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  • Day Band and Orchestra Students Dazzle at Fenway Park!

    On June 4, our talented band and orchestra director, Shon Brown, guided the students of Day Middle School in a truly unforgettable experience at Fenway Park!  They had the honor of performing the National Anthem at the opening of the Red Sox game, a moment that filled the air with pride and excitement. This incredible opportunity was made possible as part of our STEM Day celebrations. What a remarkable way to showcase our students' musical talents on such a prestigious stage!

    Friday, Jun 06 2025

  • Now Open: Bus Registration Application for 2025-26 S...

    Bus registration for the 2025-26 school year is now open!  All students planning to ride the bus MUST register for a bus pass.  The bus fee for the 2025-26 school year is: $415 each (with a family cap of $830 through July 31, 2025) $465 each (with a family cap of $930 on or after August 1, 2025) Bus Fees for Students by Grade Level K-6th grade students All students who live LESS than 2 miles from their school and plan to ride the bus must pay a bus fee.  Students who live MORE than 2 miles from their elementary school and plan to ride the bus DO NOT pay the fee. 7th – 12th grade students All students in grades 7-12 pay the fee to ride the bus. How do I pay the bus fee? Register and pay via MySchoolBucks. Installment payment plans will be available. More information on bus registration can be found on our  NPS Bus Registration webpage . Fee Waivers & Financial Assistance (Get Help with Paying for the Bus) The application for the 2025-2026 district-wide financial assistance waiver is now available, visit the  fee waiver information and instructions webpage  to apply via the  Aspen portal . We encourage you to apply now so that your waiver is in place for your bus registration. (The instructions for completing the form in Aspen are on the Fee Waiver Application Instructions page .) Additional Details & Links Visit our  NPS Bus Fee webpage for details . Use  this link to determine your distance from your school.

    Monday, Jun 02 2025

  • Bus Registration for 2025-26 School Year - Opens Jun...

    Bus registration for the 2025-26 school year will open on June 2, 2025.  All students planning to ride the bus MUST register for a bus pass.  The bus fee for the 2025-26 school year is: $415 each with a family cap of $830 through July 31, 2025 $465 each with a family cap of $930 on or after August 1, 2025 Who pays the bus fee? K-6th grade students – All students who reside LESS than 2 miles from their school and wish to ride the bus must pay a bus fee. Students in grades K-6th grade who reside MORE than 2 miles from their elementary school and wish to ride the bus DO NOT pay the fee. 7th – 12th grade students – all students in grades 7-12 pay the fee to ride the bus. Additional Details: Visit our  NPS Bus Fee webpage for details . Use  this link to determine your distance from your school. Fee Waivers & Financial Assistance (Help Paying for the Bus) The application for the 2025-2026 district-wide financial assistance waiver is now available, visit the  fee waiver information and instructions webpage  to apply via the  Aspen portal .We encourage you to apply now so that your waiver is in place for your bus registration. (The instructions for completing the form in Aspen are on the Fee Waiver Application Instructions page .) When bus registration opens in early next week , you will be notified via email. You will register and pay via MySchoolBucks. Installment payment plans will be available. More information on bus registration can be found on our  NPS Bus Registration webpage .

