“The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.” — Albert Einstein
Do students have multiple opportunities to question and wonder during the course of the school day? Children are naturally curious and eager to learn new things. Using NBOE curricula, we can find a multitude of ways to foster that curiosity. In our visits to classrooms, the T and L team have observed teachers tapping into their students’ curiosity as a foundation for deeper learning. These teacher-guided conversations help students make connections and deepen their world and subject-specific knowledge. Increased knowledge leads to increased curiosity. Students then leave the school day with new questions and perspectives.
Staying curious is not limited to students. In the many classroom visits, it is obvious that faculty too remain curious and take time to share new knowledge with students.
Stay informed on everything happening within Newark Public Schools and the Newark Board of Education! Read up on all of the many ways the district is garnering media coverage.
All individuals aged 12 and older who live, work or study in NJ are eligible for COVID-19 vaccines. Pre-registration is available but not required. Walk-ins are welcome. Parents must give consent for their child during the registration process.
All individuals aged 5-11y/o are now eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine through the Newark Department of Health and Saint James. A completed consent form is required and the Parent/Guardian/Proxy must be present with an ID.
Educators, please encourage families to upload proof of vaccination to SchoolMint using the link below. If a family is interested in getting vaccinated, please share the vaccination information with them.
As a sign of appreciation, the Newark Teachers Union will be distributing $25,000 worth of Kids Place school uniform vouchers to every parent who presents a vaccination card in the child’s name during morning wellness check.
Please share the attached flyer with your families.
Teaching & Learning Community Roundtable Discussion (New)
We are excited to announce a community roundtable discussion hosted by the Office of Teaching & Learning on December 9th. Please share the link below with families and staff. Join us as we hear more about building knowledge throughout the district.
We are delighted to be able to ice skate in Newark this season!
Newark Winter Village is our city's very own winter wonderland. Reserve your skates today at newarkwintervillage.com. Newark residents reserve an igloo today at a discounted price using code PRU-NWVILLAGE.
The Office of Mathematics will be hosting monthly office hours the first Monday of each month to support teachers' implementation of curriculum, pedagogy, and measuring learning in the field of mathematics.
Office hours will be held on Monday, December 6, 2021 from 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Emphasis is on providing scaffolding for special needs students and other struggling learners. Teachers and coaches will have an opportunity to engage in a question-and-answer section.
The Testing Office is looking for staff members to work on the High School Entrance Exam in February.
If you are interested in assisting with the administration of the HS Entrance Exam, please register to provide you with more details later down the line.
The first administration is scheduled for February 19 (other dates may follow).
Nationally, the first week of December is dedicated to Inclusive Schools week. Click the link below to see resources plus highlights from our schools across the district. Checkout the continuum of OSE Initiatives as well for December.
Please see link for two upcoming December PD sessions:
12/14 - Strengthening Your Effectiveness as a Special Education Resource Teacher (Elementary Resource Teachers) 12/15 - Strengthening Your Effectiveness as a Special Education Resource Teacher (Resource Teachers grade 7th to 12th)
Contact: Heather Lieberman, Office of Teaching and Learning, ELA Email: hlieberman@nps.k12.nj.us
The K-8 ELA department is excited to offer teachers the opportunity to be able to choose the dates and times that work best for them to attend office hours. Please see the attached document to access the links to be able to select dates/times.
As we continue to find ways to assist our students we are excited to announce that Homework Hotline has opened for the 2021-2022 school year. Live NBOE Teachers are available to assist students in a myriad of areas every Monday - Thursday from 3:30 pm -5:30 pm. The full list of subject areas and tutor numbers can be found here.
Our teachers are excited and ready to work with your students! Please encourage your students to reach out!
On Tuesday, December 21st have your students participate in the NJ Devils & EVERFI De-STEM-ber Day by having your Grade 6-8 classes participate in the Future Goals Hockey Scholar STEM course.
This course will have students learning about STEM concepts through engaging activities, related to professional hockey! To sign your class up complete this form.
