Career Day

Our first Pride Academy Career Day was an amazing success, due in large part to support from our Pride parents! Mr. Bowers, Ms. Cajuste, Ms. Gore, Ms. Ferguson, Ms. McMillan, Ms. Barber, and Ms Fuller were seven of our presenters. As they and other professionals shared about the careers they love and the steps they took to accomplish their success, our students were encouraged to think about how good choices made in middle school can have a positive effect on their future educational and employment opportunities.

Some of the twenty-six professions represented during Career Day included the following: a senior correction officer, a real estate broker, a personal trainer, a sports events promoter, a Bank of America banking center manager, a Chief Judge at the Newark Municipal Court, a director of operations-Seven in One Professional, a probation officer/criminal investigator, a PSE&G forecasting analyst, a US Marshal, a children’s author, an East Orange fire chief, an ICU pediatrician, a Bed Bath and Beyond payroll processor, and a Yahoo marketing manager.

Thank you to the parents and professionals who participated in our first Career Day. The students and faculty truly enjoyed your contributions

By Mrs. Knoepffler and Ms Sica

Robotics Comes to Pride

Through a grant from The Community Foundation of New Jersey, the Young Creators project will be offered as an after school program at Pride this year. The program will encourage Pride scholars to work collaboratively in math and science while creating projects that will be entered in the New York/New Jersey RoboCupJunior competition.

Teachers at Pride will work with Dr. Amy Eguchi, assistant professor of education at Bloomfield College to create a program that will encourage students to pursue studies in math, science, technology, and engineering  in college.

Bloomfield College Vice President for academic affairs, Marion Terenzio, described the program in this way:

"Providing students with the opportunity to create is one of the most effective forms of learning. Students are natural born creators and this program will provide the platform for them to do what they do best."

The program comes to Pride through the efforts of our 5th grade Math teacher, Mrs. Torres. As a junior at Bloomfield College, Mrs Torres received a Minority Academic Careers fellowship to pursue research into the connection between robotics and mathematics education. She presented the results of her research at the annual MAC convention and co-authored an article titled “Engage and Motivate Non-Computer Science Major Undergraduates Using Educational Robotics,” which she presented at the 2008 Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference in Las Vegas.

In her senior year, Mrs. Torres carried out her student teaching at The School at Columbia University where she worked with a LEGO Mindstorm student robotics team as part of an after-school program. Students from the school competed at the RoboCup junior competitions in New Jersey and in Singapore.

Mrs. Torres is very excited about the great opportunity to introduce robotics to PRIDE and to observe the impact it has on student learning, and the development of critical thinking skills:

"Through this grant we will receive all the resources necessary to begin a competitive robotics team at Pride. It will be an excellent opportunity for our students to experience a completely different learning tool."

More information about the new program can be found on the Bloomfield College website.

Pride Scholars at Kean University!

On May 1st students in our MVP program embarked on a college tour of Kean University. Kean University is located in Union, NJ, ten minutes away from Pride Academy Charter School. Kean University was founded in 1855 in Newark, NJ as the Newark Normal School. It later became known as the Newark Teachers College and in 1958, it moved from Newark to Union.

The trip to Kean gave the students an opportunity to gain insight into the life of a college student. Our students were given a tour of the University by a Kean ambassador. They were introduced to various sights within the University such as the Center for Academic Success, Kean’s Administration Building, Harwood Arena, and a Dormitory.

The MVP program began on April 17th in order to focus on developing self-growth in our male students and is conducted by teacher/mentors within the school. Students in the program meet on Saturdays and participate in workshops and activities that are interactive, engaging, and informative. During MVP’s first meeting, students participated in a workshop focusing on our core value of Respect. Students discussed the value of respect and how it shapes their lives on a daily basis. Students were engaged in various physical activities that focused on this theme and involved them in working with others to successfully reach a goal. In this session, students also came up with the program’s motto, which they called, “Respect,
No Excuses.”

In upcoming sessions, the MVP Program will be focused on leadership, drug awareness, and an end of the year trip with Project U.S.E. Through these experiences, the mentors hope to build upon key characteristics of leadership, respect, self-motivation, communication skills, and goal-setting that will help our young men succeed in their future endeavors. The program has also hosted guest speakers such as a councilman and an attorney from our wider East Orange community, who gave the students further insight into these important life skills.

The founders of the program, Mr. Altamirano, Mr. Simon, and Mr. Dinzey, hope to continue to provide opportunities and instill values that will help the young men in the program develop and exercise their talents in leadership, service, and scholarship.