    Tuesday, May 27 2025

  • District News | May 23, 2025

    Dear Newton Families, A few updates on Budget, Memorial Day and An Ask for Volunteers and Donations. Also, we hope you check out the Superintendent’s podcast and a new show she’s starting! Look at the table of contents below to personalize your reading experience.  In this Newsletter (Table of Contents) Updates from the Superintendent's Office School Updates Budget Update Honoring Memorial Day from the Superintendent Updates from Around the District Celebrating NPS Crossing Guard Champion Memorial Day in Newton High Schools Elementary Schools: Looking Ahead to Veterans Day Superintendent Podcasts Have You Heard? Spread the Word! (Opportunities to Participate in Activities Across the District) NEXT WEEK! May 29 | Family Seminar about Having Difficult Conversations Honor Thy Teacher (with NSF) NCE Programming Information From the Superintendent’s Office School Updates  It’s the start of summer as Memorial Day weekend generally ushers in what we consider to be the summer season even though summer officially begins mid-June.  Depending on your personal temperature tolerance, this week was a cool treat🍦or too chilly to bear 🥶. Per regulation, we shut down the boilers on May 15 each year and typically this is not an issue, but this week’s chilly mornings made for cooler buildings.  Given the varied age and condition of our facilities, there is variance of temperatures in many places.  Shutting down and turning on/commissioning the boilers in schools takes a day to manage, and then another full day to heat the facilities.  So, there were some needs for added layers at times in some locations. Next week looks to be in the 70s!  If only we could bottle the cold for the upcoming warmer days of late June!   Good rule of thumb:  if you, as a parent, think it’s cold out–send your students to school with layers.     Budget Update By now, you’ve seen the School Committee Chair’s update on the budget , which has now been formally approved by the School Committee, the City Council, and supported by the Mayor. My father used to say that everyone leaves a hard-fought battle a little happy and a little unhappy. That feels true for this budget cycle. I’m grateful the Mayor added $1.1 million to help close our budget gap. Still, after the 15.9 FTE (full-time employee) cuts already made, we needed to reduce 3.2 more. Thankfully, it wasn’t an additional 19.86 staff members. Many reductions will be addressed through retirements, transfers, and position changes. However, some of those leaving are among our newest educators (13.7 FTE at elementary and middle levels), and a few are digital learning coordinators (3 FTE), whose work is critical to media and research literacy. We also delayed opening one preschool classroom and expanding a special education program until winter, when enrollment and IEP trends will be clearer. In January, we will reassess to see what is needed. In the meantime, I’ll carefully manage spending to maintain transparency and fiscal responsibility. My time in Newton thus far has been one of the most challenging periods of my career. There were dark days and difficult conversations. But I’ve been deeply moved by the way our community rallied around our students and staff. When asked, “Aren’t you upset about how much time this took?”—my answer is: yes, it’s been frustrating at times. But the silver lining has been powerful. Since last year’s strike, I’ve met with many of you—at schools, in public forums, and across the community. Again and again, people asked: “How do we come back together?” Together—with NTA leadership, our staff, PTOs, School Committee, and City Council—we’ve started to answer that. We’ve built connection, trust, and common purpose. At the center of it all: caring about kids. This process has forced a deep look at our values and spending, and at our shared vision for education in Newton. We’ve had meaningful dialogue, transparency, and unity—something rare in today’s national climate. That’s a win for Newton Public Schools. But we can’t stop here. We must continue educating the community about our budget, and keep building sustainable, reliable support for public education. Education is the engine of agency, choice, and opportunity. Public schools must show up for every child, every family, every day. To thrive, we need a stable workforce, strong morale, and family trust. That requires reliable services and resources for staff and students alike. This is what it means to invest in the future—not just for Newton, but for our country. I’ll keep advocating. I’ll stay creative and realistic about the financial landscape. And I’ll keep modeling that disagreement doesn’t mean disrespect—it means standing up for kids, every single day, so every student can thrive. I am looking for all the family and community members who indicated they wanted to think about alternative funding sources and raising funds for NPS to reach out so we can begin a process and fundraising plan right now.  Email nolina@newton.k12.ma.us to share your interest!   Honoring Memorial Day from the Superintendent As a proud daughter, granddaughter, niece, and sister of U.S. military veterans, and a member of the American Legion Women's Auxiliary at Post 440, Memorial Day holds deep personal meaning for me. It is more than a long weekend or the unofficial start of summer — it is a solemn and significant occasion to honor the men and women who gave their lives in service to our nation. Memorial Day is a time of remembrance — a national moment to recognize the ultimate sacrifice made by members of the Armed Forces in defense of our freedoms. In our public schools, it is also an opportunity to educate students about the cost of liberty, the values of service and sacrifice, and the responsibilities of citizenship. This week, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to Post 440 Commander and the Sons of Italy for providing a powerful educational experience for our students and school community. Through the presentation of the POW/MIA empty table ceremony , they brought to life the symbolism and gravity of what Memorial Day represents — not just the memory of those lost, but the ongoing honor and respect owed to them. We are also deeply grateful to the visiting veterans who took time to join our schools and share their stories and presence with our students. Their commitment to service — even in retirement — helps bridge the past and present, instilling a sense of connection and responsibility in the next generation. As educators, it is our role to help students understand the meaning behind the traditions and rituals that shape our civic life. Memorial Day is a profound reminder that freedom is not free — and that the stories of courage, loss, and honor must be passed on with reverence and purpose. Let us continue to honor our fallen, support our veterans, and ensure our schools are places where gratitude and remembrance live on. Perhaps I will see you at Memorial graveside events on Monday, May 26, 2025, 9 am. Have a great weekend, Anna Nolin Updates from around the District Celebrating Newton Crossing Guard, Lie-Mei Ho Earlier this week, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) announced the winners of the 2025 Safe Routes to School Crossing Guard Awards. We're excited share that Lie-Mei Ho, a crossing guard at Underwood Elementary, was named as a Crossing Guard Champion! This award is part of the state initiative called,  Safe Routes to School . Join us in celebrating Crossing Guard Ho and send our thanks for making the route to school safe for our students!   