Franklin Elementary School, part of New Jersey’s largest district, has kicked off the school year with a superhero theme and a new schedule. The first-year principal set a motivating tone by wearing a superhero cape, emphasizing each student’s unique potential. This year, Newark Public Schools has extended the school day by 20 minutes for elementary students and 25 minutes for high school students, adding extra instruction and 30 hours of annual tutoring. The new schedule, impacting 40,000 students, includes a lunch period equivalent to a class period and results from a new agreement with the teachers’ union to ensure a 45-minute lunch break and better transition times. Parents and administrators are optimistic that these changes will further boost student performance, following recent improvements in math and English proficiency at Franklin Elementary.
