North Star Academy Parents and Staff Pound Pavement for Incoming Classes

NEWARK, NJ – November 14, 2011 – Over the last two months, parents and staff of North Star Academy (North Star)—a free, public charter school in Newark—have been pounding the pavement to spread the word to Newark families about its openings for the 2012-2013 school year.  “It is my honor to help share my experiences with more Newark families looking for a school for their children,” says Crystal Wortham, Downtown Middle School and Vailsburg Elementary School parent.  

Wortham goes on to say, “North Star has changed the lives of my children and me.  It was so exciting for me to see how quickly my son and daughter learned to read and write legibly in Kindergarten.  The quantity of information my oldest daughter Brooklyn is exposed to in the middle school far exceeds my expectations.  I love the structure of the school and the dedication of the teachers and leaders.”

Based on state law, North Star accepts students by random, public lottery.  “North Star is stopping the mediocre educational expectations for minorities and raising the bar. The issue was never the competency of minorities. It has always been an issue of opportunity. Every time the lottery comes around they offer more children an opportunity for a better future," Wortham states.  The entry points into the school are Kindergarten and fifth grade.  To help ensure families throughout the city all get the opportunity to apply, North Star sends staff and parent volunteers to visit supermarkets, local businesses, and organizations to talk to prospective families. 

Since 1997, North Star Academy has solidified systems of academic and cultural excellence across its schools.  With steady increases in test scores over the years, North Star Academy was recently awarded the prestigious Blue Ribbon Award for Excellence by the US Department of Education.  Additionally, 100% of North Star graduates have been accepted to four-year colleges, and this year, North Star students had the highest scores throughout all Newark public schools on the SAT—a nationally-recognized college entrance exam. 

In 2012, North Star will serve an additional 550 students, putting the total to over 2,100 students next year.  Keith Burnam, who will serve as principal of a North Star middle school, shares, “I am thrilled to welcome our class of 2020—our newest fifth graders next year.  As a native of Newark it’s a great honor to build upon the successes of our existing schools and help another class of students that will graduate high school and go to college!”