Newark students head back to school as new trade school opens with 200 freshmen

Tuesday, September 2, 2025
NEWARK, New Jersey (WABC) -- Students in New Jersey's largest school district headed back to school on Tuesday.

It was the first day of school for students in Newark, and it came with some changes.

Newark School of Architecture and Interior Design trade school opened for the first time.

New trade school opens in Newark


Two hundred freshmen will be the first students in the school before adding more grades.



They will learn architecture and other trades including plumbing, electrical work, and HVAC.

The building is opening under a temporary certificate of occupancy after the opening had to be pushed back a few years as it was being converted from an old hospital.

Meantime, districtwide, more than 40,000 children also had their first day of school.

The first day comes as the district celebrates key achievements like a projected 90% high school graduation rate and increased attendance.

Also, this year marks the start of a partnership with the Prudential Foundation to launch a Newark college savings program, a $150,000 grant to give the parents of 3,000 public kindergarten students $25 to open a 529 savings account.



The district's superintendent plans to visit several schools Tuesday and Wednesday to mark the first week back to classes. His first stop was at the Newark School of Architecture and Interior Design.



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