By Mr. Dinzey, Mr. Altamirano and Mr. Simon

Genetics Expo

On April 21, 2010, the seventh graders hosted the 2nd Annual Genetics Expo. Prior to the formal presentations at the Exposition, the students were engaged in the study of heredity and genetics. Through the course of their studies, they encountered some of the genetic disorders that exist and affect many people. Working in teams, students embarked upon an in depth research project where they gathered information about a particular genetic disorder or disease. Some of the conditions researched included; Neurofibromatosis, Diabetes, Down Syndrome, Follicular Lymphoma, and Sickle Cell Anemia. Once all of the information was obtained, students organized Power Point presentations to communicate their findings with our school community. This year, we were honored to have several members of the community share their knowledge with us. Mrs. Judy Bellina from the ARC of Essex in Newark, joined us and addressed the community about Down Syndrome and further educated us about some of the services that are provided to individuals affected by this disorder. In addition, students had the opportunity to listen to the sister of a fellow classmate, as she spoke about living with diabetes. Another student, Abdul Ibn-Malik was joined by his mother during his presentation, and the duo shared information about a condition that was close to heart for both of them.

The Expo provided a wonderful platform for students to share their work with other students, parents, teachers, and other members of our community. It was an experience that enabled the students to develop their critical thinking skills, oral presentation skills, and most importantly, it was an opportunity for students to uphold the core value of empathy in a new light. Many presentations included video documentaries of individuals afflicted with the disorders and it was remarkable to observe the respect and admiration our students felt for them. The students would like to thank all of their teachers and parents for their support, as well as Mrs. Thomas for allowing them to arrive to school professionally dressed and giving them the opportunity to showcase their findings. It was an incredible learning opportunity and an experience that will
remain with them for a long time.

Reach For The Stars Literacy Campaign

To ensure that our students are exercising their brains at home during the NJASK testing season, Pride Academy is launching the "REACH FOR THE STARS" Literacy Campaign.

Students are being challenged to read at least 30 minutes a night for two weeks. Students are also being asked to get pledges from sponsors. Students will use the money that they collect to purchase their own books to read over the summer vacation. Other incentives include certificates, trophies, and a dress down day.

Teachers are getting the students motivated to read by challenging the whole student body to read for a total of 72,000 minutes. If the students reach this challenge, the teachers will perform the "THRILLER DANCE" for the school community. Students are encouraged to read beyond the 30 minutes a day in order to ensure they reach their school-wide goal.

Let’s work together to reach for the STARS and READ for life and leisure!

NJASK Testing for 7th and 8th Graders

NJASK tests will be administered to all 7th and 8th graders this week during the mornings of Tuesday 4/27, Wednesday 4/28, Thursday 4/29 and Friday 4/30.

As you know, these tests are very important for your children, and our teachers have been working hard with your children all year to ensure their success on the tests. Now the testing time has arrived and this is your children’s time to SHINE and show you and their community their talents and brilliance. We have made it to this final NJASK academic championship and we are excited about the outcome!

YOU can help support us as we work to continue to prepare your children for success on the NJASK tests by encouraging them to:

Sleep well! Please ensure that your children get a good night’s rest before testing days.

Eat breakfast! Please ensure that your children eat a healthy and nutritious breakfast on testing mornings.

Be on time! Please ensure that your children arrive to school on time by 8:00 am on all testing days.

Be Prepared! Please reinforce the importance of your children following all testing directions and being prepared to be SILENT and focused during the test, place their book bags in a designated area in the classroom, and hand in their cell phones so that they can be removed from the classroom during the test and stored in a safe place until the testing is over.

Be Brain-Sharp! Please ensure that your children READ every night to exercise critical thinking skills, condition their brains, and build their vocabulary and reading comprehension strategies.

Be Comfortable! Please ensure that if your children suffer from seasonal allergies, that they use eye drops or take non-drowsy medications before they come to school in the morning.

Be Confident and Courageous! Remind your children that they have nothing to be anxious or fearful about –they are prepared and ready for the tests!

Be Determined! Remind your children to not put their heads down during the tests or give up because some questions may be difficult. Ask them to promise you that they will write complete and full answers to ALL the open ended questions.

Be Proud! Remind your children how much you love them and how proud you are of their accomplishments.

Thank you for your continued support and for your faith in Pride Academy. Please reach out to Mrs. Thomas or Ms Dumenigo if you have any questions about the testing.

