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Message from the Office of Teaching and LearningDear Teachers and Instructional Staff, As we move forward in our commitment to excellence in teaching and learning, I want to commend you for your dedication to implementing Cornell notes and student work portfolios as essential tools in fostering student engagement, critical thinking, and content mastery. Research consistently affirms that structured note-taking and the intentional collection of student work are powerful strategies that enhance comprehension and long-term retention. The Power of Cornell Notes
Cornell notes serve as more than just an organizational tool—they actively promote higher-order thinking and metacognitive skills. According to Pauk and Owens (2014), “Cornell notes are an effective way to encourage students to summarize, question, and reflect, leading to improved retention and understanding of material.” By consistently reinforcing this strategy, we can help students develop habits that support independent learning and academic success. I am sharing a student-friendly Cornell notes rubric to be shared with the students to help guide them in their implementation of Cornell notes. This rubric should not be used punitively but rather as a supportive tool to encourage self-assessment and reflection. By using this rubric, students can better understand the expectations and improve their note-taking skills, ultimately enhancing their learning experience. Leveraging Student Work Portfolios
Student work portfolios provide a comprehensive view of learning progression and allow both teachers and students to reflect on growth over time. Research from Darling-Hammond et al. (2019) underscores that “portfolios not only document learning but also encourage students to take ownership of their progress, fostering deeper engagement and self-efficacy.” I encourage you to make portfolios an integral part of instruction, using them as a foundation for student conferences, formative assessments, and goal setting. Proactively Using Data to Inform Instruction
As we continue refining our instructional practices, I urge you to leverage available data—including benchmark assessments, formative checks, and student work analyses—to make informed instructional decisions. Hattie (2009) highlights that “teachers who systematically use data to guide instruction see greater learning gains, as data-driven decision-making allows for targeted interventions and responsive teaching.” By maintaining momentum in these areas, we will continue to drive student achievement and instructional excellence. Thank you for your unwavering commitment to our students and for consistently striving to elevate their learning experiences. Let’s continue to be Focused, Friendly, Flexible, and Fast in our approach, ensuring that every student receives the best possible education.
Best regards,
Assistant Superintendent Esteves |
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Community Support Resources The Office of New Americans (ONA) in the NJ Department of Human Resources supports new Americans through outreach and education, and works on priorities to build trust, improve access to social services, workforce development and employment services, and legal services for immigrants.
ONA is committed to ongoing support as updates and changes in federal policy arise. Please see below for community support resources: For additional information and resources, please visit the website at NewAmericans.nj.gov. |
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Observance of Ramadan (New) Please note that Ramadan is being observed from February 28, 2025 to March 29, 2025.
In our continued effort to be mindful and respectful, please review the Ramadan Infographic.
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See the Summer Program 2025 Timelines (New)Contact: Matthew Brewster, Office of Staff Development
Email: MBrewster@nps.k12.nj.us 
Please see the following timelines for Summer 2025: - Parents, families and schools notified of mandatory registration - February 13, 2025
- Staff job announcements posted - March 3, 2025
- Program brochure and application launch - April 1, 2025
- Program registration ends - May 16, 2025
- Parent/Student notification of enrollment - June 2, 2025
- Summer Staff Orientation and Organization Days - June 25 and 26, 2025
- Summer Program Dates - June 30, 2025 through August 1, 2025
For more information, visit our website at https://www.nps.k12.nj.us/summerprograms/. |
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Summer Quest Interest Meeting (New)Contact: Julianne Bello, Office of Extended Learning
Email: jbello@nps.k12.nj.us Winter may be in full swing, but the Office of Extended Learning is already setting the stage for an unforgettable 2025 Summer Quest program! Summer Quest provides recreation and enrichment activities from 1-6 pm for students currently in grades K-7 at various elementary locations from June 30 to August 1, 2025. Teachers are needed to lead sports, recreation, visual and performing arts, book club, games, STEM, and other activities! Curious to learn more? We will be holding an information/interest session soon. Please fill out the Summer 2025 Quest Interest Form to receive an invitation! |
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Parent University – Prudential Financial Literacy Workshop (New)Contact: Natasha Rouse, Office of Federal Programs & Grants
Email: nrouse@nps.k12.nj.us  Newark Board of Education is partnering with Prudential Pathways to offer financial wellness educational seminars hosted by industry experts. Prudential Pathways aims to make building financial planning strategies less intimidating and more empowering through easy-to-understand educational programs. Please share the flyer with families so they can register. All sessions are FREE!
