Message from the Office of Teaching and LearningDear Teachers and Instructional Staff, As we look ahead to our upcoming Staff Development Day on October 23, 2024, I wanted to take a moment to express my sincere gratitude for your ongoing commitment to professional growth and leadership. We, in the Office of Teaching and Learning, are excited to provide you with content-specific PD sessions tailored to support your continued success in the classroom.  Your engagement in these development opportunities is a vital part of our collective efforts to foster a community of educators dedicated to growth, innovation, and excellence.
In the words of Marian Wright Edelman, “Education is for improving the lives of others and for leaving your community and world better than you found it.” Together, through our dedication to learning and teaching, we shape brighter futures for our students and help them thrive. I look forward to the collaboration, curiosity, and innovation we will cultivate during this upcoming professional development day, and the positive impact it will have on our classrooms and students. Thank you for your dedication. Have a great week of teaching and learning! Assistant Superintendent Esteves |
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Cornell Notes
 It has been wonderful to see the District implementing Cornell notes across all schools. The rationale behind Cornell notes is supported by research on active learning and memory retention (Pauk & Owens, 2013). By organizing notes into sections for key points, questions, and summaries, students are not merely recording information but actively engaging with it. The summary section, in particular, challenges students to consolidate their understanding and reflect on the material. This structure promotes critical thinking, encouraging students to make connections between concepts, which enhances long-term retention, empowers them to take ownership of their learning, and fosters self-discipline and responsibility. As educators, it is important for us to understand the purpose of these structures to maximize student learning and retention. It is equally essential that students understand the significance of engaging in meaningful learning practices like using Cornell notes daily across all disciplines.
Research by Kiewra (2002) indicates that when students understand why note-taking is critical to their development, they are more likely to practice the skill regularly, organize their thoughts effectively, improve their focus during lessons, and engage more deeply with the content. By incorporating this method into their daily routine, students develop essential study skills that will benefit them beyond the classroom. It is recommended that teachers explain to their students the importance of note-taking. For example, you might say, “An important life and learning skill is the ability to process information on demand. Proficient learners do this by using organized note-taking structures, such as Cornell notes. Studies have shown that the ability to collect and organize information is key to academic success. Cornell notes will help you focus and process critical information across all content areas.”
As educators, we have a unique opportunity to emphasize the importance of Cornell notes as a powerful tool for fostering deeper learning. Let’s work together to ensure students not only use this method effectively but also understand its value in improving their academic success. |
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Learning Environment Expectations ChecklistContact: Mara Kaplan, Office of Early Childhood
Email: mkaplan@nps.k12.nj.us The Office of Early Childhood developed the Learning Environment Expectations Checklist to ensure uniformity of Pre-K classroom expectations, aligning with Priority 2 of The Next Decade. The learning environment is a vital component of the Pre-K classroom, supporting students in developing and mastering skills introduced by the teacher. The purpose of this document is to assist teachers and administrators with understanding the key elements of a high-quality preschool program. Throughout September and October, Supervisors and Teacher Coaches will concentrate on the learning environment to cultivate a Culture of Achievement. |
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Pre-K Literacy and Mathematics AssessmentContact: Mara Kaplan, Office of Early Childhood
Email: mkaplan@nps.k12.nj.us To support the implementation of a District-wide assessment that integrates multiple measures and is aligned with the curriculum (Priority 2: Strategy 2.1), the Office of Early Childhood designed the Pre-K Literacy and Mathematics Assessment to support teachers in planning for intentional instruction and monitoring student mastery over time. Upcoming Dates: - Assessment Period 1 ends October 22, 2024
- Class Score Sheets are to be shared with Administrators and Teacher Coaches by October 29, 2024
- Individual score reports are added to GOLD and placed in Assessment Folders by November 1, 2024
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Seeking CTE Career and Technical Student Organization (CTSO) Advisors (New)Contact: Sandra Marques, High School Leadership Team
Email: smarques@nps.k12.nj.us QUALIFICATIONS - NJ Permanent Teaching Certification
- A minimum of five years of successful teaching experience
- Excellent writing skills are needed.
