1 North Star Independence Park Elementary - Uncommon Schools Newark

North Star Independence Park Elementary

79 Jefferson Street
Newark, NJ 07105
Grades: K

Opening September 2026!

Email: info.nsaipes@northstaracademy.org

Welcome to Independence Park Elementary School

North Star Academy is expanding to meet the growing demand for high-quality charter school options in Newark. Independence Park Elementary School will be opening in September 2026 in the Ironbound neighborhood to offer local families access to the proven North Star Academy model. The new school will open with Kindergarten in its first year at a temporary location. We plan to grow year by year, eventually serving more grade levels as the school builds capacity at our new permanent location by September 2028.

Opening September 2026

Independence Park Elementary School will open for the 2026-2027 school year with Kindergarten.

Ironbound

We are excited to open our seventh elementary school in the strong and vibrant Ironbound community to offer local families access to the proven North Star Academy model.

Uniforms

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

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Ready to begin your North Star journey?
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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, campus newsletters, family conferences, 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.

Our School Leaders

Principal

Keila Fernandez

Director of Operations

Luciana Martins

Dean of Students

TBA

Learn How to Enroll

Ready to enroll your child? Click below to learn more about how to enroll.

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