Superintendent's Message

Dear Newport Schools Parents, Families, and Staff:

We have only eight days of school left before the holiday break, and as I shared last week, we want all of our students in their classrooms, focused on learning, and closing out 2024 on a high note. Please continue to emphasize the importance of Attendance Matters, Every Day, and avoid the temptation to take/allow your child out for an extra day on either side of the upcoming holiday break. Our teams are working hard, following up with home visits to help families, principals sending text messages to encourage school attendance while emphasizing that a good education depends on children understanding the value and importance of being present. Even this office and our Directors continue to work every day to think of ways and reach out to families and students to be in school. This time of year is even more special.

We have so many fun holiday themed art, music, and theater learning activities and events happening at each of our schools! Activities range from our Pell students decorating Christmas trees for display at the Breakers, to wreath making at Thompson, to the arts and crafts fair at Rogers, we have great opportunities for our students to shine during the season of lights and be part of our NPS community during and after school hours. Click here for the full calendar of lightings, shows, and musical and theater performance.

The holidays also coincide with cold and flu season, so please follow good hygiene practices to help minimize the spread. The holidays, combined with the dark early days of December, can also be challenging for our students and families mental health. Something that is being brought to our attention every day. Please remember to take time for yourselves, get plenty of rest, and fresh air. Make this time of year a time to enjoy and relax whenever possible.

I want to close and share what’s happening in our classrooms. Each week I, our building principals, and directors, make it a priority to visit our classrooms, teachers, and students. So far together we have logged over 300 classroom visits since September. The classroom and the instruction are the heart and soul of what we do. Last week, I had the opportunity to visit a number of math classrooms at Rogers High School. It was exciting to see math concepts being taught through real world applications like how mortgages and taxes work, to roller coaster design through height and speed equations. I also had the chance to visit art, science, math, and social studies classrooms at Thompson Middle School, where learning was in full swing.

So, let’s make being in school and learning a focus every day, especially during these last eight days before holiday break! Have a great week of learning everyone!

Colleen Burns Jermain, Ed.D.

Superintendent of Schools

• TONIGHT: NACTC Information Session for interested 8th grade students and families, 5:30-7:00 PM at NACTC

• THIS FRIDAY & SATURDAY: RHS Theatre Co. and MHS Drama Club present "Almost, Maine" at 7:00 PM at the Middletown High Cafetorium.
• December Art, Music and Theatre Events Schedule
• Community partner St. Michaels is opening up its parent sessions to all our families. Please see the dates provided here. Thank you St. Michaels!
• RHS FAFSA Completion Night - January 13, 2025 - 5:30 pm

Newport Public Schools is now eligible, through the hard work of our Health and Wellness subcommittee and Director Gonsalves, to offer free meals to all students through a program called CEP (Community Eligibility Provision) as of November 1, 2024. (Newport was notified of this in December.) This federal program allows eligible schools to offer all meals it serves free to all students at no cost to families. We are so excited about this. It has been a few years of research and work to make it a reality for Newport Public Schools. If you have any questions regarding the program, please email Director Gonsalves as noted in the letter. Click here to learn more.

Congratulations to all NPS Honor Roll students for Quarter 1! Keep up the great work and let’s see more students on our next Honor Roll!!

TMS Honor Roll

RHS Honor Roll

This past Saturday, Thompson Middle School student Lev Wyllie showed off his musical skills at a piano recital featuring Bach and Burgmüller at the Rhode Island Philharmonic & Orchestra Music School in East Providence. TMS Principal Dr. Michael Browner, Jr. made the trip to support Lev and his beautiful piano playing. Congrats to Lev- well done!

Thompson students have been in the spirit making beautiful holiday wreaths! Many thanks to the Thompson leadership team, Newport Community School, and our fantastic Thompson PTO. Our parents are amazing!!! It was a magical night for all of us!!

On Tuesday, a group of industrious Thompson 8th graders traveled to Providence to participate in Junior Achievement’s annual career exploration fair. What a great way to explore career opportunities with some of Rhode Island and the region’s top employers! Middle school is the time we want our young students to start exploring careers and planning their educational goals for the future. Thank you to Dr. Browner and his team of teachers for this bringing this opportunity back to our students!