Newark Public Schools Honored for Outstanding Communications

NEWARK, N.J. – Newark Public Schools has earned six awards, including the Best in Class distinction for media coverage from the New Jersey School Public Relations Association (NJSPRA) for excellence in school communications.

The district received the Award of Excellence – Best in Class for Media Coverage for the many news stories about Abdulqudus “Abdul” Morakinyo and Bryan Oko, two graduates of the Newark School of Data Science & Information Technology who have been friends since the second grade and are now attending Brown University.

Newark Public Schools also received an Award of Excellence for website design for its Newark Saves website, which was launched to help families with children enrolled in kindergarten begin saving for college, in partnership with and funded by the Prudential Foundation.

Newark Public Schools also received Awards of Merit in two additional categories:

Photography: for two images:

“Walking The Path”

Wali Thomas, Director of Facilities Support, started the Walking The Path program with the idea that success is a journey, not a destination. In the photo, Mr. Thomas shakes hands with Isaiah, a Walking The Path program graduate, at a special ceremony in June honoring the program’s 34 participants. Isaiah was about to start employment in the district’s Facilities Department. Mr. Thomas is a product of the Newark Public Schools. Mr. Thomas has the ability to inspire the students in his program through his own walk of the same path. This initiative leads students with exceptionalities to become employees in the Newark Public Schools.

“Smiling With Sal Khan”

It isn’t every day that an Ed-Tech pioneer comes to visit a district elementary school, which is why there were a lot of smiles when Sal Khan, founder of Khan Academy, visited Newark’s Ridge Street School. Khan was enjoying talking with the students when a photo opportunity arose. Khan and the student he was chatting with mugged for the camera. Khan Academy is an online learning platform our schools are using that helps personalize learning, strengthen core skills, and support every student.

Both photos were taken by Malcolm Clark of the district’s Communications Department.

Marketing, Branding, and Image:

“Newark Enrolls”

Newark Enrolls is the district’s enrollment system that provides a choice for all students. The campaign uses several forms of advertising, and multilingual materials help make enrollment information accessible to all families. The creative materials feature actual Newark Public Schools students rather than generic commercial images. Students are photographed participating in programs associated with their schools.

Anthony Spadavecchia of the district’s Communications Department created the works in support of the district’s Newark Enrolls campaign, in collaboration with the district administration.

“Newark Saves”

The Newark Saves campaign’s goals are to make college savings accessible and achievable by opening college savings accounts for every kindergarten student enrolled in the Newark Public Schools, clearly explain the program’s benefits, and encourage families to visit NewarkSaves.org to enroll and learn more. The creative direction centers on growth, opportunity, and long-term investment. A tree serves as the campaign’s primary symbol, connecting the idea of planting financial seeds today with a child’s future educational success. A welcoming green palette reinforces growth and financial well-being, while bright complementary colors bring energy and distinction to key program messages. Accessibility and inclusion were high priorities for the district as the campaign was launched. Information was presented across multiple platforms. We are grateful to the Prudential Foundation, the lead sponsor, and all who continue to donate to this worthy cause.

Cameron Barrett of the district’s Communications Department created the works related to the district’s Newark Saves campaign, in collaboration with the district administration.

“Newark Public Schools is a dynamic, multi-faceted community and our Communications Department works hard to serve its students, families, schools, and administration every day,” said Superintendent León. “From telling the story of two longtime friends now attending Brown University, to capturing powerful moments between leaders and students, to helping families explore our schools and begin saving for college, these six awards recognize their creativity and commitment. Their efforts help our community understand and participate in the transformation underway in our district and tell New Jersey and the country that the real narrative of Newark Public Schools is one of achievement and excellence.”

“Strong communication helps families make informed decisions, strengthens their connection to our schools, and changes the way people think about Newark Public Schools,” said Board of Education President Hasani K. Council. “Whether families are choosing a school, planning for college, celebrating a student’s accomplishments, or appreciating our staff members’ commitment to our students, they need information that is clear, accessible, and meaningful. The Board congratulates our Communications Department for earning statewide recognition for work that serves our families and builds pride in Newark Public Schools.”

“Successful communications depends on effective collaboration – we need to work with our colleagues, our students, and our communities to be at our best,” said Director of Communications Paul Brubaker. “That is why we are so grateful to the students, staff, colleagues, and stakeholders who worked with us to make it possible for the Communications Department to earn these awards. We are also grateful to everyone at the New Jersey School Public Relations Public Relations Association for their very kind recognition of our work.”

The NJSPRA School Communication Awards recognize professional school communicators in New Jersey and the tactics they develop that go above and beyond to disseminate important messages to their various stakeholders.

“Behind every award-winning entry is a communications person working to keep staff and families informed and engaged,” said Christine Corless, President of NJSPRA and Public Information Officer at Ridgewood Public Schools. “Newark Public Schools’ recognition in media coverage, website design, photography, and marketing and branding shows what’s possible when a district puts real thought into how it connects with its community.”

The submissions were judged by an esteemed panel of 12 judges from eight states other than New Jersey including experienced and award-winning school communications professionals.