Countdown to NJASK Testing!

The months of April and May are very important months in the lives of your children and in the life of our school. Important State mandated NJASK tests will be administered to students in grades 5-8 beginning two weeks after we return from Spring vacation. In order to build your children’s motivation and increase their level of preparedness and confidence in taking the tests, we have implemented a school wide 20–Day Countdown to Success. Each day, teachers lead presentations and activities that focus on math and language arts literacy skills. Students are encouraged to take part in competitions during Morning Assembly and homeroom periods that give them the opportunity to strengthen their skills as well as win prizes for their participation in critical thinking and brain power building challenges.

YOU can help support us as we work to prepare your children for these tests by doing the following:
Ensure that your child arrives to school on time by 8:00 am, attends school every day, and stays in school until the designated dismissal time.

Ensure that your child completes quality homework assignments EVERY night.
Ensure that your child takes advantage of extra help and tutoring opportunities provided by his/her teachers. Make attendance at PEP a priority!
Support the school in reinforcing that your child follows all school rules, respects our teachers and does his/her part to maintain a focused and productive learning environment.

NJASK for 7th and 8th graders: April 27th, April 28th, April 29th, and April 30th

NJASK for 5th and 6th graders: May 3rd, May 4th, May 5th and May 6th

Mentoring Program

When Mercedes Cotchery first visited Pride Academy Charter School, she was just a generous and kind-hearted volunteer from The Life Christian Church in West Orange who heard about our school and wanted to help out. Pride Academy later learned that Mrs. Cotchery was the wife of Jerricho Cotchery, wide-receiver of the New York Jets and the Board Chair and Executive Director of The Cotchery Foundation. We soon also learned that Mrs. Cotchery is a dynamic person with a real passion and gift for connecting with young people.

Her relationship with Pride Academy and its students began with the creation of a Girls’ Mentoring Group. Mrs. Cotchery developed her own curriculum to address some of the issues and challenges facing young women today. Mrs. Cotchery provided lunch for the girls during their weekly meetings where they shared and discussed topics like self-esteem, healthy relationships, goals, and life after high school. The Girls’ Mentoring Group was a great success, and Mrs. Cotchery soon set out to expand the program for the 2009-2010 academic year.

This year, The Cotchery Foundation made a greater commitment to the Pride Academy community. Jerricho and Mercedes Cotchery established The Cotchery Foundation to benefit inner city youth in January of 2007. The foundation's mission is to inspire children to conceive and achieve goals by providing programs and services designed to enhance their futures. The Cotchery’s have set out to help children understand that ordinary people can do extraordinary things if they have the desire and passion. To this end, The Cotchery Foundation has funded the expansion of the mentoring program to mentor all Pride Academy students in grades seven and eight using the RESH 180 Program. The RESH 180 Program is a course designed to inspire students to maximize their purpose in life through goal setting and planning.

Mercedes Cotchery trained community leaders to serve as mentors to Pride Academy students and help them reach their true potential. Mentor, Jared Winley, stated, “While growing up I lacked direction and was unaware of what existed outside of my everyday life. If it was not for people like James Flaherty who convinced me to attend college or Joe Browne who challenged me to change my thinking, as well as, my approach to professionalism there is no telling where my life would be right now.”

Pride students look forward to their weekly meeting and have learned and grown from the Cotchery Mentoring Program. However, the students are not the only ones learning! Mentor, Jaqueline Bruno, powerfully sums up her experience in the following words: “Although this class has been about me mentoring the students, I must admit that I have learned just as much from them. I have learned that it's just as important to be able to react positively as it is to plan. Each student has made a difference in my life and I am honored to know each and every one of them. They are the future and I am blessed to be a small part of their big journey.”

by Ms Dumenigo

Ms Cenac Named Charter School Teacher of the Year!

We are very proud to share that Ms Jodi Cenac (Dean of Academics and 7th/8th grade Science Teacher) has been selected as New Jersey Charter School Teacher of the Year!

Ms Cenac was presented with her award by Carlos Lejnieks, Chairman of the NJCSA Board of Trustees (left), and Dawood Farahi, Kean University President (right), at the Annual NJCSA Conference Gala in Long Branch on March 18th, 2010. 

During the award ceremony, Ms Cenac gave an inspiring acceptance speech that showcased her admiration for and love of our Pride Family of students, parents, and staff. This is a wonderful tribute to Ms Cenac's excellence, as well as to the strong professional learning community that we continue to build here at Pride Academy.

