West Side Park Elementary School

571 18th Avenue
Newark, NJ 07103

T: (973) 286-6942
F: (973) 286-6943

Welcome to West Side Park Elementary School

West Side Park Elementary School is located in the Newark neighborhood of West Side. Students have the opportunity to attend our elementary school for grades K to 4, and to continue on to West Side Park Middle School for grades 5 to 8, and a North Star Academy high school for grades 9 to 12.

9 Years

West Side Park Elementary opened in August 2010 by two former North Star Academy teachers following the success of its sister school, Vailsburg Elementary.

Grades K-4

We are an elementary school serving students in grades K to 4.

Uniforms

Our students wear uniforms to foster a focus on learning and a stronger sense of community.

Learn More

Our Core Values

Caring

We take care of each other. We help each other. We notice when someone needs help and we lend a hand. We do not hurt each other physically or emotionally.

Courage

We have confidence in ourselves and in each other. We strive to do our best and to do what's right even when it scares us. We encourage each other.

Justice

We act with fairness toward each other. We get involved when members of the community are in trouble or need help. We work to improve our community and the world.

Respect

We treat each person as valuable--worthy of greatness and goodness. We accept individuals for who they are. We are honest with each other.

Responsibility

We believe we are the masters of our own destinies and that we have the power to control our lives and shape our futures. We participate fully in everything we do; we do not do things halfway.

Academics and Culture

Curriculum and Development

North Star Academy has developed over one hundred interim assessments directly aligned with New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards and North Star curricula. These assessments form the backbone of the data-driven instructional model that has greatly enhanced student achievement.

Eliminating the Achievement Gap

North Star students have succeeded in eliminating the achievement gap, routinely outperforming their more affluent, suburban district peers on New Jersey state assessments.

See Our Results

Emphasis on College

North Star begins educating students about the importance of college from day one and continues to do so through college readiness activities found in middle and high school. The goal is for freshman year to become a natural extension of graduating from high school.

Partnering with Families

Partnering with families is vital to ensuring the success of our students and schools. We recognize that we cannot fulfill our mission of preparing students to enter, succeed in, and graduate from college without the support of our families. Family events are held at each campus at least once every two months. Flyers and messages inviting families to upcoming meetings and events are sent home with students. Food and child care are always provided.

In addition to campus events, North Star Academy is committed to maintaining frequent communication with our families by offering the following: back-to-school nights and family potluck dinners, campus newsletters and postcards, family conferences, monthly progress reports, end-of-quarter report cards, and more.

For an overview of our Parent Involvement Policies and Programs, please click here. North Star Academy’s Title I Parent Involvement Policy and School-Parent Compact can be found here.

Parent Council

Parents have been active in all phases of the school, from its founding to its governance. The Parent Council is an organization made up of North Star Parents. Each fall parents at each school elect their Parent Council officers. Visit North Star Academy’s Family Resource and Policies page for additional information.

Our School Leaders

Principal

Keila Fernandez

Director of Operations

Sa-Qwona Clark-Singleton