Annual Report 2010 - 2011 TABLE OF CONTENTS 4 MESSAGE FROM BOARD CHAIR, WENDY LACEY 5 MESSAGE FROM HEAD OF SCHOOL, MARIA PARADISO 6 MISSION 7 FOUNDATION 8 CORE VALUES 9 SCHOOL FACTS 10 LEADERSHIP 12 HIGHLIGHTS 14 PARTNERS 16 GRADUATES 18 ALUMNI 20 STAFF 22 SUPPORTERS 32 A TASTE OF NEWARK 36 LiNK GOLF OUTING 38 FINANCES 43 WAYS TO GIVE 44 THANK YOU PAGE 2 | LINKSCHOOL.ORG LINKSCHOOL.ORG | PAGE 3 Message Greeting from our from our Board Chair Head of School As Link Community School As we pack up our boxes and As this year closed, we had much one’s limits, purpose, respect, transitions to its new home in 2012, prepare for the move, one thing to celebrate. All of our 8th graders accomplishments,. it seems only natural to reflect upon definitely won’t be left behind - the graduated and moved on to high the success that our community spirit with which the Sisters of St. schools that will nurture and On behalf of the students, parents, has experienced for over forty Dominic, Caldwell, founded Link. challenge them as they continue faculty and staff, I thank you— years at 120 Livingston Street. Their commitment to Link’s mission to grow and develop, firmly rooted trustees, supporters, partners for As this 2010-2011 Annual Report and core values will forever remain in Link’s core values. Our faculty all you have done for Link this shows, this past year has been no an integral part of the community. delivered a strong academic year. You sustained our mission, exception in demonstrating the program that prepared our students fueled a strong academic program, commitment Link has to deliver an The success of the school is well for their next academic bolstered our students and excellent education to the youth of the result of the efforts of not pursuits and worked closely prepared us for what lies ahead Newark. Thanks to the hard work one person or particular group. with each student to unfold their for our school—a move and future of the faculty and staff at Link, and Instead, our success is the result potential. Our partners brought growth. Link is as strong as it is the diligent efforts of the students of collaboration between faculty, new experiences to our students because of the power of our school themselves, Link graduates walked staff, parents, trustees, donors, through afterschool programs, community. I am so grateful for the down the graduation aisle in June and alumni. To everyone involved electives, summer camps, and role everyone plays in this powerful facing the future with energy and in making Link what it is, a heartfelt extracurricular activities. Our young community that is Link. enthusiasm. thank you. alumni graduated high school and set off for college building Sincerely, When Link first moved into 120 Best regards, on a great legacy of academic Livingston Street, the school excellence. Our supporters shared has grown to serve 120 to 135 their passion for our mission and students each year, with an fueled our work with their generous ongoing commitment to give spirit. Maria Pilar Paradsio them the educational foundation Wendy Lacey needed to transition to new, Link has indeed been blessed challenging learning environments. this year, and for the previous We look forward with excitement 41 years. The pages that follow to the opportunities for program strive to capture all that was development and growth that our poured into Link this year— new home will afford us. Just as generosity, optimism, joy, caring our students do when they leave and much more; as well as all us with diploma in hand Link’s new that was derived from Link this home will afford us the opportunity year—growth, both academic and to dream big about the future! personal, stretching of PAGE 4 | LINKSCHOOL.ORG LINKSCHOOL.ORG | PAGE 5 OUR MISSION OUR VISION EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE Link Community School seeks to provide To provide students of all ability levels an exceptional education on par with the best middle school education offered anywhere in an outstanding middle school education for the country. A Link education will provide students the academic foundation and character development necessary to be successful Newark adolescents of all academic abilities learners and members of their future communities. from economically disadvantaged families. HIGH SCHOOL PLACEMENT To place students in top high schools in the region and country and to insure that they have the skills to succeed in those programs. Link endeavors to create a powerful learning community built on a collective commitment to excellence and enduring core values. By building a strong academic foundation and instilling life long values, Link aims to INSPIRING OTHER SCHOOLS To be recognized as a model urban middle school for our student develop students who will be successful in