Students in Newark’s East Ward attend some of the district’s oldest school buildings, while overcrowding and limited space continue to shape how quickly new facilities can be built.
At a recent board presentation, district officials said the average age of the ward’s eight elementary schools is about 110 years; Lafayette Street School dates back to 1848.
The East Ward includes eight elementary schools and two high schools, serving one of Newark’s most densely populated neighborhoods. More than half of the schools operate in buildings constructed in the 1800s…