- Knowledge of Career and Technical Student Organizations
RESPONSIBILITIES - Directly support school-based administrator & CTE teacher to oversee the CTSO chapter for a specific Career Academy.
- Work with school administration to devise a specific, organized, systematic CTSO chapter that is aligned to NBOE WBL goals for the Academy to start or expand the CTSO chapter with measurable SY goals, & communicate CTSO opportunities with students & guardians.
Interested candidates, please email Director Sandra Marques at smarques@nps.k12.nj.us.
Please note this is an after school, hourly position at $43/hour. |
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School Leadership Council (SLC) and Subcommittee Updates (New)In September, we hosted a joint briefing of all Principals and SLC Chairpersons to review the research that supports the collaborative work highlighted in the new NTU Contract. While Rutgers is leading this work with us, 16 schools, identified as Cohort 1, will be the first set of schools where the entire SLC will undergo extensive training. All other schools are required to ensure that their SLCs are fully functional and will undergo the same SLC training as Cohort 1 later in the year. As it relates to the five subcommittees, the NTU created a process for you to apply here. |
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Grading Policy on Zeros (New)Contact: Matthew Brewster, Office of Staff Development
Email: MBrewster@nps.k12.nj.us Please review these FAQs about using zeros in grading, answered by Dr. Doug Reeves: Also, check out the blog post linked below, “The Low-hanging Fruit of Grading Reform: Eliminating the Zero”, by Joshua Kunnath, which references Dr. Reeves’s research: |
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Black Men Rising Coalition + Latino Men Rising Coalition (New)Contact: Matthew Brewster, Office of Staff Development
Email: MBrewster@nps.k12.nj.us The District is intentionally building various pipelines to develop the next generation of leaders for our schools. To that end, if you are interested in the SY 2024-25 Black Men Rising Coalition (BMRC) or the Latino Men Rising Coalition (LMRC), please complete the interest form below no later than 11/1/24. |
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Teacher Leaders for Collaborative Think Tank (New)Contact: Christina Ramirez, Office of Teaching and Learning
Email: c2ramirez@nps.k12.nj.us  The Office of Teaching and Learning is seeking teacher leaders from the SLCs and across the District to form a collaborative think tank. Participants will partner with the Office of Teaching and Learning to contribute to key projects, including the revision, editing, and/or creation of the following:
- Summer Reading List
- Grade Level Snapshots
- Extended Classroom Experiences
This opportunity provides the hourly teacher rate for up to 10 hours of work per month. Please complete and submit the Google Form below if you are interested in being part of this collaborative think tank: |
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Grant Opportunity - Help Our Teacher Fund (New)Contact: Michelina Thornton, Federal Programs & Grants
Email: mthornton@nps.k12.nj.us  The FOUNDATION for IMPACT on LITERACY and LEARNING created this fund to help educators with expenses related to a special project or classroom supplies. Ten Newark teachers will be awarded a $500 grant in January 2025.
Go to the website to submit an application by the 12/31 deadline.
Help-our-Teachers-Fund-Grants-Flyer.pdf |
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OSE Conference - Call for Presentations (New)Contact: Candice Wells, Office of Special Education
Email: c1wells@nps.k12.nj.us The Office of Special Education (OSE) is excited to have our 3rd Annual Special Education Conference on March 5, 2025! We’re soliciting District staff to present at our Special Education Conference. Based upon conference feedback, OSE wants teachers from across the District to present on the use of District curriculum with students with exceptionalities. We are thrilled to have our staff highlight the great work occurring in our special education classrooms. We encourage you and your colleagues to complete this proposal guideline for the OSE Conference 2025 by November 15, 2024. OSE-Conference-Call-for-Presentation-Submission-Guide.pdf |
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Culture & Climate Committee (New)Contact: Rania Sawaged, Office of Student Life
Email: rsawaged@nps.k12.nj.us Contribute to the establishment of a positive and inclusive atmosphere within our District by participating in the creation of a comprehensive culture and climate rubric. Work alongside your colleagues to make a meaningful difference! If you wish to get involved, kindly fill out this Google form by October 31st.
