Superintendent Roger León led all Newark Public Schools staff through the annual convocation on Aug. 29th that launched 2024-2025 with celebrations of achievements and tone-setting for the year ahead.
As the District entered the fifth year of its historic 10-year strategic plan, The Next Decade: 2020-2030 Strategic Plan, Superintendent León unveiled several new initiatives, such as a new program that gives middle school students the opportunity to take college-level courses, esports starting at Data Science & Information Technology High School, automobile service programs at Barringer and Malcolm X Shabazz High Schools, and the opening of Branch Brook School for students with exceptionalities.
Superintendent León noted many accomplishments in his presentation. The District’s chronic absenteeism has continued to decrease and is 12 percent lower than the statewide rate. More NPS students are taking Advanced Placement exams and earning scores of 3 or higher, which can lead to college credit for those students. More than 260 students earned the New Jersey Seal of Biliteracy, a certification of those students’ proficiency in speaking and writing two languages.
The event, which was streamed from the Central Office Building to all District schools, opened with a rousing performance by the Arts High School Latin Band.
Superintendent León highlighted many other students and recent high school graduates, including 2024 Science Park High School graduate Ayomide Adekoya, who gave riveting spoken word performances. Student-athletes were also highlighted, including Malcolm X Shabazz High School Football Safety Omari Gaines, Weequahic High School Football Kicker Ibrahim Cisse, University High School Girls Basketball Guard Paradise Fisher, East Side High School Girls Track Runner Yasmin Barros, and Barringer High School Volleyball and Softball Player Yara Valazco.