On December 1, Philip’s Academy Charter School, a member of Schools That Can network in Newark, was approved by the New Jersey Department of Education to open a new school in Paterson. Despite more than 20 initial applications and eight finalists for new charter schools across New Jersey, Philip’s was the only one approved.

The school will open its doors in Fall 2016.

After serving as a private school for 25 years, Philip’s Academy became a public charter school in 2013, making it the first school in the state to convert from private to charter.

The new K-8 school will replicate the methodology of Philip’s Academy Charter School in Newark, NJ. The school boasts an interactive curriculum and engages students with tactile learning techniques to maximize learning with action.   

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However, Philip Academy’s curriculum staple is the innovative use of their rooftop garden to integrate different learning subjects with gardening activities. The multidimensional co-curricular program empowers students to make informed decisions about their bodies and planet, while making unique connections with the arts, sciences, and humanities.

They hope to expand further in the future, ultimately running three K-8 schools that will feed into a single high school.

Philip’s Academy has been an active member of Schools That Can, hosting Study Tours and Roundtables, as well as partnering with us since 2014 to run an i2 summer camp to expose students in Newark and beyond to STEM. Their campus – with high-tech lab classrooms and a well-cared-for, student-run roof farm – presents an ideal setting for exploration and learning.

In addition to working with STC to support STEM learning across the city, Philip’s is participating in STC Newark’s Special Education Professional Learning Group, working to develop solutions to common challenges related to identifying and serving students with exceptional needs.

Congratulations on your new school, Philip’s Academy Charter School!

PhilipsChairsFor more information and full details of the announcement, view the story here on njspotlight.com