Participants are requested to convene via WebEx on November 5th, 12th, and 19th. We are seeking the involvement of at least one principal, vice principal, teacher, social worker 2, school counselor, CST member, and parent liaison. |
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New Teacher Induction (New)Contact: Dana Moore-Mishoe, HRS – Office of Educator Effectiveness
Email: evaluations@nps.k12.nj.us Date: November 12th
Time: 3:30-5:30pm Teachers new to Newark (regardless of previous years of experience) are expected to attend 6 of the 10 monthly sessions that will be offered this year. One of the November sessions will focus on making connections between IEPs and lesson planning. Teachers will learn about various Special Education programs available and their important role as the general education teacher. This session will be led by the Office of Special Education.
Registration, meeting link, & other sessions can be found in the schedule here. |
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Attorney General Platkin Statement: Addressing Bias-Based Harassment in SchoolsContact: Stacy M Pelham-Hale, Student Support Services - Office of Student Life
Email: s1hale@nps.k12.nj.us As the new school year begins, we must all comply with the N.J. state civil rights laws that address and prevent bias-based harassment incidents in our schools. Please click the link below to read the recent statement from Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and Sundeep Iyer, Director of the Division on Civil Rights, regarding the ongoing rise in bias incidents targeting Arab, Israeli, Jewish, Muslim, and Palestinian individuals. |
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Section 504 Committee TrainingContact: Jessica Silva-Olmo, Student Support Services - Office of Student Life
Email: jsilva@nps.k12.nj.us NJPSA will provide Section 504 training to review the Section 504 law and accommodations in school. All 504 VP leads and committee members are welcome to attend (including CST ad hoc members and school nurses). 504 Coordinators must attend and turnkey if need be. - Date/Time: October 24, 2024 (8:30am-12:30pm)
- Location: Virtual link will be sent to all coordinators and registrants on Schoolmint Grow
- Participants: Mandatory - Section 504 VP leads and Coordinators
Optional - Section 504 Committee members are welcome to attend (including CST ad hoc members, school nurses, and social workers/counselors)
Update the 504 Spreadsheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/15wZxvZJeUm87SvhZV7jLv-WhSotT0D08cAJbnDW7F_U/edit?usp=sharing |
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Special Education Resources and TrainingsContact: LaPrice Weatherington, Office of Special Education
Email: lweatherington@nps.k12.nj.us 10-7-24-Teacher-Talk.pdf - Awareness is Key! October is Attention Deficit Hyper Activity Disorder Month.
- October is National Physical Therapist Month. Give a shout out to your school based Physical Therapist.
- The ReThink Training Series Continues for Teachers, CSTs and Paraprofessionals in Autism Programs.
