About.


​​                               Definition of a 21st Century Community Learning Center

The vision for New Jersey’s 21st Century Community Learning Center (CCLC) Program is to develop high quality out-of-school time programs through community learning centers that provide services not just to the child but to the entire family. The goals of the 21st CCLC Programs are to:
  1. Increase students’ career and college readiness by offering high-quality remediation activities in core academic areas such as reading and mathematics, enrichment activities including arts and culture, youth development experience, and physical activity
  2. Increase positive student behavior by infusing social, emotional, and character development into the program;
  3. Engage adult family members of participating students through an array of parental involvement activities;
  4. Build partnerships and collaborative relationships to ensure participants’ access to all available resources

MEET OUR TEAM

Joel DeBarros

Director of Community Schools

Andrea Johnson

Administrative Assistance
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Judy Cooper
Debbie Catanzaro
Merriam Ave. Site Coordinators
Judy Harland
Kathy Bottoni
Hasted Middle School Site Coordinators

Established in September 2018

Choose 2 Connect is the successor to Project Launch which was implemented from September 2013 until August 2018. We look forward to continuing the successful work of this program for our students. 

Our Goals

1. To provide high-quality educational and enrichment programs that will enable students to improve academic achievement and promote positive behavior and appropriate social interaction with peers and adults. 

2. To implement activities that promote parental involvement and provide opportunities for literacy and related educational development to the families of participating students. 

3. To measure participants' progress and program effectiveness through monitoring and evaluating. 

Our Core Values

  • Everyone is worthy of respect and compassion. 
  • Everyone belongs here.
  • Everyone works together to achieve. 
  • ​Everyone strives to see how someone else sees the world, especially when we do not agree.

District Mission Statement

The mission of the Newton Public Schools is to educate the whole child.

We believe today's students will become tomorrow's leaders. Therefore, it is our expectation that all students shall achieve the New Jersey Student Learning Standards at all grade levels, and graduate ready for college, careers, and life.

We believe success is an unlimited commodity, and every child can be successful. Therefore, we focus all that we do on student learning, whether that comes through academics, athletics, the arts, student activities, or community service.

We believe in the power of diversity. Therefore, we look to identify the unique talents of our students, and help them to build those talents into strengths by expanding their knowledge and skills.
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We believe in the value of care. Therefore, we put trust, respect, and support at the heart of our school culture, and safety, security, and sustainability at the center of our physical environment.

​We believe parents, teachers, support staff, and citizens must partner in order to help children achieve their highest potential. Therefore, we organize ourselves as community schools to ensure we allocate sufficient resources to the social, emotional, and physical well-being of our students as well as to their academic achievement.