Philip’s Academy Charter School

About the school

Philip's Academy Charter School

Philip’s Academy Charter School of Newark inspires diverse learners in a rigorous and innovative environment that cultivates resilient leadership, intellectual curiosity, and thoughtful stewardship.

Founded in 1988, Philip’s Academy has built a legacy of expanding opportunity for Newark-area children and families. We believe education should do more than prepare students for the next grade. It should help them discover their strengths, develop their voice, form meaningful relationships, and imagine a future filled with possibility.

Our academic program combines high expectations with individual attention, rich reading and writing, inquiry, collaboration, and problem-solving. Learning also comes alive through experiences in the arts, athletics, leadership, technology, wellness, and EcoSpaces, where students explore food, sustainability, and science through the rooftop garden, indoor farm, and teaching kitchen.

Philip’s is a community where students are deeply known, families are valued partners, and every child is encouraged to grow with confidence, character, and purpose.

Our Core Values

At Philip’s Academy, education is about more than academic success. Our core values serve as the shared compass of our school community, shaping how students are supported and challenged, how adults lead, and how every member contributes with purpose.

Radical Love

Every student and colleague is met with care, affirmation, and high expectations. The goal is a school where people feel safe, known, and significant.

Unwavering Belief

Potential is never treated as fixed. When challenges arise, students and colleagues receive the persistence, encouragement, and support needed to continue growing.

Mission First

The needs of students, families, and the Philip’s community remain at the center of decisions. Shared purpose takes priority over individual preference.

Find a Way

Obstacles are met with curiosity, resourcefulness, and collaboration. Questions are asked, support is sought, and solutions are pursued together.

Noteworthy Integrity

Commitments are honored, communication is honest, and responsibility is taken for both actions and outcomes. Mistakes are addressed openly and used as opportunities to improve.

Culture of Feedback

Thoughtful feedback strengthens both people and practice. Every voice is welcomed, and conversations are approached with directness, accountability, and care.

We Serve

A spirit of service extends beyond individual roles and responsibilities. Each member of the community is called to contribute to the well-being of students, families, the school, and the wider world.

Principal Spotlight

At the heart of the Philip’s Academy experience is Radical Love: the belief that students thrive when they are known, valued, challenged, and supported.

- Yasmeen Sampson

Principal

Yasmeen Sampson leads Philip’s Academy Charter School Newark with an unwavering belief that joy is not an addition to learning, but an essential condition for it. For more than two decades, she has been committed to providing an educational experience where children are challenged deeply, supported fully, and reminded every day that happiness, possibility, and academic excellence belong together. Under her stewardship, Philip’s Academy has earned statewide recognition for building and sustaining a diverse educator workforce that reflects its students and community. A passionate advocate for equitable public education, Ms. Sampson remains focused on ensuring Newark children receive the knowledge, care, confidence, and experiences to envision expansive futures.

Student outcomes

Secondary School Opportunity: Since becoming a public charter school, Philip’s Academy graduates have earned more than $8 million in high school and preparatory-school academic scholarships. The 2024–25 graduating class alone earned $1.49 million in financial aid and scholarships.
Sustained Student Retention: Philip’s Academy has maintained an annual student retention rate above 96% for four consecutive years.
Algebra I Achievement: 87% of students met or exceeded expectations on the Spring 2026 NJSLA-A.
Philip’s Academy measures student success across academic achievement, enduring family confidence, expanded opportunity, and a full student experience:

Parent Testimonials

Why Parents Choose Philip's Academy Charter School

Philip's Academy is not just a school; it's a family! My child has flourished both academically and personally in ways I never thought possible.

Parent 1

Parent of 4th Grade Student

PACS is more than a school; it feels like home. I am so grateful that my child is discovering a love of learning at such a young age and is surrounded by people who truly care.

Parent 2

Parent of PK Student

The school equipped me with the confidence and skills needed to thrive in high School. The teachers genuinely care about our success.

PACS Graduate

Graduate

School Programs

At Philip’s Academy, learning is designed to reach beyond traditional classrooms. Students grow food, investigate sustainability, build confidence as leaders, and discover their strengths through creative expression, wellness, and competition. These experiences make learning relevant and help students develop the agency, curiosity, and sense of responsibility to shape their own futures.

EcoSpaces

EcoSpaces is Philip’s Academy’s dynamic, hands-on program for learning and discovery, where food, science, health, and environmental responsibility converge.Students cultivate crops in the hydroponic farm and rooftop garden, then carry their questions into the teaching kitchen to explore how food connects to their bodies, communities, and planet. By bringing learning from seed to table, EcoSpaces makes academic concepts tangible and helps students understand their capacity to make informed, thoughtful choices.

Leader in Me

Leader in Me makes leadership a daily practice rather than a position. Grounded in the 7 Habits framework, it gives students the language and routines to set goals, take ownership, collaborate productively, navigate conflict, and use their voices with purpose. Students come to understand that leadership is not reserved for a select few; it is a responsibility they can exercise in the classroom, at home, and in their community.

Financial Literacy

At Philip’s Academy, financial literacy begins early and grows with students. Through age-appropriate lessons and real-world scenarios, students learn to set goals, understand needs and wants, make thoughtful spending choices, and recognize the connection between financial decisions, health, and family life. The program builds the confidence and judgment students need to make responsible choices well beyond the classroom.

Advanced and Accelerated Learning

Philip’s Academy recognizes that students are ready for challenge in different ways and at different moments. Advanced and accelerated learning opportunities invite students to move beyond the standard curriculum through deeper inquiry, greater independence, and increasingly complex work. The goal is not simply to move faster, but to nurture learners who ask thoughtful questions, take intellectual risks, and use their strengths with purpose.

High School Placement

At Philip’s Academy, planning for life after eighth grade begins well before graduation. Through school visits, in-house information sessions, and individualized guidance, students and families begin exploring high school options early and make informed choices together. This long-standing commitment to finding the right next step has helped PACS graduates earn more than $8 million in high school and preparatory-school academic scholarships since the school became a public charter school.

At Philip’s Academy, enduring relationships are among our greatest strengths. The educators highlighted below represent more than years of service; they embody the continuity, trust, and deep commitment that have helped shape the PACS experience for students and families over time:

Teacher Spotlight

Towada Ito

Middle School Math Teacher

Towada Ito has spent more than 25 years teaching middle-school mathematics in Newark and brings that depth of experience to Philip’s Academy. She believes math should never be a source of anxiety or self-doubt. In her classroom, Ms. Ito helps students unravel the mystery of math, build confidence, and have fun learning to solve problems. For many years, she has also served as an instructor and member of the selection committee for the Wight Foundation, helping guide academically promising Newark students toward college-preparatory boarding-school opportunities. Her dedication extends well beyond the school day, offering math tutoring every day, including weekends, because she believes in giving students every opportunity to succeed.

"Math is a language every mind can learn to speak, master, and even love. With the right encouragement and a willingness to persevere, every student can discover not only the joy of solving problems, but the confidence to believe in their own potential."