Memorial Day in Newton High Schools Newton North – In honor of Memorial Day, History Department Chair Greg Drake and military liaison (and Newton North legend) Larry Allen organized an excellent program. The theme for the Memorial Day Ceremony was to honor those who sacrificed for the United States to defend our Constitution. All participants received a pocket Constitution. Participants also listened to extraordinary people: Our own History Teacher, Mr. Goesselt, who served in West Germany for the Army during the Cold War. Retired Col. Matthew Getty, US Air Force.  Col. Getty was the Squadron Commander for the 89th Operations Group . The 89th manages an air fleet including Air Force One and oversees the transportation of the president, vice president, cabinet members, and other senior military and elected leaders. Col. Getty was the Squadron Commander from June 2020-June 2022. Col. Getty will speak about his experience overseeing this elite squadron and the importance of civilian command of the military. Newton South – To honor Memorial Day and educate students about the observance, an assembly was organized by Jennifer Morrill, History and Social Science Chair, and Larry Allen. The assembly consisted of sharing a historical look at Memorial Day, providing context about the "Missing Man Table" as a reminder of why we observer the day and honor service members who do not make it home (whether due to being fallen, missing or imprisoned). Additionally, the assembly consisted of hearing from several guest speakers who are also service members. Students had the opportunity to hear more about their life experiences: Cara Mezzetti-Salmon Major, US Army Tyrone Powell, Sergeant, US Air Force Jon Stras, Specialist, US Army Elementary Schools:  Looking Ahead To Veterans Day in the Fall Veterans Day is another important day to celebrate.  Since our Memorial Day efforts focus on secondary schools, we’d like to use Veterans Day as a chance to educate our elementary schools.  We are seeking Veteran volunteers to come and read to kids in some of our elementary schools.  We are also seeking donors who would contribute funds for us to purchase books that describe the work of our armed services folks, depicts military families and allows our students to know about military service and our Veterans.   If you would like to volunteer or donate, please email Anna Nolin, nolina@newton.k12.ma.us . Superintendent Podcasts Dr. Nolin is looking for more students willing to tell their story of successes and experiences in NPS  for her podcast called Superintendent’s Secret Sauce . And another new podcast, coming soon :   Stories from the Thrive Hive–sharing what it’s like to teach and learn today in the Newton Schools.  Have a teacher, program or service that made a difference in your child’s life? Something you want to share about your experience in NPS that would help others? Let’s talk! Interested?  Drop her a note: nolina@newton.k12.ma.us Help Dr. Nolin keep our impact, stories and experiences alive for the wider community and the world–not just during budget season.   Newton METCO Alum, Ronnie DeVoe, keynotes the METCO Class of 2025 Celebration The Newton METCO Senior Scholarship Celebration, a traditional event attended by METCO families, Newton staff, friends, and extended family, celebrated the accomplishments of this year’s graduates. Students gave speeches, scholarship certificates were distributed to students who received awards, every senior received a send-off rose and gifts and food and fun were in abundance. A highlight of the afternoon was an inspiring keynote speech delivered by Newton METCO alum, Boston icon and Grammy award winning music artist, Ronnie DeVoe (pictured below), whose words uplifted and energized everyone in attendance. This year also marked the induction of the Ronnie DeVoe Creative Arts & Resilience Award, a new scholarship recognizing two graduating students who have demonstrated outstanding creativity and artistic vision throughout their academic journey. The award celebrates the power of artistic expression and the resilience that fuels it, reflecting DeVoe’s own legacy and impact. Have you Heard? Spread the Word! 🗓️  May 29 | Join us for a May Mental Health Month event Having Difficult Conversations  led by Samaritans Newton Parents & Guardians, we hope you'll join us for an upcoming seminar where learn strategies around having difficult family conversations. This seminar will be hosted by the NPS Office of Family and Community Partnerships, in collaboration with the City of Newton Department of Health and Human Services, and Samaritans. The topic will be geared towards parents of students in middle and high school. Seminar details are below: 🗓️  Date: May 29, 2025 🕡 Time: 6:30pm 📍Location: Oak Hill Middle School, 130 Wheeler Street, Newton Parents and guardians can expect to leave the seminar with practical strategies that can be used to tackle difficult conversations with your children and within your family. Additionally, families are welcome and encouraged to attend with their children. 🔗 RSVP  is not required, but will help us with planning.   Honor Thy Teacher with the Newton School Foundation Please consider participating in Newton Schools Foundation’s (NSF) Honor Thy Teacher program, which provides a way to simultaneously recognize our faculty and support our schools while complying with the   Newton Public Schools Gift Policy .  As the end of the school year approaches, this is a great way to thank the special teachers and staff who have made an impact on your family. When you Honor Thy Teacher, NSF will Notify honored teachers and staff of your recognition Share honoree names with the Superintendent’s office and individual school principals List all honored teachers and staff on the NSF website Deliver to all honored staff a Certificate of Honor and Honoree commemorative magnet If you choose to participate , NSF will notify honorees on a rolling basis through the end of the school year.  Show your gratitude soon to energize your honorees while they are in the classroom. Read about the programs NSF supports, find more information about   Newton Schools Foundation , and the Honor Thy Teacher program by using the QR Code. Thank you for considering this opportunity to honor Newton’s teachers. Sign Up for Summer Programming, with Newton Community Education Make the Most of Summer with NCE Camps! Looking for fun, enriching, and active options for your kids this summer?  Newton Community Education  offers a wide range of camps from  June 30 through August 22  for every interest and age group. Campers can explore STEM with LEGO Robotics and Rocket Science, get creative in Painting Adventures and Carpentry, perform in Theater camp, or sharpen their strategy in Chess, and so much more. Plus, our  full-day sports camps  (for rising 3rd to 9th graders) keep kids active and outdoors with soccer, basketball, field hockey, girls lacrosse, softball, volleyball, and multi-sport options led by experienced coaches. Camps fill fast—explore the full lineup and register today at  newtoncommunityed.org ! Celebrate Juneteenth with FREE NCE Youth Sports Clinics Celebrate Juneteenth with a day of active fun! Newton Community Education is offering  FREE youth sports clinics  on  Thursday, June 19 , for  rising 3rd–9th graders . Choose a morning session (9:00–11:00 AM) featuring girls basketball, girls lacrosse, or softball; or a midday session (11:00 AM–1:00 PM) in boys basketball, field hockey, or soccer—or sign up for one of each! Led by our experienced  summer camp coaches , these clinics are a great opportunity to try a new sport, build skills, and enjoy the day with friends. Register today for this free Juneteenth event ! Note: The clinics are free, but registration is required. Learn more about NCE: Financial assistance and scholarships Classes available Helpful Links: 🔗 NPS Family to School Communication Process 🔗   Family Resource Guide 🔗   Massachusetts Partnership for Youth - Parenting Solutions Library 🔗   District Calendar

