Dear Friends,

This update is for the 12/4/2019 Newton School Committee meeting:

Presentation of gift from the Newton Chinese Language School:

• Members of the Board of Directors from the Newton Chinese Language School presented the School Committee with two decorative vases in celebration and appreciation of their 60th anniversary.  The school has been operating at F.A. Day Middle School on Sundays for 60 years!

Superintendent’s Report

• Note to parents that weather-related announcements are posted on the NPS site and social media at 5AM prior to any 6AM phone calls.

• Principal searches are being conducted at Angier, Brown and Underwood.  Dr. Fleishman noted his appreciation for two long-time NPS veterans, John Jordan, Principal of Brown Middle School (31 years) and Loretta Lamberti, Principal of Angier Elementary School (32 years).

Discussions/Updates

• High School Principals’ Update: Principals Henry Turner (NNHS) and Joel Stembridge (NSHS), joined by Assistant Superintendent of Secondary Education, Toby Romer, presented a summary of ongoing and new initiatives at our high schools.  They reviewed the mission statements and how they reflect the districtwide goals of academic excellence, educational equity and social and emotional wellness.

• Highlights of the presentation included:

  • Civic Engagement

  • Technology Integration

  • Multi-Level Courses

  • Ongoing Professional Development.

Consent Agenda

• The School Committee voted unanimously to approve the 2020-2021 School Calendar, the 11-18-2019 Minutes, Payroll/Contract/Warrant Signature Authorizations, and the appointment of Joyce Leonardo as School Committee representative to Newton Community Education.

Next Meeting

On Wednesday, December 16th at 7:00PM the School Committee will meet in regular session.  We will receive an update on MCAS, review the Enrollment Analysis Report, and give recognition to our two retiring School Committee members, Diana Fisher Gomberg and Steve Siegel.

We hope you found this summary useful. You can access all School Committee meeting documents via the NPS website (www.newton.k12.ma.us/schoolcommittee). Additionally, if you are interested in watching an SC meeting from home or a recorded meeting, you can obtain access via www.newtv.org. On the district Facebook page, you can find videos of past “Virtual Office Hours,” which are held once a month and provide the community with the opportunity to ask questions through the FB Live format.

As always, we are very happy to answer any questions or discuss any concerns you may have. Please feel free to contact us via the email address below.

Sincerely,

The Newton School Committee