Newark school gets new owners, 2nd lease on education mission

Newark, Calif. - A collective "good afternoon" in high-pitched voices greeted Angela Egglestone, on Tuesday, as she entered a classroom at New Horizons School. The first trimester is drawing to a close and Egglestone was making the rounds on what she and students said has been a successful effort thus far.

"I like school because I can play with my friends. I also like school because I can learn things I can't learn at home," said 2nd grade student Shaarwin.

Performing the simple work function of checking on classrooms of the TK-thru-8th graders had seemed incomprehensible at the Newark-based learning center months ago. This, after the school faced its own new horizon.

"We were in a state of flux. We did not know (what would happen)," she said, sitting in a spartan office with white walls and very few pictures or personal effects. "Because we really did not have a lot of the answers."

KTVU first met Egglestone and the students last May.

At that time, the former principal had vanished, the lease note hadn't been paid and staffers had gone four months without seeing a paycheck.

"Because of the previous person who had abandoned the school and everything, there's pretty low enrollment for the middle schoolers," said parent Sheena Verma.

A student body that was initially at 120 children shrunk to 80 as parents began pulling their kids from school. Enrollment is currently down to around 50. But fears that a temporary closing would become permanent didn't materialize.

"When the previous school was closed, then we worked with the property management and imitated a new program," said Sechin Gupta. 

He and his wife stepped in and saved the day. They spruced up the 20,000 sq. ft. building and made the coursework more STEAM-specific. They also laced it with extracurricular courses such as journalism and dance.

"We are excited when we see young students, young kids learning a lot. And growing and participating in the community," said Gupta.

Experts said maintaining a stable school community is key for young learners.

"Consistency is very important. So, the fact that there was a short interruption, and someone came along and brought the school, that's a positive — that could be a protective factor," said Dr. Lisa Hill, a social work professor at Cal State Univ. East Bay.

Parents have now said New Horizons School has never been better.

"We feel very happy because the teachers are rededicated actually," said one parent as he picked up his son. Added Egglestone, "And the students are feeling emotionally safe, academically safe. And the parents are comfortable in the direction that we're going in."

That direction, according to Egglestone, is onward and upward to continued academic excellence.

Jesse Gary is a reporter based in the station's South Bay bureau. Follow him on the Instagram platform, @jessegontv and on Facebook, @JesseKTVU