Pop-Up Enrollment Center Will Be Touring Newark As New School Year Nears

NEWARK, NJ — A great education in Newark begins with a simple step, advocates say: getting enrolled for a new school year.

My Schools Newark announced Monday that it will be partnering with local community organizations and elected officials to help parents enroll their children in the Newark Public School District.

The My Schools Newark Popup Enrollment Support Center is launching ahead of the “August rush,” when students will be registering for a new academic school year. It is scheduled to appear at multiple locations throughout the city. Learn more here.

The times and locations of the pop-up centers can be seen at the My Schools Newark website events page.

Families currently have two ways to enroll in Newark. Schools run by the Newark Board of Education use the Newark Enrolls system, while most of the charter schools in Newark use the Newark Common App, which was launched by the New Jersey Children’s Foundation (NJCF) three years ago.

The process is still a challenge for many people, however.

“We have heard stories about how complicated it can be to enroll in a public school, and we are committed to helping families get through that process to ensure their child is enrolled in a school by the time the school year starts,” said Barbara Martinez, chief executive officer of the NJCF, which supports My Schools Newark.

“By bringing our Enrollment Support Center directly into neighborhoods, we’re making it easier than ever for families to get the personalized help they need close to home, in their language, and in person,” Martinez said.

According to Martinez, enrollment data shows that many families wait until August to register their children for classes. Martinez noted that some charter schools start classes in late August – not leaving a wide window for parents.

“We want to make this as simple as possible so families can get their children into the first school of their choice, whether that be a district school or a charter school,” Martinez said.

SUPPORT CENTER

The Enrollment Support Center will be visiting the following locations:

FOCUS Development Center, 441 Broad St, Newark, NJ 07102

• August 13 – 10 a.m. to noon
• August 26 – 10 a.m. to noon
• August 28 – 10 a.m. to noon

La Casa De Don Pedro Immigrant Resource Center (address will be provided upon registration)

• August 6 – 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
• August 13 – 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
• August 20 – 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
• August 27 – 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

North Ward Little City Hall, Office of Councilman Anibal Ramos, 337 Bloomfield Ave, Newark, NJ 07107

• August 15 – 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• August 22 – 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Office of Assemblywoman Shanique Speight, 50 Park Pl. Newark, NJ 07102

• Aug. 12 – noon – 2 p.m.
• Aug. 26 – noon – 2 p.m.

UCC Youth, Families and Senior Services Department, 600 S. 17th St, Newark, NJ 07103

• Aug. 21 – noon – 3 p.m.

UCC, Utilities Assistance Department, 106 Ann St, Newark, NJ 07105

• Aug. 11 – 10 a.m. to noon
• Aug. 18 – 10 a.m. to noon
• Aug. 25 – 10 a.m. to noon

My Schools Newark will also be holding sessions at Councilman Mike Silva’s Little City Hall office at 263 Lafayette Street, the organization noted.

“In the North Ward, we are committed to making sure every child has access to a great education and that starts with getting them enrolled,” Councilman Anibal Ramos said.

“By bringing this popup center to our neighborhoods, we’re eliminating barriers for families and helping them navigate a process that can be confusing or stressful,” Ramos said. “This is exactly the kind of partnership our community needs.”

New Jersey Assemblywoman Shanique Speight – another elected official who will be hosting the popup center – said it will help bring support directly into Newark neighborhoods.

“Every child deserves a great education, and it all starts with a smooth and simple enrollment process,” Speight said.

COMMUNITY PARTNERS

Community organizations that are teaming up with My Schools Newark include La Casa de Don Pedro’s Immigrant Resource Center, FOCUS Development and United Community Corp (UCC).

“We know that August is the busiest month of the year for student enrollment and we are grateful that My Schools Newark is stepping up with staff members and expertise to help get more children registered for schools–from public and private pre-K providers to district and charter schools,” said Craig Mainor, executive director of UCC.

“We know right now there are hundreds if not thousands of students without a school, and we want to make sure to get the word out for folks to get their kids enrolled,” Mainor said.

Peter Rosario, the president and CEO of La Casa de Don Pedro, said its Immigrant Resource Center is a place where our community members can receive important information, services and advocacy.

“We are glad to work with My Schools Newark to ensure our families can also connect with an expert to help them navigate the complexities of public school enrollment,” Rosario said.

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