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Message from the Superintendent Dear Teachers and Instructional Staff,
Of the many difficult decisions superintendents have to make, I am confident that the closing of schools for inclement weather is close to the top of the list.
Each time, the decision to close school is made after a thorough and careful review of multiple factors, with the health and safety of students and staff as our top priority. Please know that the indicators for making this difficult decision were met last week. As soon as I knew my decision, everyone was notified immediately so they could prepare accordingly.
That decision brought the number of school days this school year to 181, less than the number agreed upon a decade ago, which was 182 school days. Unfortunately, that agreement eliminated “snow days” and left no “cushion” in the school calendar above the anticipated 182 school days. With last week’s closing, we would need to make up one day to reach 182, and the last day of school would be Monday, June 26. Fortunately, we did not close schools before and after Memorial Day weekend. If we had done so, the additional closure last week would have made the last day of school Wednesday, June 28 in order to reach 182 school days. We are not allowed to end the school year after June 30.
Considering all this, the 182 school day requirement will not be enforced. This decision will allow the last day of school this year – barring further unforeseen circumstances – to remain June 23, 2023.
Thank you for your ongoing commitment. I look forward to joining you in celebration of the major accomplishments of this school year and wish you a restful summer.
Congratulations!
Sincerely,
Superintendent León |
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Message from Dr. Reilly Dear Teachers and Instructional Staff, We are happy to announce that the summer reading books for students have arrived! If you have not already done so, please take the time to help your students understand their summer reading assignments that can be found here. This is a great opportunity to get them excited about reading by reading the opening chapter with students and planning activities to pique their interest. This year, 27 middle schools participated in STEM Week 2023. In the sixth grade course, Building a Lunar Colony, students learned about the conditions required for creating an environment suitable for living on the moon. In the seventh grade course, Urban Farming, students learned that urban farms both represent ways to create a more sustainable food system in densely populated areas and empower those who live in cities to be more involved in their personal food choices—for health, economic, or social reasons. In the eighth grade course, Surgical Techniques, students learned about the parts of the circulatory, skeletal, and nervous systems, as well as how these systems work together to perform specific functions. Thank you to the Office of Science and all schools who participated in STEM Week!
We also offer congratulations to all of the students and educators who participated in the 35th Newark Math Olympics on Friday, June 9! This competition fosters competitive learning and performance in mathematics. The first-place winners are: - Geometry - Bard High School
- Algebra 2 - Newark School of Data Science & Information Technology
- Precalculus - Technology High School
- Calculus - East Side High School
Additionally, more than 400 students competed in the Virtual Newark Math Olympics. This competition, which began in 2020 during remote instruction, provides all students in Newark with access to the Math Olympics. A plaque, TI-Nspire graphic calculator, and Math Olympics t-shirt will be awarded to first, second, and third-place winners in each subject. Awards will be delivered to students’ schools the week of June 12.
461 graduating seniors were recognized last Friday night at the Academic Awards Night. The Superintendent had the honor of personally congratulating each academic scholar who has earned a 3.5 GPA or higher. Our students are deserving of this celebration and it was wonderful to share it with their families and our community.
This week, the District will celebrate each school’s Teacher of the Year, as well as announce the District’s Teacher of the Year. Congratulations to each Teacher of the Year being awarded!
You have worked hard all year with and for your students, and now it’s time to focus on yourself. We hope you will relax and do the things you most enjoy this summer.