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SY 25-26 School Social Worker 2 Intern Request Form: NOW (New)Contact: Stacy M Pelham-Hale, OSL - Student Support Services
Email: s1hale@nps.k12.nj.us  The Office of Student Life is now accepting applications for School Social Worker 2 Internships for the 2025-2026 school year. If your school is interested in hosting an intern, please read the following requirements:
- Principal/Administrator must authorize permission to host intern(s).
- NBOE schools must have a SW2 who is in good standing and is highly qualified to supervise intern(s).
- The SW2 must complete the following Google Request form by 5/23/25.
Note: If a college/university contacts you regarding internship placement, please direct all inquiries to Mrs. Stacy Pelham-Hale, Supervisor at s1hale@nps.k12.nj.us. |
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Mandatory Affirmative Action Training (New)Contact: Nichola Camacho, HRS - Affirmative Action
Email: ncamacho@nps.k12.nj.us Board policy requires all employees to complete annual Affirmative Action training. All training courses will be launched on February 19, 2025. You will receive an email from the Newark Board of Education containing a link to log in to Vector Solutions using your District email and password. Each training course includes an assessment that must be completed. A certificate can be saved or printed after successfully completing each assigned training course. You must complete all required courses by May 30, 2025. 2024-2025 NBOE Annual Affirmative Action Training Courses | Course Name | Course Assignment | | Discrimination Awareness in the Workplace | All Staff | | Sexual Harassment: Staff-to-Staff | All Staff |
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Teacher Transfer Period (New)Contact: Eboni Woolridge, HRS - Instructional Staffing
Email: ewoolridge@nps.k12.nj.us If you are interested in transferring to one of our AMAZING schools, please apply on Frontline between April 7th and April 17th. You will be provided a notification by HRS when your request is reviewed and approved by Hiring Managers and Leadership.
**Check out the fantastic opportunities at the elementary and high school level by reviewing the following links: NBOE High School Profiles or NBOE Elementary School Profiles. For more information about our academies at the high school level, please visit: https://www.nps.k12.nj.us/academies/ ** |
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2024 W-2s and ACA 1095C Electronic Consent (New)Contact: Jennifer Medina, Payroll and Benefit Services
Email: j1medina@nps.k12.nj.us  Save a tree and avoid your 2024 W-2 and 1095 form getting lost in the mail or wasting a stamp! Those are just a few good reasons to complete the consent form.
W-2s and the ACA 1095 forms are available in Employee Self Service. Update your consent now to avoid receiving paper W2s next year. You can download your W2 now and your 1095 will be available by February 28, 2025, with hard copies being mailed by March 3, 2025. Additional details about ACA 1095 are posted at https://nboehrs.com/aca-1095/. |
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Schoology Training Plan (New)Contact: Abdullah Ansari, Division of Information Technology
Email: aansari@nps.k12.nj.us  The District has adopted a multi-phase and multi-source training plan for the migration to the new Schoology Learning Management System (LMS). This plan consists of an initial in-person hands-on training conducted by professional trainers from PowerSchool covering 30% of teachers and administrators in each school. The District has conducted four phases of the initial training since November 2024. Each phase has been conducted monthly over a 3-day period with 6 three-hour sessions per day. The objective of this training is to train key school personnel so they can lead the migration effort in their respective schools. The fifth and final phase of this training will be conducted in March 2025.
Another form of Schoology training offered to teachers and administrators is via the self-paced online OTIS for Educators training platform. Teachers and administrators can access this platform using the following URL, https://otis.teq.com/, and can login to the platform via Google or Clever. The platform contains over 20 different sessions on Schoology and is available 24x7x365. The third form of Schoology training offered by the District is an in-person training provided by trainers from Teq. This training is offered to schools that have received the initial training and are in the process of migrating to Schoology. The objective of this training is to offer additional assistance to schools with their migration and address their needs and concerns. Each school will receive a 3-hour in-person training at the school building conducted by a professional trainer versed in both Google Classroom and Schoology platforms. Schools in phase 1 and 2 of the migration plan have already scheduled their in-person training with Teq. Schools in phase 3 and 4 that recently received their initial training will be contacted by Teq the week of February 17, 2025 to schedule their final in-person training. Schools are encouraged to inform Teq of the manner in which they wish to use their training session so the trainer can tailor the session to their needs. Please note that the implementation of Schoology as a contemporary Learning Management System is aligned with the District’s 10-year Strategic Plan (Priority 2.2). Schoology will also play a pivotal role in the District’s adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the area of Teaching and Learning. After the successful migration to Schoology, the District will implement PowerBuddy AI app within Schoology to assist students with homework assignments and help teachers with tasks such as lesson planning and assessments. |
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4th Annual Women's Leadership ConferenceContact: Shamere Williams, Office of the Deputy Superintendent
Email: s21williams@nps.k12.nj.us You are cordially invited to attend the 4th Annual Women’s Leadership Conference: Writing Your Story, Becoming the Leading Lady. This event is open to current and aspiring women leaders in the District. The conference will take place in-person on Saturday, March 22, 2025, at Newark Vocational High School from 9:00am to 1:30pm. Breakfast will open at 8:30am. For your convenience, parking is available onsite at Newark Vocational High School. Additional parking will be made available at American History High School with shuttles to transport attendees to the conference site. If you are interested and able to commit to attending an amazing day filled with learning, professional development, and fellowship, please complete the link below. *Space is limited and registration will close on Friday, February 28, 2025.
