Overview

The BRICK Community Network is a community support organization with a proven track record of breaking cycles of poverty through a unique, two-generation approach. By addressing the needs of children and their caregivers, we break down barriers to generational success and support communities brick by brick. We lead and operate two charter schools, a network of 30+ community partners, a partnership with Gateway U in Teacher’s Village, the Southward Promise Neighborhood.

History & Impact

BRICK (Building Resilient Intelligent Creative Kids) Education Network, a charter management organization based in Newark, New Jersey, invests in children and their caregivers to relentlessly knock down all barriers to students’ academic success.

In 2010, Teach for America alumnus Dominique Lee, deeply motivated to create more academic opportunities for the predominantly Black and brown student population in the South Ward of Newark, decided it was time for teachers to take charge in creating change for youth. He recruited five other Teach for America alumni for this labor of love. In partnership with the Newark Public Schools, the group successfully turned around two underperforming traditional public schools. BRICK then chartered a new public school, Achieve Clinton Hill Charter School, to further serve kids in the South Ward.

In 2018 BRICK launched the South Ward Promise Neighborhood, a powerful collaborative effort of more than 30 organizations working together to invest in South Ward families. This expanded initiative allows BRICK to focus on children's holistic aspects and development with a multi-generational approach.

BRICK continues to combine an innovative schooling model that aligns an excellent education with the necessary support outside the classroom for students to succeed.

OUR VISION is that all black and brown children will leverage their knowledge, culture and identity to disrupt systems of oppression.

The Problem

Systemic racism and generational poverty have hobbled so many communities of color and disproportionately placed additional burdens on their lives. The result is that parents and communities, who have the desire, spirit and capability to build a better future for their children, must struggle to overcome these immense challenges -- often without the necessary support -- in order to live opportunity-filled lives.

The BRICK Approach

Why?

BRICK aims to build paths of opportunity for families living in underserved communities -- with an initial focus on Newark -- by building a comprehensive approach to eliminate academic achievement gaps, housing insecurity, health inequity, hunger and other systemic issues. Beginning this fall, BRICK will provide the same resources and support to a new school in Buffalo, New York.

What?

We do this through a holistic, coordinated approach that addresses the needs of both children and their caregivers across four core areas:

Education
Health & Wellness
Housing
Family Supports

How?

Our two-generation model has three core components:

Using the school as a convening institution for empowering local expert-partners
Deploying culturally relevant, data-informed solutions
Leveraging technology to ensure a tailored, coordinated approach