Ms Cenac is in her seventh year of teaching and is in her second full year at Pride Academy. Ms Cenac was inspired to become a teacher after reading Kozol's Savage Inequalities: Children in America's Schools, a classic work on educational inequality. She is motivated by the desire to help all children achieve to their potential and to help them believe in themselves. Her career has been dedicated to education in urban settings.

Ms Cenac earned a bachelor's degree in psychology and a master's degree in education from Seton Hall University. She received her initial training through Teach for America, serving initially at an elementary school in Paterson.

Homework Accountability Begins This Week

Please support our focus on expecting and encouraging your children to complete EXCELLENT QUALITY and COMPLETE homework EVERY NIGHT. Students who do not meet this expectation in the core subjects of math and language arts homework will be required to attend after school accountability on the day that their homework assignments are missed or incomplete. Accountability will run from 4pm-5pm and will take precedence over participation in all other after school activities and catching the East Orange and Orange district buses.

Pride Girls are Basketball Champions!

On Friday, March 19th, our girls' basketball team WON the Charter School League Championship game, cheered on to victory by our energetic and talented cheerleader squad! Our girls played valiantly, skillfully, and as a team, united with determination and PRIDE! Thank you to all parents who have supported our athletic program this season and who came out to support and cheer on our team and cheerleaders as they have honed their skills and grown as a powerful TEAM.

Pride Point Guard, Tia Taylor, was named Most Valuable Player for her perseverance, team spirit, and exceptional skill.

"Speaking to your Children about Sex": Workshop for Parents

On Thursday, March 4th at 6pm Ms Yvette Porter, a consultant who is currently working with our 8th grade students, will present a workshop for parents on the topic of “Speaking to your Children about Sex.” Please try to arrange your schedule so that you can attend this important workshop. A light dinner will be provided and child care will be available for parents who need to bring their children with them on Thursday evening.

Homework Expectations Parent/Guardian Workshop

On Thursday, March 11th at 6:00 pm we will present a workshop for parents and guardians on Homework Expectations. Please attend this important event to learn about the ways that you can support our teachers in holding your students accountable to high expectations for consistently completing EXCELLENT homework assignments every night.
We will discuss how our teachers support and celebrate students in their production of excellent homework assignments, and outline the accountability consequences for students who choose not to put effort into their homework.

Interim Assessments

On Wednesday, March 3rd and Thursday, March 4th all students in grades 5-8 will be taking interim assessments in math and Language Arts. These assessments are part of our initiative to build on our student achievement results and prepare for the NJASK State tests. Please support us by ensuring that your children are on time and present on all testing days. Make sure that they have had a good night's rest and have eaten a nutritious breakfast on the days of the tests.

Parent Workshop: Building and Maintaining Strong Home-School Partnerships

A Parent Workshop is scheduled for Saturday, March 20th from 10am-12 noon. All Pride Academy parent/guardians are invited to participate in the workshop presented by our guest speaker, Ms Tanya Caeser. Ms Caeser is certified and experienced in school counseling, guidance, and teaching Family Life Education and Multicultural Education. She will speak on the topic of 'Building and Maintaining Strong Home-School Partnerships'.

Please Note that all students who have been assigned Saturday Detention for March 13th and March 20th must attend this session with their parents.

Breakfast refreshments will be served.

(This workshop was originally scheduled for Saturday March 13th but has been rescheduled due to winter weather.)

Our Mathletes Feel the Pride

On Saturday, the Pride team of Mathletes presented at the North Central Region Chapter of MathCounts at Montclair State University!

The experience of being on a college campus and competing at this level of math performance was important and motivational for our students. They worked cooperatively, confidently, and with a supportive spirit as a team and as individuals to demonstrate their mental math and problem solving skills.

A HUGE thank you goes out to Ms Kalenak! Her initiative in forming a MathCounts team at Pride and her persistence in coaching and supporting our students have given us all the gift of feeling the pride that effort, and going above and beyond can achieve.

Parent Council Meeting

On January 21, we had our first Parent Council meeting of the year. We had the best turn out in our history, and the enthusiasm and positive energy was flowing. The Parent Council set their goals for the year. We hope that the whole community will work to support the Parent Council in reaching the following:

• To increase parent support and participation through the development and implementation of an incentive program.

• To raise funds to provide Pride Academy students with cubbies or some type of storage for coats and books.

The next Parent Council Meeting will be Thursday, Feb 18th at 6pm. Please join us as we begin to develop action plans to reach these goals.