June 24, 2026
Dear East Orange School District Community,
As the 2025–2026 school year draws to a close, I want to express my deepest gratitude for your hard work, dedication, and partnership. Before we head into a well-deserved summer break, let’s celebrate the incredible milestones we achieved together this year—all of which position us for an even brighter future.
Key Accomplishments for 2025-2026
$1.1M in Literacy Grants: Awarded two highly competitive NJDOE grants to expand instructional coaching, refine curriculum, and promote literacy events for EO families.
Aspiring Leaders Academy: Successfully concluded our inaugural cohorts, empowering our talented staff members with advanced leadership pathways.
Johnnie L. Cochran Academy: Finalized planning for our new Grades 3–8 Academy of Gifted Education & Creative Reasoning, officially opening its doors this September 2026.
$1.7M Electric School Bus Grant: Secured NJDEP funding for five electric buses and three charging stations, launching our transition to a district-owned, eco-friendly fleet.
$20M Clean Energy Initiative: Kicked off a district-wide Clean Energy project (includes new roofs and solar panels) to offset capital costs and create hands-on STEM learning opportunities for students.
The Ivy League Partnership: Launched our first cohort of 15 high-achieving juniors, providing specialized support to help them pursue acceptance at the nation’s most prestigious institutions by Spring 2027.
Jaguar University Program: Formed a strategic partnership with Essex County College for a dual-enrollment summer program (July 6 – August 7, 2026), allowing high schoolers to earn transferable college credits.
Empowered Parent University (EPU): Implemented a brand new series of in-person and virtual EPU workshops, and hosted our first annual "Parent of the Year" brunch to celebrate the vital contributions of our families to our schools.
Rising Student Achievement: Confirmed positive trends in student achievement data across grades, subjects, and schools (as presented in the Oct. 2025 Board Meeting).
Looking Ahead to 2026–2027
We are excited to share that we will be launching new, high-quality instructional programs in literacy and mathematics for the 2026–2027 school year.
In literacy, all students in grades K–5 will use HMH's Into Reading, a comprehensive program designed to strengthen foundational reading skills, improve oral reading fluency, and provide targeted interventions for students who need additional support. The program also includes robust resources to support our bilingual learners, ensuring that all students have access to engaging, research-based instruction that meets their individual needs.
In mathematics, the district will adopt Cengage's Math & YOU, an innovative program grounded in research and specifically designed to support conceptual understanding while providing meaningful intervention opportunities for students who require additional assistance. The program emphasizes problem-solving, mathematical reasoning, and student-centered learning experiences that build confidence and achievement.
These important curriculum decisions were not made in isolation. Both programs were selected through a collaborative committee process that included teachers from across the district. Our educators enthusiastically participated in vendor reviews, instructional demonstrations, and follow-up focus groups, ensuring that teacher voice remained at the center of the selection process. We are grateful for their leadership and expertise throughout this work.
We look forward to the opportunities these new resources will provide as we continue our commitment to delivering exceptional learning experiences for every student.
Next, following a year of incredible collaboration and stakeholder input, we are ready to launch our new five-year District Strategic Plan. This roadmap will guide our next steps, ensuring we build on this year's momentum to foster equity, innovation, and excellence for every student.
Lastly, as we look to the future, we are also excited to announce the soft launch of our brand-new district and school websites! While our new digital home will be "under construction" over the summer as we finalize features for a full September rollout, you can visit it now to explore the new look and features, and to check out our 2025–2026 Annual Report. This comprehensive report includes a full, detailed look at our accomplishments across all areas of the district. The Annual Report will be available on our website after the June 29th Board Meeting.
Thank you for an unforgettable year. I wish you all a safe, restful, and wonderful summer, and I look forward to welcoming you back for the 2026–2027 school year!
Warm regards,
Dr. Christopher Irving, Superintendent of Schools