St. Philip’s Academy • 342 Central Avenue, Newark, NJ 07103 • 973.624.1164 • www.stphilipsacademy.org

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P i o n e e r i n g 2 1 s t C e n t u r y E d u c a t i o n

St. Philip’s Academy received New Jersey Department of Education approval to convert to a public charter school, thereby enabling it to extend its successful educational model to more students. The charter will be in effect starting September 2013 and the school will be named Philip’s Academy Charter School. As a charter school, enrollment will be open to any child living within the districts of Newark, East Orange and Irvington and will not charge tuition. It is the first private school in New Jersey to convert to a public charter under a New Jersey law passed last year that was sponsored by Senator Lesniak and signed by Governor Christie.

Since 1988, St. Philip’s Academy has inspired within its students a love of learning and intellectual curiosity using innovative techniques that serve as the building blocks for success. The school’s EcoSPACES program, for example, includes a 4,600-square-foot rooftop garden, teaching kitchen, and science lab that teach an understanding of sustain-ability from seed to table. As featured on CNN and other news outlets, EcoSPACES is a model of a 21st century learning envi-ronment that prepares children for the world they will inherit.

“Our shift to a charter school enables us to widen our reach to more and more students,” says Miguel Brito, Head of

the School. “As a charter school, we will have the ability to tailor our innovative curriculum to the needs of our students, plus as a part of the public school system, we will be able to open our school to those parents and children who have long sought a school like ours.”

Public support will allow for an even more concrete model, but combining it with private fundraising will allow the school to ensure excellence.

“More than ever we will need our friends: those who support our mission financially, through volunteering and with in-kind gifts” says Brito. “With such help we can demonstrate how education can

Fall 2012

St. Philip’s Approved for Charter ConversionFirst in the State Under New Conversion Law to Apply and Convert to Charter School

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assistance I received because of friends and donors such as you.

The teachers at St. Philip’s are persis-tent in making sure students understand the lessons before moving on. They know we are capable of learning whatever is put in front of us and they make sure that we have the tools to excel. For instance, my former math teacher, Mrs. Ito, whom I love so much, knew I had trouble in math but because of her tireless tutoring and unending help I am now doing well in Algebra II in high school. I hope Mrs. Ito would be so proud of me now.

In my last year at St. Philip’s, my family and I received tremendous help from the placement office in deciding which independent high school would be the

Dear Friends of St. Philip’s,I am honored to take this opportunity to thank you for the generous donations that you have provided to me throughout my years at St. Philip’s Academy. Without your generosity my family would not have been able to afford the excellent education that I received. St. Philip’s was my Grandmother’s first choice in deciding which elemen-tary school I should attend because of the curriculum,

small class sizes and the well-mannered students we met on our first visit to the school. The tuition was not affordable for my family without the generous financial

do more than just ‘work,’ and instead offer a model for providing inner city children with everything they need and deserve to reach their full potential.”

Graduates from the school are accepted at many of the nation’s leading second-ary schools, including The Lawrenceville School, The Pingry School, Choate Rosemary Hall, and Westover School.

“St. Philip’s has a great history of academic excellence, a culture of developing the whole child and a demonstrated commitment to parent involvement” explained Dale Anglin, President of the Parent Organization. “The parents look forward to continued success as a charter school and the opportunity to welcome more students and their families into our fold.”

St. Philip’s Approved for Charter Conversion

best next step for me. I am now in the midst of a successful junior year at Marist High School.

St. Philip’s is not your average school, it really is a village working to achieve one goal; “first class education for inner city children.” It has always been a home away from home for me because of the love for one another and the warmth we felt from teachers and faculty. I will always be grateful to St. Philip’s and it’s donors who are truly a blessing to me and many other inner city children!

Love,

Mahidiah CarawayClass of 2010

Continued from page 1 “We look forward to being the model of a charter school conversion under the new law” said Gerald Harvey, Chair of the Board of Trustees. “It has been inspiring to work with Head of School Miguel Brito and his administration on the immense task of applying for charter status. Their thorough preparation gives us confidence that the intricacies of conversion will be addressed and that our school will retain the spirit that makes it so special to its students and all who are associated with the school.”

Charter schools are public schools that receive state approval to operate and have greater freedom to design an environment and curriculum they believe

will best serve students’ needs. Charter schools do not charge tuition, do not require any entrance exams or interviews, and are open to all students in the district who wish to attend, including students with disabilities and English Language Learners. Public charter schools are subject to greater accountability and heightened expectations of student performance.