Dr. Reilly and The Office of Teaching and Learning |
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Second Annual Road Trip to Pre-K Event Contact: Adelaide Ruela, Office of Early Childhood
Email: MRuela@NPS.K12.NJ.US
The Office of Early Childhood will host “Road Trip to Pre-K” at Belmont Runyon on Friday, August 4 between 11:00am and 2:00pm. The event is a Head Start Community Resource initiative that showcases resources in the community and highlights milestones from conception to Pre-K, and beyond. District staff will be on-site to assist with registration, model learning through play, and offer materials that enhance learning. Community partners will provide health screenings and information about their organizations and services. We welcome the entire Newark community to travel the road with us. |
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ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHERS |
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Tutors and Tutoring Coordinators Contact: Julianne Bello, Office of Extended Learning
Email: jbello@nps.k12.nj.us
Elementary tutoring data is recorded daily by tutors as assignments in Powerschool. Since these assignments are not graded, they can continue until the last day of school. All tutoring assignments must be entered and confirmed by June 30th, when gradebooks will be locked. |
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Gifted and Talented/ Advanced Learners Paid Summer Teacher Residency Contact: Jennifer Killeen, Office of Teaching and Learning
Email: jkilleen@nps.k12.nj.us We are excited to announce a paid summer teacher residency on developing Gifted and Talented overlays to the existing curriculum to be held on 7-24, 7-25, 8-16, and 8-17 from 8:30 AM- 3:30 PM at the Bolden Center. Use this link for more information: Summer Residency |
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Recruitment and Retention (New) Contact: Dr. Yolanda Méndez, Human Resource Services
Email: YMendez@NPS.K12.NJ.US The national teacher shortage is still real. Millions of teachers throughout America have left the public school workforce, driving numbers way down. In Newark, however, our district hired approximately 700 new teachers last summer for the 2022-23 school year. We currently have less than 60 vacancies in teaching positions, the lowest number in decades. We know that the recruitment efforts put in by many of you were a major factor in our recruitment success. Please don’t stop now! The recruitment and retention incentives announced last year remain available. For more information, see the notices elsewhere in this edition of Teacher Talk. |
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NTU Reopener (New) Contact: Havier Nazario, Chief of Staff
Email: HNazario@NPS.K12.NJ.US Last Spring's NTU reopener agreement and resulting salary increases helped us compete against other comparable school districts in attracting new teachers to the district. The goal was to attract new teachers and other instructional staff to our ranks despite the lingering effects of the pandemic, whether new to the profession or new to us in Newark. Specifically, the first-year teacher salary in Newark, $55,000 per year pre-COVID, increased to $62,000 post-COVID as a result of the reopener. The salaries at steps 2 to 8 also increased considerably. (When teachers on step 8 brought a miscalculation to the Superintendent's attention, it was immediately corrected, increasing their salaries to the correct level. We appreciate them for doing that.) The reopener was intended to be a short-term fix, to get us to the next contract, which will be negotiated next school year. We look forward to those talks. |
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Budget (New) Contact: Valerie Wilson, School Business Administrator
Email: VWilson@NPS.K12.NJ.US As shared in March at the budget hearing and previously in Teacher Talk, the district’s funding for next school year remains below adequacy. We are addressing that reality with reorganization, rightsizing, reallocating funds, and other innovative strategies to keep our commitment to accountability, transparency, and efficiency in the optimal delivery of services. |
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Newark Enrolls (New) Contact: Rochanda Jackson, Office of Policy, Planning, Evaluation, and Testing
Email: rjackson@NPS.K12.NJ.US While school districts across the country have experienced reduced enrollment since COVID’s interruption in the instructional program, we in Newark continue to see significant enrollment increases. This is in no small part because of our new schools, innovative programs and initiatives, the grade expansion in several elementary schools, our high school redesign strategy, and everyone's collective efforts across all of the schools and central office to move us expeditiously to a status far better than normal. Parents are voting with their feet and walking our way. You may want your children to join us! This is a reminder that children of district employees are permitted to enroll in our schools regardless of your district of residence. |
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District Staff Convocation 2023 (New) Contact: Matthew Brewster, Office of Staff Development
Email: MBrewster@NPS.K12.NJ.US We eagerly await confirmation from the anticipated venue for District Staff Convocation 2023. As soon as the venue is set, we will share that information. The event date — which may be affected by the choice of venue — also will be announced as soon as it is confirmed. Convocation will be one the first three days of the instructional staff work year. A remote convocation may be the end result, but we are working hard to make that the last option. We can't wait for the start of next school year. |
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Kronos Mobile App Will Be Permanently Shut Down Effective June 30, 2023 (New) Contact: Abdullah Ansari, Division of Information Technology
