Devna Bose
Reporter, Chalkbeat Newark | Report for America Corps Member
Devna Bose is a reporter for Chalkbeat Newark and a 2019 Report For America corps member. She is a Mississippi native and previously reported for several community newspapers in her home state. Her work — including feature writing, photography, and design — has won awards from the Society of Professional Journalists and the Mississippi Press Association. She is a graduate of the University of Mississippi, where she was managing editor of the student newspaper, The Daily Mississippian. You can find her on Twitter @devnabose.
Gov. Phil Murphy ordered all New Jersey schools to close two weeks ago in an effort to slow the spread of the new coronavirus. As the number of positive cases surges and schools remain closed, students who need meals can still get food.
While the transition to remote learning has been a challenge for many families, it may be especially difficult for families of students with special needs in Newark, a district that has sometimes struggled to provide adequate services for them.
Gov. Phil Murphy ordered all New Jersey schools to close two weeks ago in an effort to slow the spread of the new coronavirus. As the number of positive cases surges and schools remain closed, students who need meals can still get food.
Newark is planning to vastly expand online learning in a few weeks, school officials said Thursday during their first public comments on the widening coronavirus crisis at Thursday’s virtual board meeting.
As learning increasingly moves online during nationwide school closures, Newark is taking steps to close the digital divide for students at home.
Shortness of breath. Coughing. Chest tightness. These are all symptoms of COVID-19, the rapidly spreading respiratory illness that’s impacted everyday life in the U.S. But these are also symptoms of an impending asthma attack.
Of the district’s nearly 6,000 employees, 589 people have completed the American Lung Association’s free asthma basics training program as of February 24, according to the organization’s Director of Health Promotions John Keith.
After his brother was shot and killed in alleged gang violence three years ago, Tyrell Williams had trouble controlling his temper — until he tried meditating. Now, he wants to teach his peers how to meditate, too.
New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker will introduce a bill aimed at improving air quality in schools, with a focus on needy districts in highly polluted areas, such as his hometown of Newark.
When Yolanda Johnson attended Camden Street Elementary, her grandmother, who raised her, helped lead the school’s parent organization. While keeping tabs on the school, her grandmother also kept an eye on Johnson’s performance in the classroom.
Jenise Reedus, a mother of a Newark high school junior with autism, says her daughter’s transition from high school to adulthood is full of uncertainties. Planning for the future can be daunting.
As their children colored nearby, parents went table to table, asking doctors and nurses about the different kinds of medication their children are taking and what they can do to prevent the upcoming allergy season from triggering asthmatic reactions.
Earlier this month during a special meeting, the Newark school board debated changing its rules about public comment at its monthly board meeting to limit the number of speakers. Some board members cited the length and the tone of public comment as reasons for wanting to limit it.
Even after coming under fire for their alleged disinterest in hearing public input, the Newark school board is weighing whether to limit the number of speakers at monthly board meetings.
With an infusion of new resources, Newark schools are taking steps to help students deal with trauma — offering them services ranging from counseling support to “grief baskets” to a relaxation room in the school building.
Parents, advocates, and even the mayor are weighing in after Superintendent Roger León urged the state to close four charter schools.
The decennial census is coming up, and Newark is working to get parents to respond, to make sure everyone is counted.
Filling out the federal student aid application is challenging even for savvy parents. For those who aren’t native English speakers, the complicated form can be mind-boggling. Thanks to volunteers and an organized campaign in Newark, more families can now tackle the form.
The Newark Teachers Union and school district are encouraging all staff members to take an online asthma training course during this week’s professional development day.
As part of their training on a new LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum, educators from across New Jersey watched a video about a transgender boy’s first days at school after his transition. Some teachers in attendance wiped away tears as they listened to how the school’s support affected his journey.