Social studies overhaul focuses on breadth, depth and civics in an era that demands all three
Many students in America—including Newton—only learn history up through the World War II period. And Newton Public Schools district leadership wants to change that. So, [...]
School Committee holds off on math curriculum vote until next week
The School Committee has postponed a vote to move ahead with a math overhaul years in the making, to give the public a chance for [...]
Committee approves kindergarten aide funding for remainder of fiscal year
The City Council’s Programs and Services Committee approved $500,000 from free cash to pay for kindergarten aides whose rehiring was mandated by arbitration. A few [...]
Newton South High School Mock Trial Team shares the strategy behind their state win ahead of Nationals
A courtroom filled with mystery, jealousy and a peanut allergy found Audrey South guilty of poisoning Ava Maru on the set of their TV show, [...]
Principal Henry Turner is leaving Newton North for new role in Reading
After a decade leading Newton North High School through one unprecedented time after another, Principal Henry Turner is bidding farewell. Turner announced in a letter [...]
Column: War’s violence and destruction can seem far away to Newton high schoolers
A few years ago, at Newton North’s commencement, I ran into a former student who’d come to see a younger sibling walk across the stage. [...]
School Committee approves FY2027 budget option that advances Math Pathways
Last week, confronted with a budget allocation that doesn’t provide level-services funding to NPS, the School Committee faced a choice: Cut jobs in behavioral services, [...]
Data shows drop in school-age population, rise in non-NPS enrollment
Newton’s school-age population has been shrinking for years, according to NPS Data and Research Chief Katy Hogue. Hogue met with the School Committee on Monday [...]
Creem’s son-in-law wrote a novel some people once wanted out of school libraries
Did you know that Newton Sen. Cindy Creem's son-in-law is an author of a book that some people wanted to ban from schools? Last week’s [...]
Column: When it comes to social media, parents may be the ‘anxious generation’
Beacon readers: A Newton parent sent this question in response to my first parenting column last month, and I shared my advice below. Please email [...]
Lawmakers meet with School Committee to talk budgets, buses and other business
State Representatives John Lawn, Amy Sangiolo and Greg Schwartz, along with State Sen. Cindy Creem, met with the School Committee on Monday night to talk [...]
NPS budget gap brings tough choices regarding DEI, math initiative and more
“Most of you are new actors in your roles, but the play hasn't changed in decades,” Newton parent Madeline McNeely said to the School Committee [...]
With NPS budget talk, long-term insufficient funding is the elephant that won’t leave the room
In this sequel, the faces have changed, but the plot is the same. The School Committee meeting room in the Education Center was packed Monday [...]
Column: Tests tell us what students don’t know, not what they can learn
Sometimes it's hard for students to see themselves as more than their test scores. It’s the job of teachers to show them that they are, [...]
Eyes on ‘Thrive’: Nolin requests $317 million for FY2027
Superintendent Anna Nolin is asking for $317.3 million for the Fiscal Year 2027 NPS budget, to keep services level and position the district to work [...]