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EcoSPACES

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Still Life Drawings Students visit the Rooftop Garden and choose from their harvest (tomatoes, leaves, roots, bulbs, fruits and vegetables) to create still life drawings.

A Day in the Life of the EcoArt StudioThe new EcoART Studio is a tranquil environment where students work with their hands, using natural materials

while reinforcing concepts of awareness of the earth, sustainability and wellness.

Paper Making

Using raw materials such as banana peels, 6th Graders make handmade paper representative of the paper used to create the contracts they each sign committing to Environmental Stewardship.

Natural Dyes

Students make natural dyes using materials such as marigolds, turmeric, black walnuts, yarrow and black beans. The dyed yarn and fabric is then used for knitting, crocheting, braiding and sewing.

Feast Your Eyes Drawing and Tasting: To encourage our students to eat more fruits and vegetables, they create realistic drawings of fruits and vegetable and taste them in class to increase the likelihood of choosing them for lunch in the dining room.

You can now find daily updates on the day to day EcoSPACES activities on our new blog! Posts will feature gardening, cooking, education, news articles and more. Check it out at www.homemadeketchup.org

Kumihimo Cardboard Japanese Braiding Looms: Students use recycled cardboard to create their own looms using naturally dyed yarn.

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theSchool News

Journey WestBy Regina Lauricella3rd Grade Teacher

About one year ago, we, the St. Philip’s Academy staff learned about a $5,000 donation from an anonymous donor to be used for faculty enrichment. There were no rules or restrictions, simply the opportunity to submit a proposal advocat-ing for the unique chance of creating your own project or professional development experience.

As a new teacher to St. Philip’s Academy, and someone who has been fortunate enough to work with children around the world, I knew I wanted to apply for the grant, and I wanted it to benefit both our St. Philip’s students and the greater world. With the support and brilliance of my colleague Katrina Allen, we worked together, combining our knowledge and experience to craft a grant that would benefit our school and an outside community. Our final choice was a project, which would allow us to virtu-ally teach a Digital Storytelling class to 8th grade students on Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota.

Pine Ridge Indian Reservation is home to Shannon County, the third poorest county in the United States. Its statis-tics are devastating with an 80 percent unemployment rate, life expectancy of just 48 years for men, and suicide rates well above the national average; but it is also a land of much beauty and hope. I fell in love with the Lakota people who call Pine Ridge home in 2005 when I moved to the reservation to teach 1st grade for one year at Our Lady of Lourdes School. I have always felt connected to Pine Ridge,

despite the many years I’ve now been away and I knew that this grant was an opportunity to reconnect and support the children of the reservation.

In addition to the digital storytelling class, we wanted to connect our students in Newark to Pine Ridge. One fourth grade St. Philip’s class has a videocon-ferencing relationship with a school in Ghana. Our other class now has an oppor-tunity to partner with a fourth grade class at Red Cloud School.

Our proposal was approved, and Ms. Allen and I traveled to Pine Ridge for two weeks in August. Our trip opened our eyes, hearts, and creative thought process more than we ever dreamed it would. We have not only begun teaching a digital storytelling class to the entire 8th grade

at our Lady of Lourdes (my former first grade class), but we have also supported an entire school’s computer science curriculum by sharing Ms. Alonzo’s curriculum documentation. As the school year continues, we will continue to video conference with the 8th graders and have weekly conversations with their teacher. In addition, we will continue to use the grant money to support the project by supplying the students in our Pine Ridge class with cameras and equipment to successfully create their own digital story-telling projects. Our kids here in Newark will continue to learn about the reserva-tion from the habitats that we encoun-tered on our trip west to the culture of the Lakota Sioux Indians.

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theStudent News

Visit stphilipsacademy.org and click on Support Us and News and Publications.

Hawk WatchEach year, our students are treated to a trip to the Montclair Hawk Lookout where they have the opportunity to observe the migration of several different types of hawks and an occasional bald eagle. The trip originated through the passion and interest of one of our beloved Trustees, George Mullen. George sponsored the trip each year with help from friends, Else and Wayne Greenstone, and the NJ Audubon Society. This year we have continued the trip in George’s memory and will continue to do so as it has become a favorite among the students and teachers.

