December 2nd discussion follows recent debate on “multilevel” classrooms. The Monday December 2nd scheduled School Committee meeting took place at METCO headquarters in Roxbury, Boston. Committee Chair Chris Brezski began the meeting by thanking the well-respected Newton METCO director, Lisa Gilbert-Smith, as well as Superintendent Anna Nolin, for arranging the…
Posts published by “Adam Bernstein”
Opinions differ over the pace of change, but broad agreement that prior systems were deficient. The School Committee and Newton Public Schools (NPS) administration met for over five hours on Monday, November 18, first at 5:30 in an executive session and leadership caucus, and then at 6:30 for the regular…
On Monday November 25, the School Committee and Newton Public Schools (NPS) administration, including Superintendent Anna Nolin, attended a nearly three-hour “Special Work Session” at the Education Center. Although this was a public meeting posted by the City Clerk and listed in Fig City News Local Government Announcements, the only…
The November 4th regular School Committee meeting ran almost four hours across a meaningful agenda including a stark update about the state of Newton Community Education’s budget, a curriculum update, the 2025-2026 school calendar, and private school busing provided by Newton Public Schools (NPS). Prior to the published agenda, however,…
Among the five ballot questions Massachusetts voters will face on Election Day next Tuesday, Ballot Question 2 – Elimination of MCAS As High School Graduation Requirement – has received significant attention within the Newton Public Schools community. MCAS Background The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) – a series of statewide…
In public comments, union demands full-time Kindergarten aides. The October 21 School Committee meeting began with an unusually long (45-minute) public comment period with 14 speakers — the majority of whom were Newton Public Schools (NPS) educators who spoke in favor of the restoration of full-time Kindergarten aides in Newton’s…
The October 7th School Committee meeting was dominated by a two-and-a-half hour presentation and discussion of substantial changes that Newton Public Schools (NPS) is implementing to Special Education (summarized on page 42 of the presentation). NPS Assistant Superintendent of Student Services Casey Ngo-Miller and NPS Director of Multi-Tiered Systems of…
School Committee discusses District Goals, Gender Identity Policy, Budget Surplus. Angier awarded National Blue Ribbon The September 23 regular School Committee meeting began with public comment and approval of the consent agenda, and then Superintendent Nolin began her regular update by announcing that Angier Elementary was one of only 9…
Newton Public Schools (NPS) Superintendent Dr. Anna Nolin met with Fig City News at the start of the school year, as she did last year. This interview transcript has been edited for clarity and length. FCN: What are some different perspectives you have about Newton going into this school year…
The September 9 School Committee began with a 5th grader from Cabot elementary school leading the School Committee in the Pledge of Allegiance. Beginning meetings with the Pledge is a new protocol implemented for the first time in at least several decades at this meeting. Following the Pledge, Alex Pascal,…