Why Paterson's School 28 will be split up
District to be converted to middle school model
By: Joe Malinconico
Paterson Press
PATERSON - School 28's recent success in being named among New Jersey's top schools may soon be coming to an end.
.....
U.S. News & World Resort named School 28 - which mainly contains pupils in Paterson's Gifted and Talented program - as New Jersey;s best elementary program for 2024-2025 and the state's second-best middle school that year.
..... But Superintendent Laurie Newell revealed Wednesday [06/10/2026] night that starting in 2027-2028 she plans to split up the gifted and talented classes currently at School 28 as part of her ongoing efforts to convert the district to a middle school configuration.
.....
Instead of having almost an entire school filled with gifted and talented students, School 28 would contain a mixture of children in various academic programs.
..... Some education advocates criticized the plan, but others expressed optimism.
.....
"If you have the top-performing elementary school in the state, why would you consider disrupting that?" said Many Martinez, who was Paterson's school board president several years ago. "It's unfathomable."
..... Rosie Grant executive director of the Paterson Education Fund advocacy group, said she sees the changes as an expansion of gifted and talented offerings.
.....
"If all the success strategies are implemented at the new locations, we should see more exceptional results," Grant said. "We could end up with more high performers versus one high-performing schools."
..... Under Newell's plan, School 28 would become a pre-K through 5 school, including studies in gifted classes in those grades. Meanwhile, Dr. Frank Napier School, which is just aorta the corner from School 28, would be for grades 6 through 8, including students in gifted classes at those ages. Both schools would have children in general education, special education, and Elfish as a second language classes.
..... Newell's presentation coved changes for 2027-2028 in 11 other schools, including the creation of gifted and talent hubs at Maria Magda O'Keefe School, which would contain grades 6 through 8, and School 13, which would have children in kindergarten to fifth grade.
..... School 6, 15 and 20 would have grade K to 5, Roberto Clemente School would be for pre-K children, while School 16 would have pre-K through fifth grade, School 12 grades 1 through 4 and School 25 grades 3 through 5.
.....
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. School would change to grades 6 through 8, and School, 2 would exclusively have middle schoolers in special education programs.
.....
Board of Education president Joel Ramirez did not respond when asked for his thoughts about the proposed changes at School 28. Neither did other board members who have supported Newell's restricting plans.
Mayor's wife fears move will 'dilute some of the success'
..... Mayor Andre Sayegh's three children attend School 28 in the gifted program, and his wife is the head of the parent organization there.
..... "It was clear to me that this decision driven primarily by nationwide data and the very expensive audit done by education consultants," said Farhanna Sayegh. "In my opinion, the unique nuances of each schools were not a significant factor in the process."
..... The parent organization leader said she thinks the changes "will dilute some of the success of the program."
..... "These students benefit tremendously form being surrounded by peers who challenge them," Sayegh said. "They feed off one another intellectually."
.....
She said likes the middle school structure but wishes the district had cerated "a full elementary school for gifted and high-achieving students alongside a full gifted middle school.
.....
"Right now, flying it," Sayegh added. "we still don't have enough gifted-certified teachers to fully support the vision."
.....
Former Paterson school board member Vincent Arrington said he thinks the prosed changes at School 28 will prompt top students in Paterson to transfer to charter schools.
..... "I don't understand why you would touch a school that's successful in producing top scholars," Arrington said.