Spark the Change You Wish to See in the World.

SEEK KNOWLEDGE. PURSUE JUSTICE. ACT AS A TEAM. REACH FOR EXCELLENCE. KEEP GOING. LOVE.


School Vision

School Vision

At SPARK Academy, highly effective and loving teachers prepare students not just for college, but also to become active and involved global citizens. SPARK Academy's values of love, knowledge, justice, teamwork, excellence, and perseverance form the foundation of a curriculum focused on standards-based lessons, inquiry, problem-solving, and service learning. We strive to ensure that our fourth graders graduate from SPARK Academy as confident learners possessing a strong sense of self coupled with curiosity about the world. Eventually, this foundation will help our students find their unique path as they continue through TEAM's middle schools, high schools, and onto college.

- Joanna Belcher, SPARK Academy Founder and School Leader

About Spark Academy

SPARK Academy opened in August 2009 with 100 kindergarten students and will add one grade level each year until becoming a 500-student K-4 elementary school. Until SPARK Academy opened, TEAM Schools followed the original KIPP model of starting students off in fifth grade, but with over 50% of students entering fifth grade on a third grade reading level or below, we had to reach them sooner.


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See inside the clasroom:
kindergarten.

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Student Demographics

(as of 9/2011)

  • 313 Students
    (growing to 500)
  • K-1 Grades served
    (growing to K-4)
  • 88% Students eligible for free/reduced meals
  • 96% 96% African-American
    3% Latino
  • 7% Student body with
    special needs
  • 43% 49% female
    51% male

  • Spark Values

    • Seek knowledge
    • Pursue justice
    • Act as a team
    • Reach for excellence
    • Keep going
    • Love

    Sample Trips & Saturday School

    • Visit to Montclair Art Museum
    • 1st Grade trip to see the Lion King on Broadway
    • Pumpkin patch trip
    • Newark Museum
    • Kindergarten end of year beach trip
    • International Art Day
    • Acting Workshops
    • Kung Fu and Capoeira
    • Family Carnival

  • Kindergarten Activities

    • Breakfast
    • SPARK Family Meeting
    • Morning Meeting/Message Time
    • Literacy (phonics, writer's workshop, guided reading, vocabulary, comprehension)
    • Math
    • Lunch / Recess
    • Spanish / Social Studies / Service Learning / Art / Science / Free Choice Center

  • First Grade Activities

    • Breakfast
    • SPARK Family Meeting
    • Morning Meeting/Message Time
    • Literacy (phonics, writer's workshop, guided reading, vocabulary, grammar, comprehension)
    • Lunch / Recess
    • Math
    • Spanish / Social Studies Service Learning / Art / Science

  • Second Grade Activities

    • Breakfast
    • SPARK Family Meeting
    • Morning Meeting/Message Time
    • Lunch / Recess
    • Math
    • Spanish / Social Studies Service Learning / Art / Science / Music