Be sure you are leveraging our access to the OTIS for Educators Learning Portal. All educators have access to all of the content and courses which will provide you a large array of content.
This content includes specific sessions on our educational technology platforms and how to use them effectively in the classroom. OTIS for Educators can be found here.
Cycle 2 Progress Report is scheduled for distribution - Monday, December 20th, 2021. Please be sure to enter grades and comments for your students of their progress in your class or warning of additional work/interventions needed.
Parents will be able to view their child’s gradebooks in the Parent Portal and the Progress Report information should reflect what the parents see in your gradebooks.
Are you interested in a promotional role for the upcoming 2022-23 school year?
Mark your calendars; we have great news! Teacher and Leader applications for the 2022-23 school year are going live on Frontline as of December 13, 2021! Be sure to tell all your friends who may be interested (and don’t forget about our referral bonus, as well!)
The second Mentor Training will take place on Wednesday, December 8th @ 4:00pm. All non-NTC mentors are expected to attend this session. Please register for the training session using the following link.
Meeting Link Meeting Number: 2620 525 2291 Password: mentor21
Contact: Heather Lieberman, The Office of Teaching and Learning, ELA Email: hlieberman@nps.k12.nj.us
Word walls are an important feature in early elementary classrooms. Check out the linked document for helpful guidelines and tips for making your word wall wonderful for students.
The Certification Team has available Virtual Office Hours for the month of November and December. Please register using the following link to chat live with a representative about your certification needs.
New Jersey Youth Poet Laureate Competition Accepting Submissions
Contact: Margaret El, Visual & Performing Arts Email: mel@nps.k12.nj.us
The New Jersey Youth Poet Laureate competition is now accepting submissions for young artists to share and perform their original works for adjudication. Participants are eligible for special masterclass opportunities, prizes (including publication), and the chance to compete for the National Youth Poet Laureate title.
Submissions close Dec. 31, 2021.
Must be a resident of New Jersey, open to writers ages 13-19. Finalists notified by January 19, 2022. Commencement performance will take place live at Newark Symphony Hall on February 25, 2022. For more information and registration link, click here.
Enter the NJDOT 2022 International Aviation Art Contest
Contact: Margaret El, Visual & Performing Arts Email: mel@nps.k12.nj.us
This annual event is an initiative to engage students and to challenge young people to illustrate the importance of aviation through art. The theme for this year is “Design Your Perfect Aircraft”. Is it a glider, a jet, helicopter, or a hot air balloon? What would power it through the sky? Would it be big or small? What special features would make pilots and passengers excited to be in the air?
Students between the ages of 6 and 17. Entries with incomplete information will be disqualified. Details are attached.
Virtual Home Instruction is Now Open to All Teachers.
Effective immediately, NBOE teachers may apply to provide virtual home instruction to students eligible for services. Home instruction provides continuity of educational services for students outside of regular school hours. Monday thru Friday, for 1 to 2 hours, beginning at 4:00 pm. Hourly rate - $40/hour, if interested click on the link below and complete the Google Form.
The mission of the "All Kids to Calculus" program is to provide elementary school teachers a minimum of 30 credit hours of baccalaureate mathematics courses in order to provide Algebra 1 to Grade 8 students in all NBOE schools, thereby ensuring all students have the opportunity to reach Calculus.
Tuition, fees, and textbooks are paid for by NBOE.
The next course in Spring 2022 is Pre-Calculus. If you've previously had College Algebra and would like to join the current cohort in January 2022, complete the google interest form at the link (here).
Submit Student Art to Statewide Student Art Project
Contact: Margaret El, Visual and Performing Arts Email: mel@nps.k12.nj.us
New Jersey Department of Education Announces Statewide Student Art Project:
Students are encouraged to submit artwork reflecting the theme of “Hope, Healing and Resilience Through the COVID-19 Pandemic”
New Jersey students from Preschool through 12th Grade (ages three through 21) are eligible to submit an art piece. Artwork may be submitted by the students, guardians, or educators on their behalf. Artwork may be created in a variety of two-dimensional (2-D) media that do not exceed one inch in depth.
Application information available using this link.