    Saturday, May 24 2025

  • A Message from the School Committee Chair: NPS FY26 ...

    PLEASE NOTE, THIS IS A MESSAGE FROM THE NEWTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE CHAIR.   GIVEN THE CONSTRAINTS OF OPEN MEETING LAW, IT IS NOT A MESSAGE FROM THE NEWTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE, AND INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEMBERS MAY AGREE OR DISAGREE WITH THE VIEWS EXPRESSED HERE. Dear NPS Families, After months of negotiation and deliberation, the School Committee on Monday evening approved a FY26 (July 2025 – June 2026) budget by a vote of 8-1 that corresponds to the City of Newton's appropriation for the Newton Public Schools.  The School Committee's approved budget of $292,963,623 is funded by (i) an operating budget appropriation from the City of $288,713,973 and (ii) an Education Stabilization Fund distribution of $4,249,650. The City of Newton is further appropriating $3,482,845 of "free cash" to fund specific components of NPS operations for the coming year, creating total funding of $296,446,468 for NPS operations. This compares to the Superintendent's original proposed budget of $297,508,258. In addition to these amounts, the City has appropriated another $1,425,000 for NPS facilities improvements. By virtue of the Superintendent's recommendation to approve the budget Monday evening and the School Committee's 8-1 vote, I believe there exists consensus that the risks, reductions and efficiencies assumed by NPS in this budget are manageable, though not preferable.  These are detailed below: Increased Healthcare Premiums (+$1,300,000): The Mayor announced on April 2nd that NPS would be required to contribute an incremental $1.3m in healthcare premiums.  This is entirely at the discretion of the City, and also represents an increase in the portion of the premiums paid by our employees Incremental Risk Assumption ($670,000): Assumes that Title grants are level-funded (the Superintendent's budget contemplated a $320,000 decrease in Title funds) and plans to carry-forward an incremental $350,000 from the FY25 budget into the FY26 budget by utilizing existing NPS revolving accounts to fund operating expenses in FY25.  This introduces risk in FY26 and beyond, as those amounts will no longer be available, nor will NPS have them available to address unforeseen expenses. 100% Full-Time Kindergarten Aides ($836,000): There is ongoing litigation as to whether NPS is required to have a full-time aide in every kindergarten classroom with 14 or more students.  Currently, NPS has at least a half-time aide in every kindergarten classroom, and a full-time aide in some larger classrooms. The School Committee voted to remove this item from the Superintendent's budget, as it is an unknown at this point.  The Mayor's administration has publicly stated that it would intend to use an $872,250 in Chapter 70 funds from the Commonwealth (only recently expected) to fund kindergarten aides if required. Personnel Reductions ($324,200): Reducing 3.0 FTE digital learning coordinators and part-time FTE visually-impaired teacher in the Office of Student Services Non-Personnel Reductions ($243,689): Reducing MCAS stipends, field trip stipends, language award testing, and late athletics bus among other items Delays in Program Implementation ($287,901): At this point we have a better view of enrollment for specific programs.  The Superintendent believes we can delay until February 2026 both the opening of a Pre-K classroom based on students reaching eligible age and a special education program classroom based on determining student eligibility.  There is budget risk here, however, as enrollments are fluid. Impact FY27 & Beyond NPS will continue to face budget deficits in the coming years absent a meaningful increase in the appropriation from the City to the NPS operating budget.  We must all recognize that the free cash funding to NPS FY26 will live outside the official NPS operating budget, and therefore the amount approved by the School Committee does not reflect the full operating costs of NPS.  Going into FY27, we will no longer have revolving account balances to utilize to carry funds forward into the FY27 budget.  Aside from contractual and other typical expense increases, a reasonable expectation is that the FY27 budget will have to reflect the run-rate cost of the delayed classroom openings, and potentially fund a full year of staffing kindergarten aides, for a total budget amount of $297.5 million, or $298.3 million if including kindergarten aides.  This should be the starting point for our FY27 budget discussion next year, not the $293 million passed by the School Committee.  City officials must act to address this issue sooner than later so we may hopefully avoid contentious processes in coming years. In Closing While the FY26 budget process was time-consuming and at times contentious, I believe we will be providing for our kids what they need and deserve in the coming year. There is more we can do, and I hope NPS continues to work toward Dr. Nolin's vision for the future of a thriving NPS. I thank all of you who supported NPS in this process, the City Councilors who acted to support NPS, and the Mayor and her staff for ultimately agreeing to provide the funding our kids need. As the school year comes to a close, I want to congratulate our graduating seniors who are moving on to the next phases in their lives.  I want to thank our educators and staff for all the hard work they do to care for our children, and I want to ask you to do the same - Please reach out to your child's teachers and all the staff who care for them and say thank you for what they do.  I wish you all a healthy and happy summer. Chris Chris Brezski Chair, Newton School Committee brezskic@newton.k12.ma.us

    Thursday, May 22 2025

  • NPS LigerBots Compete in World Championships and Rec...

    For the first time in its 17-year history, the LigerBots , Newton's high school robotics team, was one of 600 teams (out of 3,700 worldwide) to compete at the  FIRSTⓇ Championship sponsored by BAE Systems level. (The LigerBots were one of 600 teams from around the world to compete at the championship, and one of 31 teams from New England to qualify.) The LigerBots ranked 32nd in their division qualification matches and were the second pick of the highest-ranked alliance , captained by a fellow New England team, Nashoba Robotics. The team also won the division award for the best robot operation during the autonomously managed portion of the game. See photos of the event . Congratulations to the LigerBots on securing a spot in this global competition and for the rankings they achieved!

    Thursday, May 15 2025

  • Newton North Students Celebrate 2025 Tenacity Challe...

