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You are here: Home / Our History: A Timeline

Our History: A Timeline

  • Pre-1969

    Pre-1969

    Project Link signSisters of St. Dominic, Caldwell use their commitment to education and social justice to help Newark heal after the civil unrest of 1967 devastated the city. Sister Vivien Jennings led the charge. The Sisters design a caring, private school environment for children of all religions, as well as a successful educational experience to students in those crucial years of early adolescence.

  • 1971

    1969

    Project Link Educational Center is incorporates. The school, located in a three-story frame house at 221 Hunterdon Street in Newark, opens with 50 7th grade students. The building was owned by St. Rocco’s Church and the rent paid by the Mt. Carmel Guild. Sister Joan Richardson is the principal.

  • 1970

    1970

    Project Link moves to 318 South Ninth Street, owned by St. Antonius Church in Newark. Sister Maureen Murnane steps in as principal. The school adds a second grade level (class), so now there are 100 students, between 7th and 8th grades.

    Project Link begins a partnership with Project U.S.E., a nonprofit based in Red Bank, NJ, for outdoor education.

  • 1971

    1971

    Project Link moves to St. Stanislaus Roman Catholic Church at 146 Irvine Turner Boulevard in Newark. The school’s first class graduates in 1971. Sister Sally McGrath serves as principal.

  • 1974

    1974

    Sister Ann Marie Rimmer is named principal.

  • 1975

    1975

    Project Link begins partnerships with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps and Prudential’s Tutoring Program.

  • 1977

    1977

    Sister Jeanne Adrienne is named principal.

  • 1978

    1978

    Sister Patricia Crowley is appointed principal.

  • 1980

    1980

    Sister Alice Uhl is named principal.

  • 1984

    1984

    Sister Marie Paul serves as principal.

  • 1991

    1991

    Project Link changes its name to Link Community School to let the broader community know that Link is a school designed to serve the needs of the community as well as to stress its mission to build a sense of community among its students and their families. No longer a short-term project, Link Community School is here for the long haul to serve Newark youth. Social Studies teacher Jamey Verrilli (Mr. “V”) is named principal, the first layperson to be selected for the leadership role.

  • 1994

    1994

    Sister Patricia McKearney is named principal.

  • 1995

    1995

    Link celebrates its 25TH Anniversary with a dinner at Eaglerock Club in Roseland, N.J. in November. The honorees of the evening are Sister Vivien Jennings (visionary founder of Link), Dr. John Noonan (Bloomfield College), and John Roessner III (Link Trustee Emeritus). A “state of the art” computer lab and media center is installed.

  • 1997

    1997

    The Jr. League of Montclair-Newark renovates the school’s library.

    Former teacher and principal Jamey Verrilli leaves Link to co-found NorthStar Academy, a public charter school in Newark, along with Link Trustee Norman Atkins. The new charter school is based on the Link educational model and Link sprouts her first seed in the educational landscape! Read a news article about how Link inspired the establishment of a new school.

  • 1998

    1998

    Bill Kurtz is named principal and launches Summer Academy for entering students and adds music class through partnership with Education Through Music.

  • 2000

    2000

    Link begins a partnership with The Island School, Eleuthera, Bahamas, and sends 10 students for a week to study marine ecology, sustainability and Bahamian culture.

  • 2004

    2004

    Bill Kurtz leaves to launch Denver School of Science and Technology (DSST) in Colorado with the Gates Foundation, using much of what he learned, experienced and impacted at Link during this tenure. Marnie McKoy is named principal in July 2004. Link is inducted into WNET Thirteen’s Tri State Community Advisory Board’s Community Hall of Fame.

  • 2005

    2005

    Link is the subject of a documentary on CBS TV Channel 2’s Morey Alter’s A Salute of Our Schools program. Link adds Performing Arts to the arts program.

  • 2007

    2007

    Former Link teachers and administrators launch Pride Academy, a public charter school, in East Orange, NJ – and another seed has sprouted.

  • 2008

    2008

    Link produces a video about the school and its founding – A Matter of Justice.

