Six Roxbury Prep seniors secure full-ride scholarships to prestigious colleges

Six seniors from Roxbury Prep High School are celebrating a remarkable achievement: full four-year scholarships to prestigious colleges such as Princeton, Vassar, and Vanderbilt. For these students, the scholarships like QuestBridge and Posse, not only alleviate the financial burden of college but also signify a profound sense of accomplishment and pride. Roxbury Prep’s principal shared … Continued

Uncommon Seniors Featured on Good Morning America

As more students apply to colleges through early decision, joyful and tearful acceptance reactions are pouring in from students across Uncommon Schools. ABC News’ Good Morning America featured the stories of three students from North Star Academy Lincoln Park High School and the path to their dream college through the early decision process. Natalie, Angelina … Continued

Colleges Must Extend Enrollment Deadlines after FAFSA Delays

Uncommon students, like millions around the country, are feeling the impact of FAFSA delays disrupting college financial aid timelines. Mark Stulberg, the Director of College Counseling at North Star Academy Lincoln Park High School, shares the story of his student Nicholas Onaiwu to urge colleges to extend enrollment deadlines beyond the traditional May 1st deadline. … Continued

Fifteen Newark Students Earn Prestigious QuestBridge Scholarships

North Star Academy in Newark had a record seven graduating seniors who will receive full scholarships through the prestigious QuestBridge National College Match program to attend some of the nation’s most competitive colleges.  North Star had the highest number of QuestBridge recipients among all Newark high schools. More than 20,800 students from across the country … Continued

Governor Murphy is right to focus on literacy | Opinion

By Juliana Worrell Juliana Worrell, Uncommon Schools’ Chief Schools Officer K-8, advocates for strong literacy instruction using the principles of the science of reading. Read this op-ed as it originally appeared on January 20, 2024 in NJ Star-Ledger. (Subscription may be required.) In his State of the State message, Gov. Phil Murphy called for introducing … Continued

Neurodiverse Camden Prep High Schoolers Mentor Younger Students with Disabilities

By JANEL ‘JAYCEE’ MILLER Camden Prep is breaking barriers with its new Eye to Eye (E.T.E.) program which brings together neurodiverse middle school students and high school mentors sharing similar unique talents and educational experiences. Initiated this year, E.T.E is focused on overcoming obstacles in the classroom and maximizing each child’s individual potential. The program … Continued

Uncommon New York City Elementary School Scholars Featured on The Kelly Clarkson Show

When Excellence Boys performing arts teacher Ivan Marrero filmed his second-grade students looking in the mirror and saying one thing they liked about themselves, he had no idea the impact that video would have on millions. “My skin color,” “I’m smart,” “My eyes,” “I have the ability to do anything,” are just some of the … Continued

Camden Prep Cuts Ribbon on $50 Million High School

Camden Prep High School celebrated its $50 million brand-new, state-of-the-art facility in Camden, NJ with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Camden Prep’s first graduating class started their senior year with a new gym, cafeteria, and quad, among other facilities. Camden Mayor Victor Carstarphen and Uncommon Schools Co-CEOs Julie Jackson and Brett Peiser were on-site to commemorate the … Continued

North Star’s Mike Taubman: What a moral philosophy course offers high school students

Nov 2, 2023 At the 50th anniversary of Stanford University’s Structured Liberal Education (SLE) seminar, North Star teacher and Stanford graduate Mike Taubman gave a lecture on “Searching Together for the Common Good” and talked about transposing this course to the high school environment. “The first aspect of SLE’s culture that is powerful for high … Continued

Camden Prep students head back to class at brand new school building: ‘I want to be successful’

August 31, 2023 | By: FOX 29 Camden Prep High School is getting ready to graduate its first senior class. Students who started high school on Zoom are now enjoying a brand new building with bright classrooms, a multi-purpose gym, and more. “Just a few days into the new school year, Freshman Ariella McCormick says … Continued

Camden Prep HS students are excited to start the school year in a brand-new building

August 31, 2023 | By: NBC10 We promised our founding Camden Prep scholars they would have a new building to start their senior year and we delivered! Camden Prep High School students began the 23-24 school year in a brand new building, equipped with an outdoor quad, cafeteria, multi-purpose gym, and more. Camden Mayor Victor … Continued

Williamsburg welcomes new school to kick off a new school year

Aug 29, 2023, 8:34pm | By: News 12 Staff Uncommon opened the doors of a brand new elementary school in Brooklyn to begin the 23-24 school year. Williamsburg Elementary School (WES) kicked off a new school year by welcoming 300 kindergarten through fourth-grade students. “We have high rigor, but we’re also building students with strong … Continued