    On March 22, six Newton North High School (NNHS) students celebrated winning first place in The Tenacity Challenge ! This annual academic scholarship competition celebrates the talents of Black and Latinx students from urban and suburban high schools across Massachusetts. The Tenacity Challenge competition consists of four events centered around the theme of tenacity and leadership in math, art, history, and literature. This year, each remarkable member of the NNHS Las Tigresas team—Margaret Urdaneta, Gabriella Urdaneta, Chiara Sardi Rogines, Sol Feiguin, Kate Urdaneta, and Natalie Ferrer—were awarded a $1,000 scholarship in recognition of their outstanding performance that earned them the first place title. This victory not only highlights their hard work and dedication but also serves as an inspiration to all students. Las Tigresas, the Newton North HS Tenacity Challenge team: Margaret Urdaneta, Gabriella Urdaneta, Chiara Sardi Rogines, Sol Feiguin, Kate Urdaneta, and Natalie Ferrer  (photo courtesy: Boston Bridges Initiative via FigCity News ) Congratulations to the Las Tigresas team for this well-deserved achievement!

    Thursday, May 15 2025

  • Action Requested: Review Outstanding Invoice and Sub...

    Outstanding Invoices in MySchoolBucks The district is requesting that families check their MySchoolBucks (MSB) account for any outstanding invoices as part of our spring invoice review. Where can I find 'Invoices' in MySchoolBucks? Log into your MySchoolBucks account On the left side of the screen, click on the 'Invoices' tab and the page will open. View all invoices listed for payment, Add to Cart, and Checkout How can payments be made? Parents/guardians can pay outstanding invoices directly online on MySchoolBucks . OR send payments, by check, through the USPS mail to the Newton Public Schools Business Office at the address below. Mail payments must include: (1) your payment and (2) your statement. (Important note: Families are unable to use student lunch account balances to pay for invoices.)  Newton Public Schools Attention: Business Office 100 Walnut Street Newtonville, MA 02460 Where can I find more information about fee payments? Visit the Business & Finance webpage for additional information about the fee policy and instructions to request a waiver, if needed. (If you need to request a waiver, we encourage you to continue reading below for information about the district Financial Waiver Application.) Have additional questions?  If you have any questions regarding Chromebook invoices, please contact the IT department at 617-559-6190.  If you have questions regarding your library or textbooks invoices, please contact your child's school.   2025-2026 Financial (Fee) Waiver Application – Available Now Newton Public Schools provides students with various services that require family payments, such as bus transportation and school activities. Our goal is for all students to participate, regardless of financial need. To support families with a financial need, we have a Financial Waiver Application that must be completed each year by families.  How do I apply?  The application for the 2025-2026 district-wide financial assistance waiver application is now available . We encourage you to apply now so that your waiver is in place for registrations that may take place in the summer (bus, elementary music, fall athletic fees, etc.) Visit the fee waiver information and instructions webpage to learn more and apply.

