Link Community Charter School Leader Receives Education Award

NEWARK, NJ — The following news release comes courtesy of Link Community Charter School. Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site here.

Link Community Charter School in Newark is proud to announce that Maria Pilar Paradiso, head of school, was the recipient of the Robert F. Kennedy Urban Education Award for School Leaders at the Schools That Can 14th Annual Forum 2019 Luncheon in Newark. The award, a collaboration between Schools That Can (STC) and Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, honors a school leader who has displayed “moral courage” and who has worked toward the betterment of their school environment and communities. Cara Kennedy Cuomo, granddaughter of Robert F. Kennedy, introduced and presented the award to Mrs. Paradiso.

Mrs. Paradiso was nominated for this award by Link staff for her unwavering commitment to “equity, justice, and instilling these values in others.” She exhibited great moral courage in leading Link’s conversion from an independent school to a public charter school, which enabled expansion of the school to reach more underserved students at an earlier age. Her vision and leadership have resulted in very positive results, narrowing both the achievement and the opportunities gaps for the middle school students attending Link. Additionally, with Mrs. Paradiso at the helm, Link has become a leader in urban education, and Link’s best practices have been shared widely with both public and independent schools. She arrived at Link in 2002 and was appointed head of school in 2010.

In accepting the award, Mrs. Paradiso recognized those who came before her at Link and those who continue to work alongside her for their efforts and support in the mission of the school and in the cause of social justice. She exhorted the audience of school leaders and educators to be relentless in pursuing educational equity for all children.

Link, which was founded by the Sisters of St. Dominic, Caldwell in 1969 and converted to a public charter school in 2014, serves students in grades 5 through 8 from Newark, Orange, East Orange, and Irvington. For more information, visit www.linkschool.org.

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