higher education and responsible and resourceful citizens who give success and innovative educational practices. Link aims to inspire and support the development of other highly effective schools that back to others. provide similar success for thousands of under-served students. OUR HISTORY RESTORING HOPE & OPPORTUNITY Link, a non-denominational middle school, was founded in 1969 by the Sisters of St. Dominic of Caldwell, NJ in response to the 1967 Newark riots that left much of the Central Ward in poverty. The Sisters desired that Link be a force for restoration in the devastated city by providing educational excellence for its youth. Today, the need for high caliber education in Newark is as great as ever. PAGE 6 | LINKSCHOOL.ORG LINKSCHOOL.ORG | PAGE 7 Our School—Basic Facts GRADES 7 and 8 ENROLLMENT 130 GENDER Female 64%, Male 36% ETHNIC REPRESENTATION Black 95%, Hispanic 5% GEOGRAPHIC REPRESENTATION Newark and the surrounding urban areas, including East Orange, Irvington, Orange, , Hillside ECONOMIC REPRESENTATION 68% of Link families were classified as low income according to Essex County, NJ State guidelines TUITION ASSISTANCE 100% of students receive tuition assistance STUDENT/FACULTY RATIO 10:1 AVERAGE CLASS SIZE 16/17 CORE COURSES English, history, mathematics, science CO-CURRICULAR COURSES Fine art, performing arts, high school prep, Our Core Values music, fitness, health, public speaking ELECTIVES COURSES which change quarterly and in 2010-2011 included RESPECT African dance, history of comic books, basics of constitutional law, criminal law, poetry, fashion, yearbook, yoga, organic cooking, and more. RESPONSIBILITY FACILITY includes one building with 12 classrooms; computer, music and HONESTY science labs; SmartBoards in every core subject classroom and the computer lab; Mini labs with 3-4 computers in several classrooms CARING DOING ONE’S BEST FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS PAGE 8 | LINKSCHOOL.ORG LINKSCHOOL.ORG | PAGE 9 Eric Krasnoo Our Leadership VP, MLS Digital Properties ADVISORY COUNCIL BOARD OF TRUSTEES Andrew D. Lacey Joseph Aboyoun, Esq. “Teachers at Link Deputy Chairman, Lazard Asset Management Partner, Aboyoun and Heller, LLC Chairperson —Wendy Lacey Community Volunteer Martha MacCallum Gregory Joanne D. Corzine encouraged me to News Anchor, Fox News Channel Joanne D. Corzine Foundation Vice Chairperson —David Ferry Partner, Empirical Research Partners Ellen Maher Alan De Rose excel in everything I NJ Goals Ahead Oppenheimer & Co., Inc. Secretary—Alex D. Curtis, Ph.D. Headmaster, Morristown Beard School Devero McDougal, CPA, ‘83 Chris Garavente put my mind to do. Principal, McDougal and Associates President, Special Friends Foundation Sister Arlene Antczak, O.P. Prioress, Sisters of Saint Dominic Sister Donna Marie O’Brien, O.P. Lynne Pagano They care about not Principal, St. John the Apostle Elementary School Community Volunteer Bob Bertoni Retired Merrill Lynch/Private Investor Maria Pilar Paradiso Ed Reitz only what you are Head of School, Link Community School Private Investor Lynn Brownlee-Williams Link Community School Parent ‘09 Antoinette Petrocelli Adam C. Rohdie capable of doing Retired Educator Headmaster, Greenwich Country Day School Ellen A. Cohen Sr. VP, Institutional Marketing, Janice S. Robinson, Esq. Edward Sheridan academically, but Lazard Asset Management Vice President for Diversity and Community Affairs; Retired, Merril Lynch Assistant Professor, Columbia Teachers College Eugene Crocker Arthur R. Stern also who you are as VP, Finance Information Manager, Robert F. Siebold CEO, Cogswell Realty Group, LLC JPMorgan Chase Dealer Principal, Town Motors Gerald J. Vernotica, Ed.D a person.” Patricia Devine-Harms Paul W. Stephenson Assistant Commissioner of Education, Community Volunteer Retired Merrill Lynch/Private Investor NJ Department of Education DOMINIQUE SMITH ‘10 Joe DiCara Ron Temple Michael Virzi DiCara Rubino Architects Managing Director, Director of Facilities, The Pingry School Lazard Asset Management Carey Hamilton, ‘71 Margo Walter A Taste of Soul Catering TRUSTEES EMERITUS Community Volunteer Ayanna Hill-Gill Sister Ann Dominic, O.P. Head of School, Purnell School Pastoral Associate for Social Concerns, St. Michael’s Parish Robert Justich Private Investor Robert L. Podvey, Esq. PAGE 10 | LINKSCHOOL.ORG Partner, Podvey Meanor, et.al. LINKSCHOOL.ORG | PAGE 11 Highlights from 2010-2011 tally was 115 words! and NJ Lieutenant Governor Kim Guadagno. IMPRESSIVE STUDENT RESULTS college including Boston College, Gillian Hemme, the 2010-2011 Over their two years at Link, the Drew University, Colgate College, Jesuit Volunteer offered a new Prudential’s Black Leadership test scores of the graduating class Rutgers University, Howard course on called “Justice and Forum offered the