After years of financial uncertainty, Newton Community Education is looking forward to the summer season following a steady upswing in revenue.

Newton Community Education (NCE) is an independent, self-sustaining program that functions as a part of Newton Public Schools.

With its first classes dating back to the 1870s, it has long offered a variety of adult education classes in addition to programs geared toward children and teens. While the program had struggled to rebuild enrollment post-pandemic, a January fiscal report showed that monthly revenue was $50,000 more than expected.

With Summer fast approaching, NCE Director Kate Carpenter Bernier and Summer Program Coordinator Sarah Housman discussed their hopes for an even stronger performance in what is typically one of their biggest enrollment periods.

“We’re on track to break even this spring for the 2025 fiscal year,” Carpenter Bernier said. “But then we also need to rebuild our reserve, so we have some money in the bank for times when things are thinner.”

NCE will be introducing several new programs this summer, including new STEM programs for campers in kindergarten and first grade. They’ve partnered with Newton North and Newton South’s robotics team, the LigerBots, to provide two weeks of STEAM programming this season.

They’ve also expanded their carpentry program, introducing new classes for older students in grades 7 through 9, taught by Newton North High School teacher Garrett Tingle.

Housman also emphasized the program’s goal of providing a variety of options regardless of the participant’s schedule.

“Families can mix and match,” Housman said. “If you have a child who likes art and is also a little sporty, they could do an art class in the morning and a sports program in the afternoon. I like to think that we have something for everybody.”

There are spots in full-day sports camps led by NPS high school coaches available too, which all include swimming in the Newton North High School pool. The five-week theater program operates in the Little Theatre at North and will present “Mary Poppins” this year.

Newton Community Education emphasizes the flexibility of its program for working families, even on short notice.

“If someone’s looking for a morning program for their child, and it’s the Wednesday before the camp starts, they could still enroll—we’ll find something,” Carpenter Bernier said.

NCE remains deeply committed to its mission of providing enrichment for the entire community, regardless of their income.

“If people can’t afford our prices, they’re welcome to apply for scholarships; we never want people to not participate because they can’t afford us,” said Carpenter Bernier.

Though recent years have proved challenging, Newton Community Education is thankful for the outpouring of support from the people of Newton when it looked as if NCE might have to shut its doors.

“Community education can’t be without the community really participating. That’s important to us,” Carpenter Bernier said. “We’re part of Newton Public Schools, we’re part of the city of Newton. And we’re very, very grateful for the people in Newton participating.”

Visit the Newton Community Education website for a complete listing of both their current and summer offerings.

Here are just a few of the many new offerings this summer:

• Painting Adventures Jr., July 14-18 and August 4-8
• Dungeons and Dragons: Learn to Play, July 21-25 and July 28-August 1
• Carpentry (grades 7-9) with Garrett Tingle, NNHS carpentry teacher, June 30-July 3 and July 21-25
• LigerBoxes: A STEAM Extravaganza with the LigerBots, Aug. 11-15 and 18-22 (This is a new partnership with the high school Robotics team)
• STEM for kindergarteners and first graders with Wicked Cool for Kids
• College Tours and Info Sessions, Aug. 4-8 (an additional week may be added)
• Boston Teen Exploration, July 14-18 and Aug. 11-15
• Summer Squires: Dungeon Master-in-Training, July 21-Aug. 1, Aug. 4-15
• Novice Spanish for high schoolers, June 30-Aug. 1