District Puts Newark Families On A “Road Trip to Pre-K”

NEWARK, N.J. – The Newark Public Schools (NPS) Office of Early Childhood took local families with small children on a summer road trip to long-term academic success.

The third-annual “Road Trip To Pre-K” wasn’t a drive out of town. It was an event held at the Belmont Runyon School in early August in which a variety of exhibitors – including district offices and community organizations – lined a “road” that stretched the length of the school’s property. More than 150 families were provided with information and resources to help their children start school.

“This event is part of the 10-year Strategic Plan’s goal of preparing children to start school healthy and ready to learn on day one,” said Deputy Superintendent Yolonda Severe, the former Executive Director of Early Childhood Education who spearheaded this initiative from the start. “We want all Newark families to know that there is high-quality free preschool available in Newark Public Schools and with our early childhood providers. There are also many resources available to help ensure children’s academic success – all of which families can access before their children start Pre-K.”

“The Road Trip To Pre-K has become a highlight of the summer at Newark Public Schools,” said Superintendent of Schools Roger León. “I want to thank Deputy Superintendent Severe and everyone on her team who put together an outstanding event. We greatly appreciate the participation of our community partners and local organizations who help our mission of making sure our youngest learners are healthy and ready to learn when school starts.”

“You cannot overestimate the value of bringing the district’s early childhood professionals and other service providers into the community where the families and children are,” said Board of Education President Hasani K. Council. “Events like the Road To Pre-K help bring families and students closer to the district and receive the information and services they need.”

After families were welcomed at the event’s entrance, they were able to stroll down the road to meet representatives of different pre-K programs as well as principals and social service technicians from the district’s 14 Head Start locations.

Walking further down the road, it turned into “Community Partner Lane,” where they could meet representatives from more than 20 community organizations, including the Newark Public Library, the Statewide Parent Advocacy Network (SPAN), the Newark Department of Health and Wellness, Programs for Parents, and the Weequahic Family Success Center, just to name a few.

To help make sure students are healthy for the next school year, health screenings were provided by the Essex County Office of Public Health Management, and Liberty Dental provided dental screenings. Families could also make appointments for complete physicals, check-ups, and vaccinations in time for September 3rd, the first day of school.

Principals and district staff from the Student Services Department, Newark Enrolls, Teaching and Learning Department, and Special Education Department were also on-site to share information with families.

There was also a wide variety of activities for families to enjoy, including games, bounce houses, dancing, and creative movement. There was even an appearance by Batman and his Batmobile and a Newark Fire Truck that children could explore. At the end of the Road Trip to Pre-K were food vendors that provided free lunch and ice cream to all families who attended.