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Guidance for Emergency Remote Instruction 2024-2025Contact: Marialana Juliano, Executive Assistant, Office of the Deputy Superintendent
Email: mjuliano@nps.k12.nj.us In accordance with New Jersey State Legislature P.L. 2020, Chapter 27 and State of New Jersey Department of Education guidance, the Newark Board of Education will implement the Guidance for Emergency Remote Instruction during a District closure lasting more than three consecutive days due to a declared state of emergency, declared public health emergency, or a directive by the appropriate health agency or officer to institute a public health-related closure. The Guidance for Emergency Remote Instruction 2024-2025 can be accessed from the District’s website: Teachers and Instructional Staff, ensure that you have created virtual Webex classrooms so the links can be shared on the school’s website. Also, please be mindful that all students will need to have their Chromebooks at home if and when the Guidance for Emergency Remote Instruction is implemented. |
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Immunizations PreK-12Contact: B. Helena Blackwell, Office of Health Services
Email: bblackwell@nps.k12.nj.us To prevent some of the most serious infections, the New Jersey Department of Health implemented immunization rules. Immunization of Pupils in Schools (N.J.A.C. 8:57-4) requires students to receive a series of immunizations. In addition, schools are required to enforce requirements, maintain records, and submit annual reports. There are specific requirements for preschool, kindergarten and sixth grade. Please see the links below for vaccination schedules: |
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 Log Tutoring Sessions Using Gradebook Assignments
Contact: Darren Watsky, Student Information Services
Email: dwatsky@nps.k12.nj.us
Teachers who are part of the school’s tutoring program must track each time they meet with a student for tutoring. This is done by creating an assignment in the Tutoring class for the student(s) tutored on a particular date. The assignment name identifies the subject tutored (ELA, Math, SCI, SOC, or Other). The date of the assignment is the tutoring session date. No grade needs to be entered for the assignment. Specific details for creating tutoring assignments are located in the Tutoring Program - Creating a Tutoring Assignment document. Saturday Tutoring AttendanceTeachers who are part of the school’s Saturday tutoring program must take attendance on Saturday for their Tutoring class. Attendance is taken for the Saturday class in the very same manner that attendance is taken for Homeroom or any other class in which attendance is taken on a daily basis. Since the Saturday Tutoring class is the only class on that day, it is the only class that is highlighted in the Take Attendance column of the PowerTeacher Home Page. Attendance MUST be taken every Saturday. |
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Certifications Yearly RemindersContact: Eboni Woolridge, Office of Staffing
Email: ewoolridge@nps.k12.nj.us The Certification Team is hosting Virtual Office Hours and Certification Trainings throughout the 2024-2025 school year. Register for the Virtual Office Hours and the Trainings by using the following link: https://forms.gle/J9EmbPxAgG3eiM Please check NJEdCert to ensure that your Instructional, Educational Services, and Administrator certificates (if applicable) are accurate and up to date. Contact the Certifications team if you are awaiting the issuance of a Provisional or Standard license. The Certifications Team can be reached via email at certifications@nps.k12.nj.us. |
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Connecting with NBOE HRS through Employee Self Service (ESS) and NBOEHRS.comContact: Randy Schrader, Employee Services
Email: mjwilliams@nps.k12.nj.us Employee Services would like to encourage all staff to become familiar with the two online tools: - NBOEHRS.com: 24/7 source of information Benefits, Pension, Payroll, and much more.
Employee Self Service (ESS): to complete numerous HR activities, including View Paycheck, update Direct Deposit or W-4, confirm and update Personal Information, and Submit Retirement and Resignation. |
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Culture & Climate Annual Calendar SY24-25Contact: Rania Sawaged, Student Support Services - Office of Student Life
Email: rsawaged@nps.k12.nj.us Review the Culture & Climate Calendar SY 2024-2025. This calendar is suggested to be utilized as a guide and reference when planning for required/suggested activities, service/community projects, and additional school events throughout the school year. To streamline the artifact collection process, each month, the principal will designate one person from your school to be in charge of uploading pictures and artifacts to the relevant slide assigned to your school.
Please reference the due dates and directions. |
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SEL/Mental Health Programming and InitiativesContact: Samantha Parreiral, Student Support Services: Office of Student Life
Email: SParreiral@nps.k12.nj.us The attachment below contains Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and Mental Health programming and initiatives offered by the Office of Student Life for the 2024-2025 school year: |
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SchooLinks Training: PD #3Contact: Vernon Pullins Jr, Student Support Services - Office of Student Life
Email: vpullins@nps.k12.nj.us On October 23, 2024, the Office of Student Life will host a SchooLinks training for middle and high school counselors. The location is to be determined. This is a full day training session. The purpose of this training is to provide new and returning school counselors with a refresher on the SchooLinks platform and user-interface. Users will experience working with, but not limited to, College Application Manager (CAM), College Financing Tracker (CFT), Curriculum setup, Scope and Sequence, and critical software/platform updates for the end-user. |
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 | Teacher Talk is emailed every other Monday. The submission deadline is 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday. |
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Contact Us 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/ The weekly submission deadline is Wednesday by 5:00 p.m. before Monday distribution. |
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