  • 2009

    2009

    Principal Marnie McKoy leaves Link to lead Paterson Community Charter School in Paterson, NJ. The Link Board of Trustees names Maria Pilar Paradiso as interim head of school. Link holds a 40th Birthday Party! Link begins a partnership with the Black Leadership Forum at Prudential for a work readiness program, called LearnDoEarn, for 8th graders. Link begins a partnership with Jazz House Kids.

  • 2010

    2010

    The Board of Trustees appoints Mrs. Paradiso as head of school.

  • 2012

    2012

    Link Community School moves to 23 Pennsylvania Avenue in Newark during the winter break and resumes instruction in January in the new building.

  • 2013

    2013

    Link’s Board of Trustees removes tuition as a barrier to admissions for families and applies to the NJ Department of Education (NJDOE) to convert to a charter school and to expand to grades 5 and 6 to deepen the school’s program and reach.

  • 2014

    2014

    In March, Link Community Charter School incorporates, after receiving preliminary approval from the NJDOE, in preparation for full conversion. In July 2014, the NJDOE grants approval for Link to convert to a charter school, to serve middle school students from Newark, Irvington, East Orange and Orange. The first 5th grade class enters in the fall of 2014.

  • 2015

    2015

    Link Community School, the original non-profit organization, changes its name to Link Education Partners (LEP), to carry on the Dominican Sister’s work towards social justice and educational equity. In the spring of 2015, LEP purchases the facility the school was renting at 23 Pennsylvania Avenue in Newark, and continues to rent the building to the school, providing a permanent home. Link welcomes four full grades in September.

  • 2017

    2017

    New Jersey Department of Education renews the charter for the school after a full review of the school’s program and results, and approves expansion to 8 more seats in each grade over a period of four years, to bring the total number of seats to 320.

  • Mar 16, 2021

    2021

    Link was approved for expansion to include an elementary school. Starting with the addition of Kindergarten in the fall of 2021, the school will add a new grade level in subsequent years.  

Link's success has been measured by the changed lives of over 3,000 students, many of whom have attributed their personal success to the life-changing experience they had at Link. Link places its graduates in some of the finest independent schools in the mid-Atlantic region as well as leading parochial and magnet high schools in the Newark area. 100% of the past 16 graduating classes (1999-2017) were accepted into quality high schools of their choice.

