129 Newark High School Seniors in Summer School
Observing the couple hundred students waiting for their summer school day to start at Science Park High School around 8 a.m. July 5 made "Local Talk" wonder the following:
"How many of those students are the 129 seniors from six high schools who need to get enough credits to graduate? How many of them are the 63 from Barringer High School?"
Science Park is one of several Newark Pubic Schools sites holding summer classes into early August. The reasons for students to attend summer school can be as varied as the students themselves. It may be for enrichment, lightening their class and credit load later in the upcoming school year - or taking a last chance to be promoted or to graduate with their classmates.
It is that last condition which 129 seniors are facing. The 129, who would otherwise have been walking down the graduation aisle for their diplomas June 20-24, have been the focus of attention by NPS administrators, teachers and tutors the past school year.
NPS Acting Chief School Administrator Roger Leon, in his latest seniors report to the district advisory board here at Science Park June 21, said that the 129 who are to take summer school is down from the 292 seniors from nine high schools who were in danger of not graduating in early May.
"The seniors in danger of not graduating fell into three main categories," said Leon before the NPS Advisory Board and a Science Park auditorium audience of about 200. "Some had failed to pass the state High School Proficiency Assessment or the Alternate High School Assessment. Some did not acquire the minimum number of credits. Some did not have enough work in their portfolios."
Leon, in his early May report, said that Newark high school seniors had to amass at least 124 credits to graduate as of Sept. 1, 2009. The administrator added that this year's seniors had three opportunities to take - and pass - the New Jersey Department of Education-mandated HSPA. Those who failed HSPA had another two chances to pass via AHSA. The last ASHA test session is set for July 13.
Leon further noted that seniors in danger received additional instruction or tutoring during or after school or on Saturdays.
Should any seniors fail at their five HSPA and AHSA tests, then they and NPS administrators may petition NJDOE officials in Trenton for waivers. One set of waivers were given in June, which the state granted 25 waivers to 35 who applied.
The above winnowing process reduced the initial group of 292 down to 129. The 10 seniors in danger from Arts, Newark Vocational and Technology high schools all met their requirements in June - and got their diplomas with their classmates.
The remaining 129 taking summer school consist of: 63 from Barringer, three from Central, 12 from East Side, 24 from Malcolm X Shabazz, 20 from Weequahic and seven from West Side. Leon added that there no seniors from Science Park, American History or University high schools were in danger.
Leon, when asked why the high proportion of Barringer seniors in danger compared to the other high schools by Board President Eliana Pintor-Marin, reminded her of the unusual circumstances administrators and incoming principal Shonda Davis found last September.
"Local Talk" readers may recall that a high proportion of Barringer sophomores, juniors and seniors did not have coherent class schedules for the first month of 2010-11 classes. While Barringer, regional superintendent and NPS central office personnel sorted out students' schedules during October and November, they discovered that some students were up to a year behind on their credits.
The above process brought Barringer's in danger senior count down from 124 to 63. That 48.1 percent decline meant that 61 seniors joined 142 of their peers for graduation at Symphony Hall 4 p.m. June 28. The 63, or 51.9 percent, could not get their diplomas there or then.
"We have a policy," said Leon, "of not having seniors with eligibility questions take part in graduation exercises."
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