Email: aansari@NPS.K12.NJ.US As part of the District’s post pandemic transition to normal operation, Kronos Mobile App that was implemented during the pandemic for touch-free time and attendance tracking will be permanently shut down and removed from the system effective Friday, June 30, 2023. All staff members who currently use Kronos Mobile App for daily attendance are hereby requested to begin the transition to physical Kronos clocks in their respective locations prior to that date. Staff members who have never been enrolled with Kronos and have been solely using the Kronos Mobile App since the start of their employment must seek the assistance of their time keepers for enrollment with Kronos clock as part of the transition process. The enrollment will be done on the physical Kronos clocks and once enrolled, staff members can clock in and out using the Kronos clocks in any of the District's buildings. To ensure that all Kronos clocks operate optimally, the Division of Information Technology (DIT) plans to replace all aging Kronos clocks with modern Kronos clocks during the next school year. We will start that work with one new Kronos clock per school during the summer. Additional clocks will be replaced in the fall. Schools with only a single Kronos clock will also receive a second Kronos clock as part of the implementation. Additional information about the project will be forthcoming. |
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Retiree Campaign (Chapter 408) (New) Contact: Dr. Yolanda Méndez, Human Resource Services
Email: YMendez@NPS.K12.NJ.US Chapter 408, which became effective January 18, 2022, permitted a teacher, or professional staff member who provided special services, and who was retired from the TPAF to return to employment without reenrollment in the TPAF. The reemployment must have been on a contractual basis filling a classroom vacancy and could not have exceeded a two-year period. Chapter 408 further stipulated that the reemployment must have commenced only during the 2021-2022 or 2022-2023 school year and is scheduled to end in June 2023. However, we are excited to announce that it is anticipated that NJ Bill A 5422/S3798 would extend Ch. 408 for the 2023-2024 school year, which may be renewed only for one additional year, with the same restrictions imposed by laws and regulations governing post-retirement employment. |
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School Nurses Make New Electronic Record Program a Great Success (New) Contact: Jeaneva Turman, Office of Health Services
Email: jhturman@nps.k12.nj.us Please see attached file: |
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Register for Mathematics Summer Professional Learning Opportunities (New) Contact: Amanda Grossi, Office of Mathematics
Email: agrossi@nps.k12.nj.us There are multiple summer professional learning opportunities for mathematics teachers this summer, including training in the recently-adopted core curricular resource, Illustrative Mathematics (6-12), and supplemental curricular resource DreamBox (K-8). This Google Doc contains the dates, times, session descriptions, Whetstone registration links, and additional information. Registration will be open through Friday, June 16. |
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Newark Board of Education Bilingual/ESL Teacher Certification Interest Form (New) Contact: Matthew Brewster, Office of Staff Development
Email: mbrewster@nps.k12.nj.us The Newark Board of Education is currently seeking educators who are interested in obtaining their Bilingual Certification or ESL Certification. If you are interested, please complete the identified interest form below on or before June 23, 2023. We will be in contact with you regarding next steps. Have a great summer break! 2023-2024-MSU Bilingual Interest Form 2023-2024-MSU ESL Interest Form |
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Summer ELA Professional Development Opportunities (New) Contact: Jazleen Othman, Office of English Language Arts
Email: jothman@nps.k12.nj.us
The Office of ELA will be hosting multiple professional development opportunities this summer to help you continue learning and stay up-to-date with the latest initiatives. This document contains a full list of paid opportunities. Please be sure to refer back to this document as opportunities will be listed throughout the summer. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out at any time. |
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Ongoing Opportunities for Newark Board of Education Teaching Staff! Contact: Dr. Yolanda Méndez, Human Resource Services
Email: YMendez@NPS.K12.NJ.US Continued opportunities for current Teachers within our District: - $1,000 referral bonus for recruiting others to become Teachers in the District. Visit https://teachnewark.com/referral/ and complete the form for each candidate you refer.
- $4,000 incentive bonus for current, eligible Teachers interested in transitioning into Bilingual/Bicultural Endorsement.
- An overall competitive health benefits and wellness package.
- Leadership opportunities for those that wish to become future administrators.
- A competitive stipend for involvement in co-curricular activities.
If you're interested in these opportunities, please contact Claire Emmanuel at cemmanuel@NPS.K12.NJ.US. |
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NJ FamilyCare / Medicaid Contact: Maureen Bey, Office of Special Education
Email: semisupport@nps.k12.nj.us NJ FamilyCare/Medicaid has returned to annual renewals for all participants. Family members have from April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2024 to renew Medicaid for Families. Please provide the attached flyer (in multiple languages) to all of the students in your class(es) and encourage their families to complete the annual renewal process. If the renewal is not completed, Medicaid will cease.