“I absolutely loved the trip; it was so awesome. Our teacher, Mrs. Robinson, and Mr. Pat, the hawk teacher, were so inspir-ing. My most favorite part was spotting the Swainson’s Hawk.” — Savannah

“I am really surprised that so many birds were there. I thought they would be going south for the winter.” — Madison

“Everytime we saw a hawk, teacher Pat (our leader) would give us a random fact. It was either about hawks or where we were. My favorite fact was that we were 500 feet above sea level.” — Kennedy

St. Philip’s Academy

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Annual Report 20112012

Our 2011–2012 Annual Report is now posted online!

“I liked just sitting there quietly. When a bald eagle flew above our heads we had to be very quiet and still because our teacher said, “If we are all quiet, it might just fly down to the ground!” — Rayne

“ The game we played was great. It showed us that there are only a maximum of 5 or 6 hawks that can live in one area!” — Kyle

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By Austin Drakes

Recently, I did some catching up with some of our alumni and I can honestly say that I’m proud of the kind of people that represent St. Philip’s. Alyssa Wall has emerged as a prime example of why we stand with so much confidence. Wall started attending St. Philip’s Academy in first grade and graduated in 1998. When Wall reached college, she had developed a passion for Nursing and made that her focus.

“I chose nursing because I enjoy caring for others. I get to see people at their worst and help them get better,” said Wall. “Nursing also provides me with much flexibility in terms of the many different specialties and environments I can work in. No two days are alike, and I like the variety and the different personalities I meet every day.”

Friends of St. Philip’s

Alumni to Alumni: Full Circle

Attention Young Professionals:Join the Junior Committee of St. Philip’s Academy!

• Make a difference in the lives of urban students• Network with other young professionals • Attend fun and unique events in NYC & NJ

For more information on joining the Junior Committee or attending events contact juniorcommittee@stphilipsacademy.org.

Wall has officially been a registered nurse for 5 years now. In January of 2013, she will pursue a Nurse Practitioner degree at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ).

However, what makes Wall stand out from all other alumni is that she has a child who will be following in her footsteps. Her daughter, Brielle, is currently in kindergarten at St. Philip’s. Wall is nothing but excited to know that Brielle is starting on her own journey at St. Philip’s.

“I credit St. Philips with giving me a great start in my educational career and I am glad that I can share the same with her. It’s an awesome feeling to continue the tradition.”

The Wall family story has truly come full circle at St. Philip’s. Her mother, Brielle’s Grandmother also started volunteering at school.

About the Author: Austin Drakes graduated St. Philip’s in 2004. He attends Marist College, where he majors in Sports Communications.

Brielle and Alyssa Wall

theEvents

Please remember St. Philip’s in your will & trusts. Contact the Development office for more information

973-624-1164 or development@stphilipsacademy.org.

Dream Maker Gala Date: March 16, 2013Location: Hyatt Regency, Jersey City, NJ

• Silent auction during cocktail hour, surrounded by stunning views of NYC• Dinner, program and live auction in formal dining room with pianist• Dancing and dessert in nightclub atmosphere surrounded by incredible views

Hotel rooms will be blocked off at a discounted rate. Stay tuned for details on your invitation or visit www.stphilipsacademy.org/dmg

Ticket Prices: $300 per person, $250 for Junior Committee (Age 35 & under)

Gold Sponsorship — $25,000Includes- 2 tables of 10, Gold Signage, Logo Placement on Invitation (if secured by Dec. 1st) at Event & on Website

Silver Sponsorship — $10,000Includes-1 table of 10, Silver Signage at Event & on Website

Bronze Sponsorship — $5,000Includes- 5 tickets, Bronze Signage at Event & on Website

To purchase tickets or sponsorships, log onto www.stphilipsacademy.org/dmg or contact Larkin Cohan at 973-624-1164 or Lcohan@stphilipsacademy.org

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St. Philip’s Academy 342 Central Avenue Newark, NJ 07103

You may opt to receive an emailed version of this newsletter instead of a paper copy. To do so, please contact the development office at development@stphilipsacademy.org.

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Dream Maker Gala 2013St. Philip’s Academy

MARCH 16, 2013 • HYATT REGENCY, JERSEY CITY, NJ

For tickets & more information see reverse page or visit www.stphilipsacademy.org/dmg

S A V E T H E D A T E