker has been known around the Newark West Side High community for some time now as a big-hearted benefactor of youth sports in his hometown – as well as a revered member of the school’s 2007 state championship football team who went on to some very big things in the sport.

Whitehead sponsors the Youth Annual Football Camp each summer for free to city youth Grades K-12 and he has purchased equipment for the high school’s weight room. Even though he now resides in the Atlanta area, Whitehead also still makes routine visits to his old stomping ground to offer insights on education and teamwork to current Roughriders hoping to follow his path to success.

The teamwork part? That’s always come easy for Whitehead, according to his high school football coach, Brian Logan, and to just about anyone else asked to comment on the football star Friday during Tahir Whitehead Day ceremonies Friday at the West Side gym.

But the education and the social benevolence aspects of his life? Whitehead thanks men like Logan for opening his eyes to those worlds.

“When I first got to high school and first met Coach Logan I saw how big of a heart he had,” Whitehead said. “That motivated me to come back and give back seeing how much he did for the guys on the football team and the people in the community. Not only was he a police officer for 25-plus years, but he was dedicated to being an amazing human being, and that motivated me to emulate that.”

Whitehead’s success and the generous way by which he has shared it motivated many to join hands and honor the former West Side and Temple University star. It began, first, by renaming the West Side weight room the Tahir Whitehead Fitness Center and then awarding him with numerous proclamations from city, Newark Board of Education and Essex County sources before his No. 4 high school jersey was retired before a cheering student body at the West Side gymnasium.

After helping West Side win the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3 championship in 2007, Whitehead starred at Temple for four years and graduated one semester early with a degree in criminal justice in December 2011 (that point, incidentally, drew raucous applause from the students). He played the last six years for the Detroit Lions after being drafted by that organization in the firth round in 2012, and just last week signed a three-year contract worth $18 million as a free agent with the Oakland Raiders.

Wealth. Athletic fame. A beautiful family. An enviable package, for sure for a kid from the gritty streets of Newark’s West Side. And it seems that each new measure of success in Whitehead’s life brings a moment to reflect on the lessons handed down by Logan and his staff at West Side.

“Coach Logan (who now is head coach at Weequahic) showed us all that community service is key. And not just by telling us and having us going around the help the less fortunate, but by his actions,” Whitehead said. “Having young men that were struggling in their lives actually come live with him in his house with his family, that right there was big-time for me. This man taught us that giving back like that was always bigger than you personally.

“I made a promise to myself to do exactly the same thing. Help as many people as I can while I can.”

Whitehead showed great talent as a football player in his Pop Warner days, but existed in that world somewhat in the shadow of older brother Quaheem Whitehead, a Newark Pop Warner legend and West Side star himself who graduated in 2006.

The older Whitehead was part of the crew that brought respectability back to the Roughrider name on the gridiron. Tahir, Anthony Baskervile, Jonathan Quallis, Carlos Cox and others advanced that several steps further and brought championship hardware back to South Orange Avenue.

But widespread notability was no guarantee for Tahir, who was considered a touch too small for linebacker and perhaps an academic risk by most colleges. He received exactly one scholarship offer, from Temple University.

“I’ve always been an underdog, always had a chip on my shoulder,” Whitehead said. “It was my only offer, but it was an offer. I was gonna show everyone that I am good enough. I was gonna show them all that I could play at any school in the country.

“But it was a blessing in disguise. Going to Temple, I really felt appreciated there. They chose me and they could have given that scholarship to anyone else. I was grateful and went in there with the mentality that I’m gonna work my tail off and make sure I pay it back.”

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