The Office of Mathematics is hosting the Math & Art Desmos contest for the 2021-2022 school year. Students enrolled in Grade 6 through Calculus are encouraged to participate as creating art in Desmos Graphing Calculator provides students with an opportunity to express their creativity while simultaneously reinforcing mathematics understanding of concepts ranging from rational numbers to functions. Submissions are due April 29, 2022.
More detailed information can be accessed using this link.
Whil, a digital training platform for mindfulness, resilience, and mental & emotional wellbeing has been purchased as part of the CDC Supplemental grant funding.
All NBOE employees, regardless of role, can utilize this platform free of charge for the 2021-2022 school year. In an effort to address the shift of moving from hybrid back to in-person learning, the WHIL app provides digital courses on meditation, reducing stress and anxiety, improving physical health, taking short breaks, and more. Please share this new resource with your staff and encourage them to participate.
In accordance with state guidelines in the fight against COVID-19, districts were to establish a Pandemic Response Team. In Newark, the Pandemic Response Team (PRT) includes the Principal, Case Manager, School Counselor/Social Worker, School Nurse, School Safety, Teacher, Parent Liaison, etc. Additionally, members of this team meet with the Superintendent monthly to ensure alignment with guidelines provided by the CDC and Newark Health Department, and district protocols as we continue to operate during in-person learning. Should you have questions about protocols, please feel free to reach out to members on your school’s Pandemic Response Team.
We encourage you to remain patient and flexible with receiving updates as we know the CDC’s guidelines continue to change as new information is made available.
Office of Science in partnership with NSTA Presents K-2 Science Teacher Cohort: Web Seminar Series-Support Student Sense-Making. This series of eight 90-minute web seminars ranging starting at 3:20pm - 4:50pm from November 9, 2021 - June 7, 2022.
Web seminar dates:
November 9, 2021 December 13, 2021 January 11, 2022 February 14, 2022 March 14, 2022 April, 11, 2022 May 9, 2022 June 7, 2022
Enter Students in the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards
Contact: Margaret El, Visual and Performing Arts Email: mel@nps.k12.nj.us
Engage your students to participate in the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. This year’s Northern NJ Art Region ceremony will take place in Newark at Gallery Aferro! We want to be sure our hometown student artists participate. Teens in grades 7–12 (ages 13 and up) can apply in 28 categories of art and writing.
The artandwriting.org site is fully live for the region to accept student entries.
We understand the need for intentional moments to disconnect, regroup and ground ourselves for ongoing inner strength. To help alleviate challenge with locating support and managing a busy schedule, NBOE and OSL will continue providing a Staff Support Group (Spa) in the Fall from September 15th - December 22nd.
Sessions will run biweekly on Wednesdays from 5:15pm - 6:15pm. This is an opportunity for employees to learn more about topics that can impact overall mental health and well-being. It is open to all staff and will be facilitated by an outside licensed clinician.
The Office of Student Life will host FAFSA Parent Workshops in both English and Spanish to support our families with the completion of the FAFSA. The Webex Link, Meeting ID and Password are provided for easy access (excluding the September 15, 2021 workshop). All workshop sessions begin at 5:00pm. Our partner in this process is the New Jersey Higher Education Student Assistance Authority.
If you have any questions regarding the fall series, please contact Vernon Pullins Jr., Supervisor, Student Support Services, Office of Student Life at vpullins@nps.k12.nj.us
The Office of Student Life will provide monthly training sessions to SST and I&RS Teams.
REQUIRED ATTENDANCE: Administrator overseeing SST and the SST Coordinator, Administrator overseeing I&RS and I&RS Coordinator. *All other team members are welcome to join.*
SY 21-22 Meeting Dates: September 17th, October 25th, November 29th, December 9th, January 24th, February 28th, March 28th, April 25th, May 5th and June 2nd.
Teacher Talk will be delivered every other Monday.
The submission deadline is 5:00 p.m. on Thursday.
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
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. Teacher Talk is typically published every other Monday. Please open the form with Firefox or Chrome in order to add attachments.
