A new public education opportunity will be available to residents of Jersey City’s Journal Square neighborhood next year as a modern complex under construction is slated to house a new school option for 6th through 12th grades.
Kindle Education recently received approval from the New Jersey Department of Education to open a “diverse-by-design” public charter in the fall of 2023. The green light is only the second new charter school approval issued by the state over the last five years, and the school will not require entry exams or other selective criteria for admissions.
The school’s founding team, which is composed of educators and parents, says it has been working to bring Kindle Education to Jersey City for the past two years because of a need for more middle and high schools that offer student-centered, 21st-century learning.
“Most schools are designed to educate the average learner, but we know that the average learner doesn’t actually exist,” says DJ Hartigan, one of Kindle Education’s co-founders. “Each student has a unique identity, talents, and interests, and schools should be environments that nurture this diversity.”
Kindle Education will be located inside 32 Oakland Avenue, a 15-story mixed-use development currently under construction. The school will be taking up space on the third and fourth floors and will initially roll out grades 6 and 7, with plans to grow each year until they serve grades 6-12.
The school aims to combine holistic personalization and deeper learning within an intentionally diverse school community that reflects the vibrancy of Jersey City. Kindle Education will utilize workshop-style classes and multiple learning pathways to cater to different learners, with full-time tutors available and complete student data housed on Kindle Education’s online learning platform.
The endeavor is being supported by the New Jersey Public Charter Schools Association (NJPCSA), the nonprofit membership association that represents New Jersey’s charter school community. Kindle Education is also one of only 16 schools to be accepted into the portfolio of NewSchools Venture Fund, a national nonprofit that supports and invests in skilled teams of educators and innovators that have bold visions to reimagine learning.
Kindle Education is currently accepting applications for students who will enter grades 6 and 7 in the fall of 2023. To learn more or apply, visit KindleEducation.org or email [email protected].
