The Newton School Committee, including Mayor Marc Laredo, met for almost three hours at the Education Center on July 20th in its annual “summer retreat” with Superintendent Anna Nolin, and Director of Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) Maria Kolbe who attended virtually. Retreat meetings are nominally open to the public…
Posts published in “Education”
Through the Newton Summer Science Program (NSSP), Newton South HS students offer free, high-school-level, summer STEM classes for students entering Grades 7-9 in September. Classes are held for single weeks, some online and some at City Hall. All are taught by high-school students with a love of science and education.…
This article, about the Newton Public Schools (NPS) 7th grade math assessment results and their aftermath, follows Part I published on June 23, which analyzed the lead-up and broader curricular context for the April 29 exam. The results On May 8th, families of 7th graders received their child’s test results. The…
“Giving every student what they need” is a common saying among Newton Public Schools (NPS) leadership and School Committee members. This spring’s revision of the NPS middle school math program illustrates how complex that can be in practice. As the school year ends, the district has generally executed what it…
With exuberant dance performances, Double Dutch demonstrations, and a variety of vendors and information booths, the sixth annual Newton Juneteenth Celebration on June 19 was a joyous, multifaceted event. However, the most touching part was the community’s heartfelt goodbye to beloved Newton North High School Principal, Dr. Henry Turner. After…
“Education shapes individuals, and individuals shape education,” is the idea driving hundreds of young people to advocate for interdisciplinary climate education in their schools. Climatechange, the defining issue of the 21st century, is slipping through the cracks of Massachusetts’ top-tier education system and leaving youth ill-prepared for the future. As…
The combined accomplishments of Newton North High School seniors were celebrated in Dickinson Stadium when they became the 166th graduating class, Tuesday, June 2. “It was really surreal seeing all the people I grew up with around me, many for the last time, which is something that didn’t register for…
On June 9, Newton Public Schools announced via press release the appointment of Jesse Krotick, M.Ed. in the newly created NPS position of Director of Mental Health and Well-Being, effective July 1. Mr. Krotick is presently the NPS Coordinator of Social Work and Social Emotional Learning for elementary schools, a…
The School Committee of the 1980s was more harmonious than that of the 1970s, even though it continued to make difficult, unpopular decisions about building closures and staff reductions. Despite financial pressure, it moved the school system towards a more international, technological world by expanding the computer program into elementary…
Newton Public Schools (NPS) has named current employees as interim principals for Newton North and Newton South High Schools for the 2026-2027 academic year. Newton North HS Lisa Gilbert-Smith, M.Ed. will be the Interim Principal of Newton North High School. She is currently the Director of NPS’s METCO Program and…
The June 1 School Committee meeting covered public comment (Math Pathways, homework policy, anti-semitism) and Committee deliberations on:
- Sports-related early dismissals
- Plans for Ward and Underwood Elementary Schools
- NPS’s long-range building plan
- Preschool curriculum
- Homework policies
- Students’ use of electronic devices
- Time-outs, seclusion, and physical restraint of students
- Superintendent’s evaluation ...
On May 26, the City’s Chief Operating Officer, Josh Morse, hosted an online community meeting on the possible consolidation of Ward and Underwood elementary schools. He presented the findings that led him to conclude the schools should not be consolidated, citing rebounding enrollment, site limitations and minimal, if any, cost…