Newark Charter School Expands High School Campus With More Classrooms, Cafeteria

NEWARK, NJ — Great Oaks Legacy Charter School recently marked a major milestone with the expansion of its high school campus.

School administrators held a topping off ceremony to celebrate the expansion at 17–19 Crawford Street in Newark. The project adds classroom space and a cafeteria to the campus.

Great Oaks Legacy Charter School currently educates more than 2,000 students across seven campuses in the city.

The expansion ceremony included remarks from Central Ward Councilwoman Amina Bey, Uptown Development and Great Oaks Legacy Charter School junior Ka’Niya Langford, followed by a ceremonial topping off moment and construction site walkthrough.

“When you help raise up educated, loving, compassionate human beings in partnership with their parents, their families and their community, we improve our nation,” Bey said.

Jared Taillefer, executive director of Great Oaks Legacy Charter School, said Great Oaks Legacy began on the fourth floor of a 100-year-old building where students walked up several flights of stairs, ate meals in classrooms, and learned in spaces that did not fully match the school’s aspirations for them.

The school has come a long way since then, Taillefer added.

“These spaces matter, and they are important to our kids,” Taillefer said.

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com. Learn more about advertising on Patch here. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site.