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Day One of Local Control In Newark School District

Alexandra Hill
/
News

After 22 years under state intervention. It's day one of local control in the Newark public school district . 

Mayor Ras Baraka addressed students, faculty and the districts newly empowered school board at science park high school. Baraka says despite being under a two-year probationary period, Newark intends to keep control of its schools at all costs.

“The minute the state signed those documents the minute they turned that stuff back over to us, they have now officially given it to us, and in order for them to take it back they’re going to have a serious fight on their hands.”

Robert Gregory interim superintendent says while the district still faces a number of challenges, including being underfunded by the state to the tune of nearly $140 million, they are up for the task.

“Everyone Understands that this is a science, its not something you wake up and know how to do, and so we’re going to stay true to that science and insure that we are lifelong learners, and keep our students at the core of all of the decisions that we make.”

Credit Alexandra Hill / News
/
News
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka Addresses Students and Faculty At Newark's Science Park High School.

The search for a permanent superintendent will be headed by a seven person committee made up of members of the school board and the community, Gregory who is a lifelong Newark native and educator, remains a front-runner for the position. The state took over the district in the mid-1990s, citing years of mismanagement, chronically low test scores and crumbling infrastructure

Alexandra Hill began her work with WBGO in June of 2012 in the news department. A graduate of the Rutgers Newark journalism program, Alexandra was also a student of WBGO News Director Doug Doyle. Alexandra has since become the lead general assignment reporter, afternoon news anchor, and producer of the award winning live call in show Newark Today. Since working for WBGO Alexandra has covered politics in and around Newark including the 2014 mayoral campaign of Mayor Ras Baraka as well as the senate campaigns of former Newark Mayor and now U.S. Senator Cory Booker in both 2013 and 2014. Alexandra also covers a host of human-interest stories, and has been recognized by the New York Association Of Black Journalists for her piece entitled Sheltering Newark’s Homeless.