Registration: https://forms.gle/bhf3g1DCcf7ccm8KA Download the event flyer. |
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Register for the Panasonic Kid Witness News ProgramContact: Kathleen Tierney, Office of Science
Email: ktierney@nps.k12.nj.us  Kid Witness News is a FREE global student team video competition that is open to New Jersey students from ages 10-18. Student teams will create a video on a global social issue aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals identified by the United Nations.
Please see the link below for more information: |
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Special Education Conference: March 5, 2025Contact: Candice Wells, Office of Special Education
Email: c1wells@nps.k12.nj.us  The Office of Special Education is excited to announce its 3rd annual Special Education Conference, taking place on March 5, 2025 from 8:00 am to 3:05 pm at Newark Vocational High School.
This year's theme, Innovate, Adapt, Inspire: Achieving Excellence in Special Education, will highlight key strategies to support the academic and functional needs of students with disabilities.
Sessions will focus on best practices in compliance, curriculum instruction, and behavior management, offering valuable insights for administrators and special educators.
Registration information is forthcoming. |
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Office of Special Education Resources and UpdatesContact: LaPrice Weatherington, Office of Special Education
Email: lweatherington@nps.k12.nj.us The Office of Special Education (OSE) hosts monthly workshops for special education teachers new to the NBOE. We are excited to announce that all special education teachers are invited to attend the Special Education Teacher Academy (S.E.T.A.) workshops for both February and March. February is dedicated to supporting student behavior needs; March's workshop is dedicated to Learning Ally (using audio/text to speech) to support struggling readers. OSE is also excited to announce its 3rd annual Special Education Conference taking place on March 5, 2025. See attached for February's PD Opportunities: |
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February Culture & Climate ActivitiesContact: Rania Sawaged, Office of Student Life
Email: rsawaged@nps.k12.nj.us Take a look at the February Suggested Activities document for some great activities you can introduce in your classroom or school to promote awareness for: - Black History Month
- Teen Dating Violence Awareness & Prevention Month
- Random Acts of Kindness Week (2/14-2/20)
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NJDOE Anti-Bullying Rights Webinar SeriesContact: Stacy M Pelham-Hale, Office of Student Life
Email: s1hale@nps.k12.nj.us  The NJDOE is pleased to announce a FREE Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights Act Webinar Series for all district administrators & school Anti-Bullying Specialists. This 1 hour webinar series is designed to foster an understanding of the Anti-Bullying laws, statutory and regulatory requirements for school districts, and share best practices for school district personnel as they fulfill the roles and responsibilities required by the law.
*ALL Anti-Bullying Specialists are required to attend "The ABR & Required Reporting" webinar on April 7, 2025. See attached document to view all webinars: |
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LGBTQIA+ 101: Supporting Our StudentsContact: Jennifer Rodriguez, Office of Federal Programs & Grants
Email: j20rodriguez@nps.k12.nj.us Thanks to CDC DASH Grant funds, the NBOE has partnered with Family Connections Pride+ to support LGBTQ+ students through creating/enhancing Gender and Sexualities Alliances (GSAs). On February 11 and February 25, Pride+ will facilitate a virtual PD for all District staff on supporting LGBTQ students. The PD “LGBTQIA+ 101” will: - Cover LGBTQIA+ terminology
- Define sex, gender, and sexual orientation
- Discuss the trauma that impacts the LGBTQIA+ community
- Provide staff with support and resources
Registration is now open through Whetstone: |
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