[NEWARK, New Jersey, October 30, 2019] The Newark Board of Education (NBOE), is a recipient of a $4.6M Project Prevent Grant from the US Department of Education.
Project Prevent Newark is a five-year multi-tiered system of supports that create culturally responsive learning environments, build the social emotional learning (SEL) capacity of teachers and students and increase mental health counseling services for students. The supports are intended to equip students with the tools to deal with trauma and break the cycle of violence prevalent in our communities.
The grant covers the period starting in October 2019 through September 2024. “This amazing award positions the District to implement the vision of creating trauma informed schools and providing staff with the necessary tools to help our students deal with challenges they face” said Roger León, Superintendent of the largest school district in New Jersey.
The objectives of Project Prevent Newark include:
- Providing school-based counseling to assist students coping with trauma,
- Providing professional development to school personnel so they are equipped with SEL and behavioral supports to help address the effects of community and school violence
- Implementing an evidence-based school-wide SEL curriculum with conflict resolution and culturally-responsive learning strategies that promote a safer and improved school environment, and
- Improving the quality of family engagement with community-based organizations.