    Monday, May 12 2025

  • District News | May 10, 2025

    Dear Newton Families, The Education Center at 100 Walnut Street—our central office—has often been a showcase for student music groups and for student art shows--in general, a place for student-led learning demonstrations.  Recently, our art department has aligned their work showcases with our portrait of a learner competencies (adaptability, empathy, critical thinking, communication, and having a learner's mindset).   This month we have added an exhibit by our Jewish American Studies class at Newton North.  Supported by a grant from the state on addressing hate and teaching about genocide from two falls ago, this grant allowed our students to create a museum designed to educate and inform and address rising hate in our community.  Due to the teacher strike last year and other world and local events, the only time the exhibit could be displayed is this spring. To celebrate their hard work, the students kicked off their exhibit with a small reception earlier this week. The exhibit is open to the public after school hours, 4-6pm. As a school community, we have been concerned about a rise in acts of hate--especially last year.  I am happy to report that, overall, the issues of hate and discrimination reported to us as a school system are down significantly this year.  That said, reporting of this type can be imperfect--I recognize that some issues that were reported last year may have been impacted by world events. And reporting, this year, may be down for a variety of reasons--ranging from positive impacts due to education and intervention (in which we have invested a great deal), to failure to report, or world/community fatigue on certain issues.   If you are interested in learning more about our data related to these reports, you can view our recent Annual Report (p. 38). Recently, the Mayor shared information about the year of 2024 in retrospect: "Hate Incidents and Hate Crimes In 2024, we had 7 hate crimes in Newton, an increase from 1 during 2023. We also saw an increase in hate incidents with 67 reported to NPD in 2024, an increase of 18 from the 49 reported in 2023.  A hate incident occurs when someone threatens, attacks, intimidates, harasses, or otherwise harms another person because of that person’s identity, including their race, national origin, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender, or gender identity. A hate incident may or may not be a hate crime. Learn more about hate incidents and hate crimes from the Office of the Massachusetts Attorney General at  mass.gov/info .  The 74 hate crimes and incidents reported to NPD in 2024 fall into different categories of hate:  59 Antisemitic,  3 Anti-Asian,  2 Anti-Black,  2 Anti-Muslim/Islamic,  2 Anti-Sikh,  2 Anti-Transgender,  1 Anti-Arab,  1 Anti-Gay,  1 Anti-Hindu,  1 Anti-Immigration.  The 74 reported hate incidents and crimes in 2024 follow 50 in 2023, 63 in 2022 and 59 in 2021 after a relatively steady five-year period from 2016 through 2020 with no more than 30 incidents each year. Officers in NPD’s Community Services Bureau fully investigate all hate incidents and all hate crimes. Information on each hate incident/hate crime is shared with the Mayor, the Newton Human Rights Commission, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), and Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan’s Office. Thankfully, Newton continues to be a very safe community." As the grants hope to support, this exhibit hopes to combat hate with education and responds to the rise in anti-Semitism seen in the city in the past year.   Our students were eager to share their learning with the community on Jewish Identity planned, with their teacher to share this informative exhibit on Jewish history to pull us out of only studying Jewish history as about the Holocaust or hate, but instead, a celebration of accomplishment and history.  We celebrate this project as a demonstration of our Portrait of a Learner competencies and student academics. We look forward to the public visiting our student work exhibition. Everyone can anticipate seeing more student work showcases of all types in the future, and opportunities to support student leadership in education exhibits. Anna More in District News NPS Teachers, You Are Appreciated This week, Newton Public Schools expressed gratitude for our exceptional teachers and we hope all families join us in saying "We appreciate you!"   🚨 Middle & High School Parents - Technology Alert 🚨 TikTok Trend with Chromebooks We want to inform you of a concerning trend circulating on social media, particularly TikTok. There is a new "challenge" that encourages students to insert foreign objects (pencil lead, paperclips, or push pins) into the openings on their Chromebook. Unfortunately, we also have instances of Newton Public Schools Students following through with this challenge. Inserting a metal object into an electronic device can pose a risk of electrical shock or fire. We want to ensure the safety of all our students and prevent any potential harm. In addition, this particular act can also cause significant damage to the Chromebook, which may require extensive repairs and disrupt your student’s learning. Intentional damage such as this will result in your family paying to replace a damaged device, as well as disciplinary consequences for students. We ask for your partnership in addressing this issue. Please take the time to talk to your student about the potential dangers of this challenge and the importance of using technology responsibly. We encourage you to reinforce the following: It is important to make responsible choices online and not participate in harmful trends. School-issued devices are to be used for educational purposes only. Tampering with devices can lead to damage and safety hazards. Student code of conduct enforced with disciplinary consequences for damaging school equipment, including notice to law enforcement. Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our students safe and ensuring that technology remains a valuable learning tool. We encourage you to contact your student’s principal with any questions or concerns. Resources: 🔗    NPS Student Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Guidelines 🔗    News Article on the TikTok Trend   🗓️  Mark Your Calendar — Reminder Last Day of School for 2024-2025 School Year See below for details about NPS’ last day of school for students and teachers in the 2024-25 school year. NECP: Friday, June 20, 2025 — regular release day Grades K-12: Monday, June 23, 2025 —  special release day, see times below Elementary Schools: 12:10 p.m. Middle Schools: Bigelow and Day: 10:55 a.m. Brown: 11:20 a.m. Oak Hill: 10:50 a.m. High Schools: 12:45 p.m All teachers in NECP and grades K-12 last day: Tuesday, June 24, 2025   🗓️ May 14 | Join the NPS Office for Student Services and Newton SEPAC Let's Talk Reading with Nadine Gaab Mark your calendars! The NPS Office of Student Services and the Newton SEPAC is proud to present:  Let's Talk Reading with Nadine Gaab . Join them on May 14th at 6:30pm (virtual or in-person at Newton North) for a presentation on how children learn to read, and why creating a strong community is important. See the attached flyer for more details! 🔗   Dr. Nadine Gaab - Flyer.pdf   🗓️  May 19 | Join NPS and the NTA Let NPS Thrive: Community Forum Please join us for a the last of our community information sessions this year:  a collaboration between the Newton Public Schools, Newton Teachers association and our parent community. Come learn about what it's like to teach today and how we can advocate for our schools. Note: This is not a forum specific to budget issues this year, rather, designed to allow us to learn and listen together as a learning community as we work to help NPS thrive in the coming years.   Hope you can join us for this forum !   🗓️  May 29 | Join us for a May Mental Health Month event Having Difficult Conversations led by Samaritans Newton Parents & Guardians, we hope you'll join us for an upcoming seminar where learn strategies around having difficult family conversations. This seminar will be hosted by the NPS Office of Family and Community Partnerships, in collaboration with the City of Newton Department of Health and Human Services, and Samaritans. The topic will be geared towards parents of students in middle and high school. Seminar details are below: 🗓️  Date: May 29, 2025 🕡 Time: 6:30pm 📍Location: Oak Hill Middle School, 130 Wheeler Street, Newton Parents and guardians can expect to leave the seminar with practical strategies that can be used to tackle difficult conversations with your children and within your family. Additionally, families are welcome and encouraged to attend with their children. 🔗 RSVP  is not required, but will help us with planning.   Newton Food Services Updates May 2nd was National School Lunch Hero Day Between preparing delicious food, adhering to strict nutrition standards, navigating student food allergies, and offering service with a smile, [school district] nutrition professionals have a lot on their plate. To celebrate their hard work and commitment, NPS and Chartwells, our food service provider, celebrated School Lunch Hero Day on May 2!  🔗   Check out  our comic book highlighting lunch heroes in the district! Read the April Food Services Newsletter The Food Services newsletter is full of exciting information about the foodservice program in Newton. In each issue you will find menu and programming highlights along with general Food Services department news from across the schools.  🔗 Read the current newsletter today!   Become a Host Family to an International Student Next Year! Each year, as part of our commitment to promoting intercultural learning, we welcome international students to join us here and attend  Newton South High School . Hosting these students brings incredible value to our school, enriching our community with diverse perspectives and meaningful connections. This year, we are fortunate to have students from Italy, China, Brazil, and they have already made a positive impact on our school culture. As we look ahead to Fall 2025, we are beginning the search for host families.  While many of our dedicated past hosts are returning, we are also seeking a few new families to join this meaningful initiative. To support our efforts, we are partnering with Educatius Group, a leader in international student exchange. If you’re interested in learning more about becoming a host family, please feel free to contact  Maria Ribon: 617-970-1999 maria.ribon@educatius.org   Hosting an international student not only supports this valuable program but also offers an unforgettable experience for your family. Hear directly from host families by watching this short  video . Thank you for considering this opportunity to make a difference! 🔗   Educatius Host Family Flyer PDF Helpful Links: 🔗 NPS Family to School Communication Process 🔗   Family Resource Guide 🔗   Massachusetts Partnership for Youth - Parenting Solutions Library