Rochester Prep celebrates Senior Signing Day

WHAM ABC 13  | Fri, May 19th 2023, 7:28 PM EDT Rochester Prep celebrated its Senior Signing Day on May 19 to commemorate students’ college decisions and to cheer them on as they begin their next chapter. 98% of the seniors are graduating and heading to college in the fall. “So often we hear about … Continued

Uncommon New York City Elementary School Featured on Good Morning America

Setting Students Up For Success In College And Beyond

Brittnee Baker |May 1, 2023 Uncommon Schools’ counselors have made it their mission to help students get through and succeed in college. Since 1997, 99% of Uncommon high school graduates have earned acceptance at four-year colleges and universities. In a conversation with the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, shares the most important factor behind … Continued

Newark High School Student Testifies in Trenton for Charter School Facilities Funding

By TAPinto Newark Staff Report | Last Updated April 20, 2023  Corey Madison, a senior at North Star Academy, is making his voice heard. Saying he believed that his school and other public charter schools were being treated unfairly, Madison testified before the New Jersey state assembly budget committee. Check out his testimony here: Read … Continued

Camden Prep Student Launches Own Business As Part of School Project

By Neill Borowski | March 21, 2023 Camden Prep student Maurquay Moody turned $200 in seed funding into Philadelphia’s top prize for young entrepreneurs. Moody learned about starting his own business through Camden Prep’s High School 2.0 program. Camden Prep engaged Dan LaSalle, who runs a non-profit organization called Niche Clinic, which teaches high school … Continued

Jody Jones discusses leadership with the Accelerate Institute

March 9, 2023 / Accelerate Institute News In 2018, Uncommon Schools’ Jody Jones won the prestigious Ryan Award for her transformational leadership as Principal at North Star Academy, where she helped lead students to meet or surpass in-state testing expectations compared to other New Jersey school districts. Five years later, Jones, now Uncommon’s Senior Director of School … Continued

Schools must focus on reading in 2023 to close the COVID learning gap

By Paula White | Feb. 18, 2023 The fact is that quality literacy instruction is the linchpin variable for our children’s learning. For 2023, let’s give it the focus and boost it deserves. Read more on NJ.com

‘Recognize the beauty’: Powerful video of boys saying affirmations in mirror puts NY students in spotlight

By Amanda Lee Myers|Feb. 15, 2023 Boy after boy walks up to a mirror. Some are confident, some seem shy, and many grin as they do a simple act of self-love: Looking in the mirror and saying what they like most about themselves. “One thing I love about myself is I have the ability to … Continued

All students deserve to grapple with the hard truth

By Art Worrell | Feb 13. 2023 In this op-ed by Art Worrell, director of history instruction at Uncommon Schools, Worrell says history is messy. But by embracing that messiness, we come to understand our world and what it means to be human. Read more on NJ.com

Rochester Prep Students Earn Full Scholarships to Prestigious Colleges

By Tocarra Hughes | Feb. 10, 2023 Four students from Rochester Prep will attend Notre Dame, Colgate University, the University of Chicago, and Boston University on a full, four-year academic scholarship through the QuestBridge National College Match. The Rochester Prep students were selected from among more than 17,900 applicants for the scholarship. Read more on … Continued

My career choice surprises people

By Dashawn Sheffield | Feb. 7, 2023 North Star Academy student Dashawn Sheffield knows that he can be a force for good — even though his dream career, which carries negative stereotypes — surprises people. Read more at Chalkbeat

Newark High School Students Fight for Menstrual Equity

Students at Uncommon Newark are taking menstrual equity into their own hands. New Jersey schools are not required to provide female sanitary products, but a student-led club at North Star is fighting to make them available. The club started almost two years ago when students managed to get a company to donate hygiene product dispensers … Continued

Roxbury Prep’s Mardi relishes being a leader

By Seth Daniel, News Editor | October 20, 2022 | Dorchester News After spending a year in a training program and four years teaching History, Frankline Mardi was appointed Principal at Roxbury Prep Dorchester. Her love for teaching points back to when she was a student and she helped tutor her mother, who spent most … Continued

Uncommon Schools Integrate Coding Lessons With Humanities

January 13, 2023 • Giovanni Albanese | GovTech Uncommon Schools received a $4 million Education Innovation and Research (EIR) grant from the U.S. Department of Education. Thanks to the EIR grant, Uncommon can launch a new coding program at five of its nine high schools to promote careers in STEM by embedding coding lessons in … Continued

Leadership Prep Canarsie Wins Sports Grant

December 10, 2022 | SNY When Coach Flaherty at Leadership Prep Canarsie Middle Academy (LPCMA) heard that Chick-fil-a was partnering with SNY SportsNite to give away over $12000 in grant funding to youth basketball leagues, he knew he had to apply for his school. Flaherty won $2,500 for his basketball team, supplying LPCMA with sports … Continued

Co-CEOs Brett Peiser and Julie Jackson named to 2022 Power Players in Education

Uncommon Co-CEOs Brett Peiser and Julie Jackson have been named to Politics NY’s list of 2022 Power Players in Education. Before becoming Co-CEO of Uncommon Schools, Peiser served as managing director of Uncommon Schools NYC. Peiser is the founder and former principal, and executive director of Boston Collegiate Charter School, and a former History teacher. … Continued

Morehouse Men Visit Excellence Boys Brooklyn

BROOKLYN, NY — “Welcome to Little Morehouse!” Principal Quinterrence Bell cheered as a big travel bus pulled up in front of Excellence Boys Charter School on Patchen Avenue and the 50 Morehouse Men inside started streaming out to the sidewalk.  The Morehouse students had been on the bus for over 14 hours, having left Atlanta Thursday … Continued

Camden Prep Teacher Competes on Survivor Season 43

Morriah Young, a middle school performing arts teacher at Camden Prep, competed on Season 43 of Survivor. Young states that she spent her formative years watching Survivor with her late mother, who only recently passed away. She said that the entire reason she is participating in this season is to “commemorate and honor her.” Young explained … Continued

North Star’s Samuel Bendinelli Nominated for Chalkbeat’s Abbott Elementary Inspired Poll

Celebrating the success of “Abbott Elementary,” a wildly popular television sitcom centered on an optimistic Philadelphia school teacher, Chalkbeat asked readers to nominate teachers who are their real-life versions of “Mrs. Howard” — teachers who continuously demonstrated dedication and caring during the pandemic. North Star’s WPHS Samuel Bendinelli was nominated by one of his former … Continued

Recovering From Remote Learning’s Shortfalls

Millions of students have not caught up academically after remote learning, and Uncommon Schools is making up for that. Fairmount Elementary Principal, Tameka Royal, uses pep rallies to increase enthusiasm for learning with her students. “Always stand up and always speak out. There is no substitute for in-person learning,” says Royal. The school is utilizing … Continued

Roxbury Prep is Focused on Solving Boston’s Teacher Shortage

This summer, rising college seniors from across the country came to Roxbury Prep for a five-week fellowship that offered hands-on classroom and instructional experience. Similar to previous years’ cohorts, most of them headed back to their final year in college with a job offer in hand to come back and teach at Roxbury Prep when … Continued

Uncommon Schools’ Summer Program Is Helping College Students Become Teachers

By Molly Chandler | Posted on June 28, 2022 Between her junior and senior years at DePauw University in Indiana in 2014, Estrella De La Torre spent the summer at an elementary school in Brownsville as a Summer Teaching Fellow. At the time, De La Torre had no interest in becoming a teacher, but a fellow … Continued

Mission Hill Graduating Senior Looks Towards a Career in Health Science; Will Attend BU in the Fall

by Lauren Bennett • June 2, 2022 | Mission Hill Gazette Mission Hill resident Wahaaj Farah is gearing up to attend Boston University in the fall, after graduating from Roxbury Prep on June 1. Farah was an active participant in Roxbury Prep’s High School 2.0 program during his high school years, where he took part in Quiz Bowl … Continued

Brooklyn Students Move on To Next Phase of Their Journey

BY MOLLY CHANDLER |Posted Wed, Jun 1, 2022 Nearly 450 students from Uncommon Schools’ four high schools in Brooklyn announced their plans to attend college or other programs before an audience of teachers, underclassmen, and their families during uplifting celebrations last week. The Senior Signing Day celebrations are similar to ceremonies where student-athletes announce what Division … Continued

North Star Academy Graduates Celebrate the Coming Journey

By TAPINTO NEWARK |Published May 31, 2022 at 6:43 PM Growing up in Newark’s South Ward, Devia’N Parker Rogers had a lot of pets  – dogs, turtles, fish. “I was always really excited to be around animals,” Parker Rogers said. “I was really shy around other people socially and kind of introverted, so I really … Continued

Senior Signing Day at Roxbury Prep

BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — It’s a big day for graduating seniors at one of Boston’s charter schools. On Senior Signing Day Thursday, Roxbury Prep students let their teachers and classmates know their plans after graduation. Students cheered at the Reggie Lewis Center as many seniors unveiled college T-shirts to the crowd, announcing their pick. Stanaelle Celestin held … Continued

Program helping combat teacher shortage in Rochester

The worker shortage is affecting a wide variety of professions, including teaching. Local school districts are dealing with a shortage of both teachers and staff, just like every other district in New York. Rochester Prep is trying to combat the shortage by helping people who want to become teachers go to school to do so … Continued

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