NEWS ARCHIVE

(4/28/03) School Committee votes 6/20 (Fri) last day of school for students and 6/23 (Mon) last day for teachers; 0 snow days used this year CALENDAR

(4/17/03) Dept of Education issues Newton's MCAS Report Card for 2003

(2/3/03) The deadline for NNHS Task Force's request for design professionals for an "Ideas Forum" of creative concepts extended to Feb 6 • Three public meetings on NNHS have been scheduled: February 10, March 31, and April 14 in the NNHS auditorium, at 7:30pm. See the Task Force webpage for all details

(1/10/03) Dr. Jellinek announces 11 citizen members of NNHS Task Force

(12/17/02) Mayor Cohen issues letter re: NNHS Project

(12/9/02) Superintendent Young issues Report on FY03 Initiatives made possible by the April 2002 override

(12/2/02) Mayor David Cohen, School Committee Chair Anne Larner, and Board President Brooke Lipsitt announce the selection of Dr. Michael Jellinek to chair the Newton North High School Citizens' Task Force. See NNHS TASK FORCE WEBSITE for complete info on Task Force mission, composition, and application procedure for volunteer membership.

(11/20/02) Mayor announces formation of Task Force to study Newton North situation

(10/22/02) Important Letter to Parents (NNHS,Bigelow,Day,Brown) regarding NNHS Renovation Project and Special Meeting on Oct 29

(10/21/02) Mayor delivers State of the City Address FULL TEXT and EDUCATIONAL EXCERPTS

(10/15/02) Newly approved Systemwide Goals (9/23) set NPS course for 2002-2003 FULL TEXT

(10/3/02) Letter from Martha Coakley, Middlesex DA, regarding Massachusetts law on school truancy and attendance • Wondering about the effects of new Bilingual Education legislation on Newton's program? Read this report.

(9/24/02) Newton-Jingshan (China) Exchange students arrive from Beijing

(9/5/02) Supt Young issues Letter to Parents

(9/3/02) Supt Young addresses faculty/staff at Opening Day event FULL TEXT

(8/1/02) Dr. Judy Malone-Neville named Assistant Superintendent of Schools; John Jordan named Acting Principal of Brown MS; Sandra Delaney becomes Acting Principal of Countryside Supt Letter to Brown & Countryside Communities | Administrative Council Membership

(7/8/02) Education Center phone numbers change • NEW Ed Center Directory

(6/10/02) Superintendent issues End-of-Year Report on Systemwide Goals

(6/1/02) Spring 2002 China Exchange Group returns from Beijing!

(5/24/02) Letter to NPS community from Superintendent Young

(5/2/02) Debut of www.newtonchildcare.org, Newton's #1 resource for child care information (sponsored by NEWTON CHILD CARE COMMISSION, a Partner Organization)

(5/1/02) Override passes and Cheryl Lipof Lappin victorious as Ward 8 Alderman in yesterday's Special Election • Election Results and Voter Turnout (SOURCE: Info Tech Dept, City of Newton)

(4/22/02) SC sets last day of school as June 20 for students and June 21 for teachers • Updated Calendar

(4/8/02) Supt Young issues new Frequently Asked Questions document on NPS costs and efficiencies

(3/12/02)

Governor Swift issues letter on MCAS to parents/guardians of 10th grade students in English and Spanish • Online tutorials available for Classes of 2003 and 2004 • NPS Online MCAS page

(3/6/02) In response to numerous requests for succinct backup information on the School Committee's proposed FY03 Keeping Pace Budget and the Superintendent's Allocation Budget (latter not yet acted on by the School Committee), School Committee issues a Frequently Asked Questions information packet with the intention of issuing addenda as yet further questions arise.

(2/13/02) School Committee reaffirms its 2/7 Straw Vote and sends "Keeping Pace Budget" ($11.5M increase) to the Mayor for FY03

(2/6/02) School Committee takes Straw Vote on FY03 Budget; Program & Services Committee of Board of Aldermen begins discussion of whether to put override question on April ballot; votes to hold item until next meeting

(1/31/02) Mayor Cohen requests $11.5M override • MAP • OVERRIDE IMPACT IN OTHER COMMUNITIES

(1/30/02) Supt Young outlines effects of a $3.5M Allocation Budget increase for FY03. Summarized are $8M worth of cuts from the Proposed FY03 "Keeping Pace" Budget (a $11.5M increase over FY02), bringing the increase to the $3.5M currently allocated by Mayor Cohen. • SLIDES • FY03 Budget Development Reference

(1/28/02) School Committee discusses Guidance in the Newton Public Schools and hears update on High School Project

(1/16/02) Supt Young defends FY93-FY02 NPS staffing increases with summary document

(1/14/02) Supt Young issues a Budget Message and Brief Summary to introduce his Proposed Budget for FY03, consisting of both a Keeping Pace Budget and an Allocation Budget; calls 2002-2003 a "watershed" school year • SC Chair Anne Larner issues Budget Meeting Schedule • FY03 BUDGET DEVELOPMENT

(1/1/02) New School Committee inaugurated

(12/22/01) Verne Vance, Chairman of the School Committee, shares parting thoughts with "all those who care about the Newton Public Schools"

(12/10/01) School Committee sets Budget Guidelines, votes to require seat belts in new bus contract, and finalizes remaining redistricting issues • Details

