Newark Public Schools Opens Its 12th New School

NEWARK, N.J. – With a new principal in place and more than 100 ninth-graders enrolled, New Media High School opened today with the mission of preparing students for careers in content creation, video media production, and entertainment management.

“New Media High School is for students who want to be behind the cameras and create the scenes – the aspiring directors, writers, producers, and other roles that are vital to making a story come to life,” said Superintendent León. “We are building a school where students can learn industry-standard tools, collaborate with each other, and benefit from real-world experiences that prepare them to thrive in media and entertainment.

Steven Oliver, a proud Newark native and product of Newark Public Schools, was appointed principal of New Media High School. He attended Franklin Elementary School (kindergarten to 4th grade), McKinley Elementary School (5th and 6^th grades), Glady Hillman Jones Middle School (7^th and 8^th grades), and Arts High School, the nation’s first performing arts high school.

He earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance performance and a Master of Education in dance education from Rutgers University, followed by a Master of Arts in educational leadership from Montclair State University. Oliver began his career as a dance teacher at First Avenue School before serving as vice principal at Dr. William H. Horton Elementary School.

New Media High School will be located at the former site of the Dayton Street Elementary School, which was closed during the 25-year state operation of Newark. The school is lined across from Weequahic Park and adjacent to where Lionsgate with Great Point Studios is scheduled to open its new 270,000-square-foot production facilities. This new school will provide students with apprenticeships, internships, and eventually employment with these and many other industry partners. The school will be temporarily located at Bard High School Early College while Dayton Street School undergoes major repairs.

Like the district’s career-focused high schools, New Media High School will provide students with real-world industry experiences through partnerships with post-secondary institutions and industry leaders.

Eighth-grade students interested in attending New Media High School and becoming part of the school’s second ninth-grade class next school year are encouraged to apply at NewarkEnrolls.org when the application opens in October.  

The district continues to actively recruit teachers who have professional experience as members of the New Media High School faculty, as the school will grow by one grade every year. Those who are interested are encouraged to visit TeachNewark.com.

“This new school represents another major step in Newark’s expansion of meaningful, forward-looking career pathways,” said Board of Education President Hasani K. Council. “Our students will have access to cutting-edge media-production opportunities right here in their city, and these opportunities can change the direction of their lives. We are excited to continue building schools that place Newark students at the forefront of innovation and creativity.”

New Media High School is the 12th school to open since Superintendent León was appointed in 2018.