2023-Medicaid-Unwinding-Flyer-all-languages.pdf |
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Gradebooks Will Be Unlocked Monday, June 5 Contact: Darren Watsky, Student Information Services
Email: dwatsky@nps.k12.nj.us In preparation of the end of year close out, teacher gradebooks will be unlocked on Monday, June 5. Course final grades are calculated based upon the grades in the gradebook. If teachers change a grade in their gradebook, they must provide their administrator with a corresponding Historical Grade Change Form. |
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Working Papers Contact: Edwin Mendez, Office of Attendance
Email: emendez@nps.k12.nj.us The way teens obtain working papers in New Jersey will be changing on June 1, 2023! Thanks to a new law, the working papers process will be online and streamlined. Rather than going through local schools and coming to Central Office, students will simply visit the site below and be walked through a few easy steps. The Office of Attendance wants to be sure that school counselors, administrators, students, and parents know about the new process so that no teenager experiences a delay in obtaining working papers. https://nj.gov/labor/youngworkers/ |
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The Office of Special Education Updates Contact: Candice Wells, Office of Special Education
Email: c1wells@nps.k12.nj.us The Office of Special Education invites new special education teachers to our final SY22-23 Special Education Teacher Academy (S.E.T.A.) workshop on June 6th. This session will be in-person and new special education teachers can register via Whetstone. Teachers who instruct in the Auditory Impairment, Autism, Emotional Regulation Impairment, Intellectual Disability and the Multiple Disability MD program, please be sure to complete the ESY Student Profile for your students who are attending Extended School Year (ESY). Please see attached for additional OSE PD Opportunities. |
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ELA Summer Teacher Training Rising 1st, 2nd, 3rd Grade Teachers, ELA Coaches and Reading Interventionists Contact: Lisa Trobaugh, Office of ELA
Email: ltrobaugh@nps.k12.nj.us Summer school teachers are encouraged to attend SIPPS training. Your attendance at this training will be compensated. - Rising First Grade Teachers and Reading Interventionists: Saturday, June 17, 9:00am – 1:00pm at the Dr. Marion A. Bolden Student Center
Please use this link to register. You will receive a confirmation email. |
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Nominate a Student for MSU's Cali School of Music Pathways Contact: Antonia Germanos, Office of Visual and Performing Arts
Email: agermanos@nps.k12.nj.us Montclair State University's Cali School of Music Pathways Program: Music Educators can nominate students entering grades 8-12 for Montclair State University's life-changing Cali School of Music Pathways Program. See below for information and recommend applicable students today: To nominate a student, click here: |
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Professional Development Form Contact: Dana Mishoe, Educator Effectiveness
Email: evaluations@nps.k12.nj.us
Be certain to complete the professional development form by June 21st. As required by the NJDOE, every teacher completes at least 20 hours of PD per year.
The link for the form is here. |
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2022-2023 Escrow Program Contact: MJames, Office of Human Resource
Email: npscompensation@nps.k12.nj.us
Dear Employee: - Escrow Open Enrollment is May 1st through July 15th of each year!
- Employees who are 10-month and 11-month full time employees can now self-enroll, discontinue, and switch options in the Escrow Program.
- To view the option you have selected, feel free to log into ESS (Employee Self Service) - instructions attached.
- For more information about deductions and refund dates for the option you have selected, kindly visit https://nboehrs.com/aos/#escrow.
Enrolling-in-the-Escrow-Program-through-ESS.mj.pdf |
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| Teacher Talk will be delivered every other Monday. The submission deadline is 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday.
To support and encourage highly effective instruction, Teacher Talk synthesizes information and resources that will help NPS teachers meet the expectations of the framework for effective teaching. Please open the form with Firefox or Chrome in order to add attachments.
You may submit items for inclusion in the Teacher Talk newsletter via this form:
https://www.nps.k12.nj.us/departments/communications/teacher-talk-form/ | |
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NPS Mobile App! The district's NPS Mobile App is now available for download for both Apple iOS and Android. With this app you, can: • Receive Push Notifications when there is inclement weather and school closings • Track news feeds (powered by your school web site, Facebook and Twitter accounts) at the district and school level • Look up commonly-sought information directly from the mobile app |
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