(12/10/01) Caucus of new School Committee selects Anne Larner as Chair, Susan Albright as Vice-Chair

(12/5/01) Out-Of-District Placement applications due between Jan 4 and Jan 31

(12/3/01) Election Commission certifies winners of Ward 5 and Ward 6 SC seats • see Members 2002-2004

(11/27/01) Election Commission sets December 3 for recounts for School Committee Ward 5 and 6 and Ward Alderman Ward 4 seats

(11/26/01) Supt Young completes Meeting the Standards for Excellence White Papers with presentations on Support Staff and Building Maintenance • School Committee approves 2002-2003 Calendar

(11/13/01) Affirmative Action Report presented at School Committee meeting

(11/13/01) The Preliminary Enrollment Report released today shows a 1.9% decrease at the elementary level, a 0.6% increase at the middle school level, and a 2.4% increase at the high schools.

(11/13/01) Preliminary Reports on Class Size show significant across-the-board increases. Elementary Schools | Middle and High Schools

(11/12/01) Newton South's WISE Program issues call for community sponsors. Full Details.

(11/11/01) MCAS Results

(11/6/01) Newton voters elected a new School Committee, to take office on January 1 2002, in this evening's general election: Ward 1, Gail Glick • Ward 2, Susan Albright • Ward 3, Anne Larner • Ward 4, Nancy Levine • Ward 5, Patricia Kellogg • Ward 6, Leslie Schneider • Ward 7, Marc Laredo • Ward 8, Dori Zaleznik • Mayor, David Cohen • Vote tallies by ward/precinct • Complete downloadable results (pdf) • Newton TAB coverage (NOTE: There are no "official" election winners until the Election Commission certifies them, which it does 10 days after the election)

(10/22/01) As part of the School Committee's revamped Budget Guidelines development process, Supt Young presents White Papers on Class Size and Technology.

(10/19/01) Revised draft Calendar for 2002-2003 issued (April vacation week previously incorrect). Comments requested.

(10/18/01) Supt Young issues a general letter on safety. Details

(10/15/01) Mayor Cohen delivers State of the City address. Full text • Educational excerpts

(10/11/01) Exit Statistics Report for 2000-2001 shows decrease in number of students leaving system

(10/11/01) Supt Young issues ban on school-sanctioned international travel. Details

(10/9/01) Supt Young announces new Administrative Policy Regarding Field Trips, effective immediately. Also announces Timeline for discussion of transportation-related issues in anticipation of securing a new transportation contract.

(9/12/01) Newton Preliminary Election results

(9/4/01) Opening Day Celebration at Newton North

The new school year got underway in style on Tuesday morning at 9am with a systemwide assembly for teachers and staff at Newton North. An enthusiastic, standing-room-only crowd packed the auditorium to listen to Barbara and the Jazz Dads, a Cabot-parent jazz group, and to hear opening addresses from School Committee Chair Verne Vance, Mayor David Cohen, NTA President Ken Hamilton, and Superintendent Jeffrey Young. Full text of Jeff Young's address. Verne Vance's address.

(6/14/01) Superintendent revises FY02 Budget Reallocations to reflect additional $600K METCO appropriation from state legislature for FY02, new insurance rates per City Hall, ISS reduction and MCAS support reduction • School Committee approves final FY02 Budget per final reallocations, at an increase of $5,178,877 over FY01 (4.8%)

(6/8/01) Superintendent issues end-of-year Report on Systemwide Goals 2000-2001

(5/29/01) School Committee accepts Redistricting Option E-2, in three separate motions:

Motion 1: to remove Option B from consideration; passed unanimously, 9-0

Motion 2: to accept Option C; failed 2-7 (Levine and Larner voting for)

Motion 3: to accept Option E-2; passed 8-1 (Levine voting against)

(4/27/01) Oak Hill Bus Tragedy

(4/23/01) Superintendent presents Proposed Redistricting Options; School Committee votes to set Friday, June 22 as the last day of school for students and Monday, June 25 as the last day for teachers (click here for final calendar)

(4/17/01) Board of Aldermen vote on bonding the High School Project; passes 23-0 (Ald. Mansfield absent). A proposal made by Ald. Michael Lipof — to hire an outside auditor to oversee the project — is committed to the Finance and Public Facilities Committees for further discussion.

(4/17/01) Mayor David Cohen presents FY02 Budget Address to Board of Aldermen.

(3/22/01) Superintendent issues statement on Understanding our Differences for FY02

(3/15/01) Superintendent proposes Budget for FY02

(1/18/01) Supt. Jeffrey Young's article, Respect for Differences in Schools, appears as a guest column in Newton TAB (1/18/01 issue). School Committee's Respect for Human Differences mission statement is referenced.

(1/3/01) Superintendent Young sends a letter to all parents and interested Newton citizens outlining the systemwide redistricting process and timeline. Visit the Redistricting page for complete information.

(10/16/00) Mayor David Cohen gives State of the City address. Educational excerpts also available.

(9/6/00) Superintendent Jeffrey M. Young's Opening Address for the 2000-2001 school year. He suggests three themes that should shape NPS collective vision for the years ahead: 1) intellectual development of students, 2) perseverance in our shared belief system around respect for human differences, and 3) making a personal connection with kids.