Dedicated teachers can’t provide the whole answer, says Newark’s mayor
It takes a lot more to disentangle a child from poverty’s barriers
As Newark, New Jersey begins to celebrate the 350thanniversary of its founding as a community, our schools remain vital to the progress of our city. There is nothing more important to the future of our city than the development and education of our youngest residents, the children of Newark. We have an obligation to provide all of our children, not just a few, with the resources they need to achieve in school and succeed in life.
In the 21st century, meeting every child where they are requires a comprehensive strategy that addresses their social and health needs, embraces the cultural diversity they bring to school, ensures they have the opportunities they deserve, and supports school leaders and staff, all while engaging our children in critical thinking and learning.
Galvanizing the assets in Newark to work in the interests of our children, our families, our neighborhoods and our schools is not merely a political or economic issue…this is a moral issue for our administration and the people and institutions in the City of Newark
Across the nation, 20 percent of all children live below the poverty line. An unfathomable 44 percent of Newark’s children are growing up in poverty. This translates into food insecurity, unstable and unhealthy living conditions, environmental toxins and untreated medical conditions like toxic stress, toothaches, and ear infections. The research is clear; while poverty is the single greatest threat to children’s well-being, we can disrupt its harmful effects on our children and schools. It is our responsibility to do so.
Creating successful schools is not a mystical process. It is grounded in research on best practices and is based on empirical data. Quitman Street School in Newark is an example of how aligning school improvement efforts with investments in health, social services, student supports, and community engagement equip schools with the level of school and community capacity required for success. All schools have challenges. Quitman Street School is no exception. However, Quitman’s steady progress toward transformation is linked to its strategic focus on weaving together resources from inside and outside the school and use those resources to build school a responsive culture, integrate student supports, and drive a focus on learning. In the spring of 2014, the school, led by Principal Erskine Glover, saw the highest reading gains in Dedicated teachers can’t provide the whole answer, says Newark’s mayor - The Hechinger Report: