North Star Academy Boy’s Varsity Basketball (No. 15 seed) is advancing to play for the state title after ousting Madison (No. 10 seed) 52-46 in the North 2 Group 2 tournament on March 5. The North Star Academy Knights will be playing against the No. 1 seed Hackettstown on March 10 for an attempt to … Suite
At Uncommon Schools, we believe that every child deserves an outstanding education. This is especially true for students with disabilities and Individual Education Plans (IEPs), English language learners, and any student requiring additional services to succeed academically. Our approach is premised on a love of learning and a fierce dedication to preparing all students to … Suite
Camden Prep paid homage to the Tuskegee Airmen, along with other notable trailblazers of color, during a Black History Month celebration. The celebration is one of many ways students across all of Uncommon showcase what they’ve learned in an engaging way. Watch the video of Camden Prep Copewood Elementary students perform their BHM Celebration, and … Suite
Arlingcove (Allen) Paul has made history as the first football player from Roxbury Prep to sign a National Letter of Intent to play football at Georgetown University. https://twitter.com/Capen316/status/1225117881475784706 https://twitter.com/Capen316/status/1225108255007035393 Roxbury Prep’s varsity football program began in 2018, and has been a competitive team. Dwayne Robinson, Roxbury Prep’s Athletic Director, feels this is just the tip … Suite
Bryan Santos-Ramos, an 8th grader at Camden Prep Mt. Ephraim Middle School was recognized as the “Strongest Kid of the Game” during the Philadelphia 76ers’ exhibition against the Golden State Warriors on January 28, 2020. A few years ago, Bryan had a tumor removed from his brain and had to relearn many everyday tasks. This … Suite
Seven hundred school leaders of color — including over 10 from Uncommon — gathered in Las Vegas on February 7 for Teach for America’s annual conference. This year, the focus was on resilient leadership and providing school leaders with inspiration and motivation to continue the work of supporting young people of color in achieving their … Suite
In January, New York City teachers from districts 18 and 5 gathered together for the second collaborative professional development workshop hosted by Uncommon Schools. As the six-hour session on literacy instruction began, the teachers were asked to think about Kobe Bryant the writer. Celeste Douglas, the Deputy Superintendent of District 18 in Brooklyn, read Bryant’s … Suite
Congratulations to North Star Academy Washington Park and Lincoln Park High Schools’ Speech Team for their recent wins at the 45th Penn Tournament. For the first time in the team’s history, every student who competed advanced to an elimination round. Semifinalists: Duo Interpretation: Michael Torto and Sarah Ramberran Oral Interpretation: Abigail Nicholas Dramatic Interpretation: Precious … Suite
Darius Brown, a middle school student at North Star Academy, was named New Jersey’s top youth volunteer of 2020. The recognition comes from The Prudential Spirit Community Awards, a nationwide program honoring young people for their exceptional volunteer work. As an honoree, Darius will receive $1,000, and will attend an event in Washington, D.C. with … Suite
via Commonwealth Magazine In a letter published in Boston’s Commonwealth Magazine, Roxbury Prep parent Sarah Rocha calls on Mayor Marty Walsh to support the high school building project for Roxbury Prep’s high school students. Currently, Roxbury Prep High School is split between two buildings, five miles apart. “As you know, Roxbury Prep and their students … Suite
In an op-ed for the Bay State Banner, Boston District 5 City Councilor Ricard Arroyo calls on the Boston Planning and Development Agency “to do the right thing and put the high school project on their agenda in February.” In January, the Roxbury Prep community gathered on the steps of Boston City Hall to protest … Suite
On January 16, members of the Roxbury Prep community gathered on the steps of Boston City Hall to protest the Boston Planning and Development Agency’s (BPDA) delay in scheduling a hearing for a proposed high school to be built on a vacant lot in Roslindale. Currently, Roxbury Prep High School is split between two campuses … Suite
In 1997, we began as a single school in Newark, New Jersey. To that founding class of 72 students and their families we made a promise. A promise to provide them with an outstanding education that prepares them to graduate from college and achieve their dreams. Our steadfastness and commitment to that promise has allowed … Suite
News reporter Richard Whitmire visited Uncommon Leadership Charter High School in Brooklyn to see students engage in High School 2.0 — a program that provides students an opportunity to explore topics outside core academic subject areas. The program brings outside experts to teach classes from coding to dance. Students are able to learn “the kind … Suite
The Wall Street Journal published an article highlighting the work that New York City charter schools, including Uncommon Schools, are doing to get high school graduates to college and, importantly, graduate from college. We are excited to share that 61 percent of Uncommon’s high school graduates have completed at four-year institutions in six years ̶ … Suite
The Manhattan Institute released a new report on the effects enrolling in a charter school has on student standardized test scores in Newark, New Jersey. Among its major findings, the report suggests that attending a Newark charter school that participated in the city’s common enrollment system led to large improvements in students’ math and reading … Suite
On January 9, Uncommon Schools Excellence Boys Elementary Academy hosted students and staff from Morehouse College, to learn more about future career and post-graduation opportunities in education. Sixteen sophomores and juniors from the Atlanta-based HBCU visited the all-boys school to hear from Uncommon’s Recruitment Team, visit several elementary and middle school classrooms, and interacted with … Suite
As one of two black male teachers at North Star’s West Side Park Middle School, Raymond Blanks is determined to serve his community and “pay it forward.” Black men like Raymond continue to be underrepresented in the teaching force, making up only 2 percent of teachers nationwide. Research shows that when students are taught by … Suite
The goal of Camp Uncommon is to provide the best summer for as many kids as possible, and engages students in a variety of activities from hiking and nature discovery to athletics and arts. In addition to discovery new interests, the summer camp immerses elementary and middle school students in character-building activities. Camp Uncommon, now … Suite
Educators from NYC Districts 5 and 18 gathered together for a professional development session led by Uncommon Schools. The topic: literacy. Throughout the day, teachers analyzed what it means to prepare students to access the rigor of common-core standards, and how best to support students in reading and understanding complex texts. The professional development session … Suite
Titicana Barros, Principal of Roxbury Prep High School – Maywood Campus and Roxbury Prep alumna, has been selected for the Heroes Among Us award, presented by the Massachusetts State Lottery, NBC Sports Boston, and 98.5 The SportbsHub! The Celtics honored Titciana for her dedication to the youth of Boston, calling her a “shining example” who … Suite
In an interview with TAPinto Newark, Jasmine Morrison says that the New Jersey Department of Education is asking the wrong questions about charter schools. As a result, they’re not capturing how much charter schools are positively impacting the families, students, and communities of Newark. While her own childhood was often fraught with danger — her … Suite
After observing college-ready instruction in classrooms across the country, Richard Whitmire highlights examples of what seems to work for ensuring students from low-income communities graduate from college. One of those remedies was found at North Star Academy called Target 3.0. It’s a data-driven counseling program that requires students with GPAs below 2.5 to attend special … Suite
In an open letter in the Homecoming Edition of the Maroon Tiger — Morehouse College’s on-campus publication — Jaz Grant writes about how his alma mater helped him find his passion and shape a career worth pursuing. Jaz was a chemistry major at Morehouse, and thought to go into medicine. But one day, during the … Suite
In Part 1 of a two-part series, Patrick Rametti, the Director of College Completion, speaks with Andrew Wolk, Founder and CEO of Root Cause, about academic preparation and how Uncommon Schools gets its students not just to college, but also to succeed and graduate. Patrick sites a three-pronged approach for Uncommon’s high success rate in … Suite
In November, Newark hosted high school seniors from across the region for a Census Awareness Day event. By educating the youth who often act as interpreters for their immigrant parents and adult family members, the Urban League Guild of Essex County and the New Jersey chapters of the Urban League Young Professionals are looking to … Suite
Titciana Barros, a Roxbury Prep alumna and current Principal of Roxbury Prep High School — Maywood Campus, was honored at the Massachusetts State House for her “dedication” to her community and empowering the students of Roxbury Prep. According to Patch.com, the commendation was put forth by Representative Liz Miranda. Titciana brought along students with her … Suite
In an op-ed for the Daily News, Brett Peiser (CEO, Uncommon Schools), Dacia Toll (President and Co-CEO, Achievement First), and Richard Barth (CEO, KIPP Foundation), invite Democratic presidential candidates to visit their schools and see firsthand how public charter schools are making an impact on student outcomes. Democratic presidential candidates have spoken on the need … Suite
Congratulations to Roxbury Prep High School’s varsity football team for their historic opening weekend of the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association playoffs. The Wolves ended their opening game with an 8-0 victory over TechBoston, making this win a big deal for a varsity program that’s still in its infancy. The varsity program just began last year … Suite
In the November 2019 issue of Educational Leadership Magazine, by ASCD, Paul Bambrick-Santoyo, Chief Schools Officer, breaks down how school leaders can foster a schoolwide culture of coaching to improve both teacher instruction and student success. Small steps can appear meaningless to more veteran educators, and micro-feedback might seem like it would take “too long” … Suite
“It’s not often you see a room of school leaders rendered speechless,” writes Tom Ress, Executive Director of School Leadership at the Ambition Institute, but as Julie spoke about her journey at Uncommon, “you could hear a pin drop.” This month, Uncommon Schools President Julie Jackson, traveled to London, England for two events—one with the … Suite
“We feel beautiful because this building is beautiful.” Formerly Bonsall Elementary School, Camden Prep Mt. Ephraim campus opened its doors after a massive renovation transformed the 105-year-old building. Some of the building’s original features were retained and restored, while others were added to provide students with a brighter learning space they deserve. Click here to … Suite
Roxbury Prep students participated in the Roslindale Parade this month with handmade signs inviting community members to “ask me how many AP classes I’ve taken.” Some students eagerly shared their AP course load: five, six, even nine AP classes — no easy feat considering Roxbury Prep High School is spread across two temporary campuses in … Suite
We are thrilled to share that Citi has continued its longstanding commitment to Uncommon Schools by selecting the organization to participate in Citi’s e for education campaign, a global initiative that has raised over $29.5 million for education-focused nonprofits. Citi has partnered with Uncommon for the last six years–a partnership that’s resulted in donations of … Suite
Titciana Barros, current Principal of Roxbury Prep High School was featured on WBZ-TV’s “Eye on Education” segment. “It’s remarkable. It’s been a humbling experience to come full circle,” Barros said to WBZ-TV’s Paula Ebben. In addition to being Principal at Roxbury Prep High School’s Maywood Campus, Titciana is also a Roxbury Prep alumna (Mission Hill, … Suite
Timers are a daily tool for teachers, and while the technique isn’t new, it’s recently gotten a lot of attention. Washington Post columnist Jay Matthews writes about the technique outlined in Doug Lemov’s books here. Doug wrote Teach Like a Champion and Teach Like a Champion 2.0 after making videos of some of the best … Suite
On September 22, the Dorchester Historical Society and the social justice team at the National Parks of Boston will celebrate Lucy Stone’s life and legacy. Lucy Stone was a longtime Dorchester resident, and leading suffragist and abolitionist in the mid-1800s. She attended Oberlin College in Ohio, and in 1847 was the first Massachusetts woman to … Suite
Dan Hall spent 10 weeks this summer with Uncommon’s HR team. As a 2019 Social Enterprise Fellow and military veteran, Dan designed proposals to help the organization’s HR team tackle systems and knowledge management practices. “Towards the end of the summer, I presented my proposed solutions to the team,” writes Dan, and together, they “began … Suite
Cheyenne Williams, a Rochester Prep alumna, is one of 21 students who were welcomed at the Rochester Institute of Technology as the college’s 10th class of Destler-Johnson Rochester City Scholars. The program is designed to give graduates from the Rochester City School District the opportunity to attend college tuition-free. Watch the coverage on News10 here.
Two Uncommon Schools Roxbury Prep alumni were highlighted by the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. Glahens Paul joined Roxbury Prep Lucy Stone in 7th grade and was part of the founding high school class of Roxbury Prep High School, which graduated its first class in 2019. Glahens earned a Posse Scholarship and is attending … Suite
Uncommon’s Summer Teaching Fellowship program continues to attract young people of color to the teaching profession. The Kings County Politics highlights Jahmeelah Nash-Fuller and Prince Islam — two among over 100 rising college seniors who were accepted into the 2019 Summer Teaching Fellowship program. Jahmeelah attends Agnes Scott College had plans to go to law … Suite
For the past 20 years, Uncommon Schools has been deeply committed to sharing what we learn with our colleagues throughout the world to improve education for all children. The New York City Charter School Center put together this feature with interviews from Uncommon leaders and alumni, about what a charter-district school collaboration looks like. Charter-District … Suite
Atalyia Eisenhauer, a 2018 Summer Teaching Fellow and current teacher at North Star Academy in Newark, has been nominated for the 2019 Penn Mutual Life of Significance Award — an award given to a collegiate rugby player who demonstrates the shared values of integrity, respect, loyalty, and community. Read more about Atalyia here.
While attending a K-12 forum on the future of education, Rochester Prep Assistant Superintendent Paul Powell kept thinking about Jahnury Acosta, a Rochester Prep alumnus and freshman at Rochester Institute of Technology. Jahnury’s journey to graduate at the top of his class wasn’t an easy one but watching him succeed through rigorous AP courses in … Suite
We’re honored that the TODAY show chose to go “back to school” with Uncommon Schools ̶ a testament to the importance and impact of the love, joy, and rigor our staff bring every day to over 20,000 students attending one of our 54 schools in Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York. Our students shined brightly … Suite
Twelve-year-old Darius Brown is passionate about two things: animals and bow ties, the combination of which birthed Beaux and Paws, a custom bow tie company for people and pets alike. The Newark native and student at North Star Academy helps shelter pets spiffy up for adoption by donating a one-of-a-kind bow tie to animal rescue … Suite
When Morehouse graduates of the Class of 2019 were told they were graduating debt free — thanks to a gift by billionaire Robert F. Smith — they were faced with unprecedented opportunities and a future without the burden of student loan debt. For Jacquese Harrison, a Morehouse graduate and Chicago native, this meant pursuing a … Suite
Hello, Uncommon Friends and Family — Our hearts are heavy after the senseless acts of violence and domestic terrorism this past weekend. Our thoughts are with the victims, their families and loved ones, and the entire Dayton and bi-national El Paso communities. We send our love and support to those in the Uncommon community who … Suite
“I felt my heart being pulled in. As I watched and listened and fought back tears, all I could think was, If this is the first day of school, what is tomorrow going to be like? And the day after that? And the day after that? Where will these children be in five years? In … Suite
Rochester Prep West Campus has been identified by the New York State Education Department as a 2018-19 Recognition School, one of only four K-8 schools outside of New York City to achieve the distinction. Under the state’s Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), schools identified as “Recognition Schools” have high academic achievement, student growth and graduation … Suite
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