Jump Start - Newark Academy
Jump Start
A special place for our youngest students.
Jump Start, Newark Academy’s program for children preparing for kindergarten through second grade, is designed to foster school readiness through age-appropriate academic work, meaningful socialization, and play—so children enter the fall confident, curious, and ready to thrive.
The Jump Start program offers a 12-to-1 ratio of teachers and aides to students. Our children are known, supported, and excited to learn when they arrive on campus each morning. We recognize that students arrive with different experiences and confidence levels; Jump Start meets them where they are and helps them take their next steps with joy and care.
Kindergarten -
Junior Jump Start
Grade 1 -
Jump Start 1
Grade 2 -
Jump Start 2
Stay and Play
Full Session Dates and Tuition
June 22nd - July 31st, $3,800
Session A Dates and Tuition
June 22nd - July 10th, $1,900
Session B Dates and Tuition
July 13th - July 31th, $1,900
Times
8:00 AM - 1:00 PM (Lunch is included)
We welcome rising kindergarten students to Junior Jump Start! In our program, children practice the routines of a school day—listening during group time, working alongside classmates, and celebrating their own progress—so that kindergarten feels like a natural next step, not a leap.
Recognizing the importance of laying a strong academic foundation, our program nurtures key reading and math skills. The curriculum emphasizes essential concepts including letters and sounds, vowels, spelling, shapes, numbers, counting, sorting, graphing, adding, subtracting, phonemic awareness, time, money, and measuring.
In addition to our academic offerings, Junior Jump Start provides engaging electives, mirroring the structure of our Jump Start 1 & 2 programs. Students enjoy lessons in yoga, STEM, and art. Furthermore, our curriculum prioritizes social-emotional literacy, essential for developing emotional intelligence and foundational social skills. The program culminates in a “Celebration of Learning,” where students and parents actively participate in activities showcasing their growth.
Full Session Dates and Tuition
June 22nd - July 31th, $3,800
Session A Dates and Tuition
June 22nd - July 10th, $1,900
Session B Dates and Tuition
July 13th - July 31st, $1,900
Times
8:00 AM - 1:00 PM (Lunch is included)
Jump Start 1 is designed to support your child’s growth in preparation for first grade. Children build confidence as readers, writers, and problem-solvers in an environment that values curiosity, movement, and creativity. They are encouraged to take risks, ask questions, and discover that effort leads to growth.
At the core of this grade level are reading fluency and comprehension, and our focus is on phonemic awareness, fluency, and decoding abilities. We employ targeted reading strategies that facilitate the concepts of print, promoting autonomy and independence in students as they engage with texts of growing complexity. Leveled readers and weekly inventories ensure that every student is challenged appropriately. Through daily handwriting practice, sentence construction, and grammar, students also develop their written expression.
Mathematics instruction emphasizes problem-solving, operations, and number sense through hands-on manipulatives. Working collaboratively on various activities, students utilize Cuisenaire rods and snap cubes to bring numbers to life. Real-life math scenarios, such as “shopping” at the local bookstore, further enrich the learning experience. The combination of tangible manipulatives and visual mediums fosters a deep understanding of fundamental math concepts, enhancing students’ engagement and comprehension.
Daily enrichment experiences in art, computers, physical education, and yoga/meditation provide an integrated approach to education. The program culminates in a “Celebration of Learning,” where students showcase their progress and, together with parents, celebrate their achievements.
Full Session Dates and Tuition
June 22nd - July 31th, $3,800
Session A Dates and Tuition
June 22nd - July 10th, $1,900
Session B Dates and Tuition
July 13th - July 31st, $1,900
Times
8:00 AM - 1:00 PM (Lunch is included)
Jump Start 2 prepares children for success in second grade. Students learn that their ideas matter—whether they are solving a math problem, writing a story, or sharing their thinking with classmates. As academic expectations grow, children are supported in developing resilience, perseverance, and pride in their work.
Our writing curriculum emphasizes crafting meaningful sentences in different forms, including interrogatives, statements, and exclamations. Students expand their vocabulary through an integrated spelling program that connects to their literary explorations. They also explore various writing genres, learning the foundations of story elements and characterization. Techniques such as context clues and decoding will foster independence and fluency in reading.
Mathematical concepts cover addition, subtraction, regrouping, multiplication through skip counting, and division of single and double-digit numbers, including basic fractions. Employing tools like counters, tangrams, and charts, we clarify these abstract concepts, ensuring comprehensive mastery. Additional competency areas, such as money sense, measurement, and thermometer reading, are integrated into the curriculum through scaffolding techniques, enhancing effective learning practices.
Daily enrichment experiences in art, computers, physical education, and yoga/meditation provide an integrated approach to education. The summer concludes with a “Celebration of Learning,” where students showcase their progress and, together with parents, celebrate their achievements.
Full Session Dates and Tuition:
June 22nd - July 31st, $1,500
Session A Dates and Tuition:
June 22nd - July 10th, $750
Session B Dates and Tuition:
July 13th - July 31st, $750
Times
1:00 PM - 3:30 PM (
New extended time!
Stay and Play gives children time to unwind, laugh, and enjoy being kids—ending each Jump Start day with play, creativity, and connection. The program offers children an array of afternoon summer activities, promoting both fine and gross motor skills through engaging obstacle courses, water play, STEAM activities, and even miniature golf, creating the kind of joyful, sun-filled moments that make summer memorable.
Please Note: Stay and Play will not be offered on Friday, July 31st.
The Jump Start reading program provides a structured, research-based approach to literacy that meets the needs of diverse learners in grades K-2. It emphasizes comprehension skills, critical thinking, and the development of foundational literacy skills through a range of activities that include reading literature and informational texts, writing, speaking, and listening.
Through scaffolded instruction and complex “anchor texts,” the program challenges students to read deeply and strengthen comprehension and analytical skills. Lessons are designed to promote thoughtful problem-solving, fostering a growth mindset and building confidence in students as they progress academically.
The Jump Start math program helps students to build core math skills through consistent, short daily practice aimed at reinforcing fact fluency and developing math confidence. Its philosophy centers on the principle of “automaticity,” meaning students can quickly and accurately recall basic math facts with minimal cognitive load.
The program allows for individualized pacing, meaning each student progresses through fundamental topics—like addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions, and decimals—based on their readiness. Formal and informal assessments provide immediate feedback and allow teachers to provide differentiated instruction to meet the needs of every learner.
Arrival
Reading
Writing
Math
Specials
Lunch
Stay and Play (Optional)
Register Now
With a robust foundation in early childhood and special education, along with her credentials as a licensed learning consultant specializing in neurodiversity, Stacey Clark brings expertise and passion to the Jump Start program.
As NA’s full-time Learning Specialist, Stacey's approach, grounded in the constructivist theory, prioritizes experiential learning through dynamic, hands-on activities, social and emotional engagement, and meaningful project-based outcomes.
Please email
jumpstart@newarka.edu
if you have any further questions.