    Saturday, May 10 2025

  • May 29 @ 6:30pm | Family Seminar: "Having Difficult ...

    Newton Parents, Guardians, and Students: You’re invited to an in-person seminar during Mental Health Awareness Month focused on strengthening family communication around mental health and emotional well-being. Hosted by the NPS Office of Family and Community Partnerships in collaboration with the City of Newton Department of Health and Human Services and Samaritans, Inc., a local suicide prevention organization, this event is designed for families with middle and high school students—but strategies will be relevant for elementary-aged students as well. This program will offer practical tools to foster empathy, build resilience, and make challenging conversations more approachable. Together, parents and students will learn ways to talk openly about mental health, manage academic stress, and develop empathetic listening techniques. Presenters will share conversations guides, offer tips to navigate difficult topics, and discuss how to get help in a mental health emergency. Families are encouraged to attend together and leave with strategies to engage in more meaningful conversations with one another.  The topic will be geared towards parents of students in middle and high school. Seminar details are below: 🗓️  Date: May 29, 2025 🕡 Time: 6:30pm 📍Location: Oak Hill Middle School, 130 Wheeler Street, Newton Parents and guardians can expect to leave the seminar with practical strategies that can be used to tackle difficult conversations with your children and within your family. Additionally, families are welcome and encouraged to attend with their children. 🔗 RSVP  is not required, but will help us with planning.

    Monday, May 05 2025