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26
27
28
4:15 PM - Project Lit Book Club Meeting
29
30
31
12:00 AM - No School for Students
8:00 AM - Staff Professional Development Day
1
2
3
4
5:00 PM - Q3 Report Card Night, Grades 5-8
5
6
7:45 AM - Early Dismissal for All, 12 noon
7
12:00 AM - No School: Spring Break
8
9
10
12:00 AM - No School, Spring Break
11
12:00 AM - No School, Spring Break
12
12:00 AM - No School, Spring Break
13
12:00 AM - No School, Spring Break
14
12:00 AM - No School, Spring Break
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
7:45 AM - Student Early Dismissal, 12:45pm
1:15 PM - Staff Instr. Planning & Prof. Development, 1:15pm
22
23
24
6:30 PM - LCCS Board of Trustees Meeting, 6:30 pm
25
4:15 PM - Project Lit Book Club Meeting
5:00 PM - Enrollment Lottery #2
26
27
28
29
30
1
12:00 AM - Staff Appreciation Week
2
3
4
5
12:00 AM - School Lunch Hero Day
7:45 AM - Student Early Dismissal, 12:45pm
1:15 PM - Staff Instr. Planning & Prof. Development, 1:15pm
6
Project Lit Book Club Meeting
28 Mar
03/28/2023    
4:15 pm - 5:15 pm
More Info
No School for Students
31 Mar
03/31/2023    
All Day
More Info
Staff Professional Development Day
31 Mar
03/31/2023    
8:00 am - 4:30 pm
More Info
Q3 Report Card Night, Grades 5-8
04 Apr
04/04/2023    
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
More Info
Early Dismissal for All, 12 noon
06 Apr
04/06/2023    
7:45 am - 12:00 pm
More Info
No School: Spring Break
07 Apr
04/07/2023    
All Day
More Info
No School, Spring Break
10 Apr
04/10/2023    
All Day
More Info
No School, Spring Break
11 Apr
04/11/2023    
All Day
More Info
No School, Spring Break
12 Apr
04/12/2023    
All Day
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No School, Spring Break
13 Apr
04/13/2023    
All Day
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No School, Spring Break
14 Apr
04/14/2023    
All Day
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Student Early Dismissal, 12:45pm
21 Apr
04/21/2023    
7:45 am - 12:45 pm
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Staff Instr. Planning & Prof. Development, 1:15pm
21 Apr
04/21/2023    
1:15 pm - 4:30 pm
More Info
LCCS Board of Trustees Meeting, 6:30 pm
24 Apr
04/24/2023    
6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
For details go to https://linkschool.org/board-meeting-calendar-minutes/
More Info
Project Lit Book Club Meeting
25 Apr
04/25/2023    
4:15 pm - 5:15 pm
More Info
Enrollment Lottery #2
25 Apr
04/25/2023    
5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
More Info
Staff Appreciation Week
01 May
05/01/2023 - 05/05/2023    
All Day
More Info
School Lunch Hero Day
05 May
05/05/2023    
All Day
More Info
Student Early Dismissal, 12:45pm
05 May
05/05/2023    
7:45 am - 12:45 pm
More Info
Staff Instr. Planning & Prof. Development, 1:15pm
05 May
05/05/2023    
1:15 pm - 4:30 pm
More Info
Events on 03/28/2023
28 Mar
Project Lit Book Club Meeting
28 Mar 23
Events on 03/31/2023
31 Mar
No School for Students
31 Mar 23
31 Mar
Staff Professional Development Day
31 Mar 23
Events on 04/04/2023
04 Apr
Q3 Report Card Night, Grades 5-8
4 Apr 23
Events on 04/06/2023
06 Apr
Early Dismissal for All, 12 noon
6 Apr 23
Events on 04/07/2023
07 Apr
No School: Spring Break
7 Apr 23
Events on 04/10/2023
10 Apr
No School, Spring Break
10 Apr 23
Events on 04/11/2023
11 Apr
No School, Spring Break
11 Apr 23
Events on 04/12/2023
12 Apr
No School, Spring Break
12 Apr 23
Events on 04/13/2023
13 Apr
No School, Spring Break
13 Apr 23
Events on 04/14/2023
14 Apr
No School, Spring Break
14 Apr 23
Events on 04/21/2023
21 Apr
Student Early Dismissal, 12:45pm
21 Apr 23
21 Apr
Staff Instr. Planning & Prof. Development, 1:15pm
21 Apr 23
Events on 04/24/2023
24 Apr
LCCS Board of Trustees Meeting, 6:30 pm
24 Apr 23
Events on 04/25/2023
25 Apr
Project Lit Book Club Meeting
25 Apr 23
25 Apr
Enrollment Lottery #2
25 Apr 23
Events on 05/01/2023
01 May
Staff Appreciation Week
1 May 23
Events on 05/05/2023
05 May
School Lunch Hero Day
5 May 23
05 May
Student Early Dismissal, 12:45pm
5 May 23
05 May
Staff Instr. Planning & Prof. Development, 1:15pm
5 May 23
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Link Community Charter School
23 Pennsylvania Avenue
Newark, NJ 07114
(973) 642-0529
link@linkschool.org
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NOTICE OF NON-DISCRIMINATORY POLICY AS TO STUDENTS

Link Community Charter School admits students of any race, color, and national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, or national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.

HARASSMENT, INTIMIDATION & BULLYING

Antibullying Coordinator 
Suzanne Dandie-Lashley, M.S.W.
973.642.0529       sdandie@linkschool.org

Antibullying Specialist 
Yris Acevedo, M.S.W.
973.642.0529       yacevedo@linkschool.org

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HIB@doe.nj.gov

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