Without MCAS, Newton schools face urgency of setting graduation competency requirement
Newton Public Schools are under a time crunch to determine the district’s competency requirements for receiving a diploma. Earlier this year, Question 2 on the [...]
Yondr pouch program expanded to all middle schools
Newton Public Schools will be implementing the Yondr pouch program at all middle schools to cut down on students’ phone usage in the classroom. Students will be [...]
Newton Community Education has some new February vacation classes
Last year, Newton students didn’t get a February vacation because they had to make up days lost to the teachers’ strike. This year, February vacation is back. [...]
Seven stories that shaped Newton in 2024
Newton has had quite a year. Striking teachers, climate change-related disasters, a shooting and more combined to give the city one of its most intense [...]
Numbers without context: MCAS results come with mystery this year
This year's MCAS results provided limited insight into Newton Public Schools' districts testing performance. Typically, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education releases a detailed [...]
Pressure over multilevel classrooms opens dialogue
Teachers spoke out against multilevel classrooms again at Monday night's School Committee meeting, but the mounting pressure—which includes a petition signed by hundreds of Newton [...]
Newton Community Education makes progress in financial turnaround mission
Last month, the School Committee opted to save Newton Community Education from shutting down, for now at least, while the organization turns its finances around. [...]
Letter to the Editor: Multi-level learning can work, with proper resources and support
Regarding the article, “Teachers say multi-level classes are a multi-level problem,” I am concerned that a narrow conception of multi-level classes is emerging, one that [...]
Alicia Piedalue is running for School Committee Ward 7 seat
Photo: Alicia Piedalue is running for Newton's School Committee seat representing Ward 7. Courtesy Photo Alicia Piedalue is running in the special election to fill [...]
Teachers say multi-level classes are a multi-level problem
Three years ago, Newton Public Schools started multi-level classes—in which advanced college prep-level students are in classrooms with honors-level students—to provide expanded learning opportunity to [...]
Special School Committee Ward 7 election set for March
Newton will have three elections in 2025, and the first will be a special election for the Ward 7 School Committee seat on March 18. [...]
Finance Committee approves money for homeless student transportation and Stabilization Fund
The following story first appeared on The Heights, an independent, nonprofit newspaper run by Boston College students, with which the Newton Beacon has formed a partnership. Stories [...]
Three elementary school principals retiring in June
Three Newton elementary school principals are leaving the district soon. Principals Tom Morris of Memorial Spaulding, Diana Beck of Zervas and Mindy Johal are retiring [...]
School Committee to help Newton Community Education stay afloat during ‘turnaround’
Newton Community Education is facing an ongoing deficit problem, and the School Committee has decided to try to help solve it, just in time for [...]
Letter to the Editor: Newton Community Education deserves a chance
I recently read your article about the financial crisis at Newton Community Education (NCE). I was dismayed to learn about this situation, and that the [...]