Newark Academy
2024 Impact Report
From the Chair of the Board of Trustees and Head of School
Dear Members of the Newark Academy Community,
We are delighted to share Newark Academy’s Impact Report for the 2023-24 school year. Last year was an incredibly special one for the entire NA community, as we celebrated our 250th anniversary throughout the school year. From a beautiful fall evening in our origin city at the Newark Museum to an end-of-year barbeque for students and employees, last year gave us many opportunities to bring together community members to toast 250 years of excellence. We hope you were able to join us for some of the fun. To relive the festivities, check out this video clip with some highlights from our birthday bash on May 4, 2024.
Even beyond the celebration of our sestercentennial, we have so much to be proud of this year. The graduating Class of 2024 boasted 58 International Baccalaureate Diploma Candidates, 36 National Merit Scholars and 21 Cum Laude Society Members. In addition, 11 members of the class led the Chameleon jazz band to a first-place finish at Essentially Ellington at Lincoln Center, making the group the #1 high school jazz band in the United States. After a 20-0 season, honors have been pouring in for our nationally-ranked boys' varsity tennis team. The team was named the 2024 Boys' Tennis Team of the Year by NJ.com after completing its third undefeated season in four years. This year, our students also lived out the “generosity of spirit” in our mission by dedicating thousands of hours of volunteer service to organizations like the Apostles’ House Transitional Housing Center and the House of Miriam in Newark.
There’s so much more to celebrate. We encourage you to read through the spring edition of LUMEN and, for our alumni, our monthly Alumni Newsletters which describe many more points of pride, including events like the NYC Alumni Networking Night and Women’s Summit. During our 250th year, we also came together to raise more than $1.5 million in philanthropic support for the Newark Academy Fund to benefit many aspects of school life: it is befitting that we hit an all-time high during this historic year. Learn more about this achievement by reviewing this Impact Report.
As we close out our celebration of Newark Academy’s 250th anniversary, we remain most grateful to all of you - current and former trustees, alumni, parents and our dedicated faculty/staff - for the myriad ways you demonstrate your unwavering support.
Sincerely,
Samuel W. Croll
Chair, Board of Trustees
Donald M. Austin
Head of School
Fall Anniversary Event in Newark, New Jersey
Newark Academy returned to its origin city of Newark — which was the Academy’s home for 190 years — in honor of its connection to the Brick City to kick off the 250th anniversary year.
Livingston Township Mayor Michael Vieira congratulated Newark Academy on the school’s anniversary. “On behalf of the entire township of Livingston we want to offer our sincere congratulations to Newark Academy on their 250th anniversary celebration. Livingston is honored to be the home town of such an extraordinary school and campus,” he said.
We also honored the following people for their service to
Newark Academy as Trustee Emeriti:
William D. Bloom
David G. Hardin '73
Kim Hirsch '80
Jeff Kaplan
Joseph P. McGrath '81
Jonathan D. Olesky '74
Ellen Polaner
Julianne Rose
Bob Silver
Larry S. Wieseneck
Jane Wilf
250th Anniversary Celebration
“Newark Academy’s longevity reflects a two and one half century commitment to serving the academic needs of school-age children who enter its doors irrespective of who they are and where they come from in the greater community,” The Honorable Leo Gordon '69, who is also Chair of Newark Academy’s 250th Anniversary Steering Committee, said. “This gala, which has brought together all parts of the Newark Academy family [over 600 people] — alumni [old and young], parents, current and former administration, faculty, and staff and current and former trustees — serves as testament to that commitment. We look forward to the continued vibrancy of the Academy over the next 250 years.”
The celebration brought together generations of Newark Academy alumni — some of whom attended the school when it still resided in Newark — for an evening of reunions, tours, archival presentations, classes, magic shows, dancing, fireworks and more.
NA Fund
We came together to generate some remarkable accomplishments, culminating in the Newark Academy Fund achieving its greatest success ever.
Alumni Highlights
Newark Academy alumni contribute their time, expertise, and resources to support current students and the school's initiatives.
Capital Projects
Here are just a few examples of capital projects that were completed on campus to provide a better and safer experience for our students and employees in the 2023-2024 school year.
Scholarships
Today, NA remains proud of its historical ties to Newark and seeks to provide talented students from our namesake city with the very best independent school education.
Financials
Read on to learn more about how funds raised were used throughout the year, and about how the Newark Academy fund exceeded its goal.
Donors
Having you on our team means everything for the success of our students. Your support is felt every day across our campus. Thank you for giving us all something to cheer about!