About

Downtown Elementary School (DES) is part of Great Oaks Legacy Charter School’s free, public, open-enrollment Pre-K–12 network in Newark. At DES, every child is known by name, challenged academically, and surrounded by a school community that treats families like partners.
What Families Can Expect

- Strong Academics & Daily Support
- Care Beyond the School Day
- Joyful Events, Field Trips & School Spirit
- Safe, Supportive Environment
- A Pathway Beyond Elementary
Strong Academics & Daily Support
Care Beyond the School Day
Joyful Events, Field Trips & School Spirit
Safe, Supportive Environment
A Pathway Beyond Elementary
Our DES Values: L.E.G.A.C.Y.
Our values spell out what we believe every day at Downtown Elementary:
Love And Literacy
- I use my words and my smile to send warm, caring messages to others.
- I use my hands to help, not to hurt.
- I read each day at school, and at home.
- I write carefully to express my ideas in my journals and notebooks.
- I speak clearly and I use new words from my growing vocabulary.
Enthusiasm
- I show that I am eager to learn.
- I focus on my assigned work; I am not disruptive.
Generosity
- I help my classmates without asking for anything in return.
- I say kind words to my teachers and do kind things for them.
Ambition
- I excel in school;
- I don’t just “pass”.
- I strive to improve on my work each day.
Committed Citizenship
- I keep my work area and my cubby neat and clean.
- I will try to fix a problem to make it better, even if I am not the one who messed it up.
- I treat others as I would like to be treated.
- I follow the behavior rules of my school/bus, EVEN when no one is watching.
Yearning For Knowledge
- If I’m absent, I make up for missed work.
- If I don’t understand my work, I keep trying until my teacher comes to help me.
- I try to learn new things each day


Downtown Elementary School
Grades K-4
909 Broad St., Newark, NJ 07102
School Director:
Brianna Mayers
Main Office:
(862) 256-0900
Founded: 2017-2018
2023-24 Enrollment: 328
Campus Anti-Bullying Contact:
Brianna Mayers
bmayers@greatoakslegacy.org
862.256.0900
