Superintendent Message
October 9, 2024
Dear Newport Schools Parents, Families, and Staff:
We are now at the midpoint of our first academic quarter. This is a great opportunity to check in with your child to see how they are doing in their classes. Which classes do they love? Which classes do they feel they may need a little more help with? And how are they enjoying their athletics, music, theater, or other after school activities? If your child is experiencing any issues, please remember that our teachers and principals are eager to talk with parents. They want to know about any learning or other challenges as soon as possible so they can develop a plan to get your student the support they need to thrive. Parent teachers conferences are scheduled for November 5th, but if you have questions or concerns please feel free to reach out to your child’s teacher now to set up an appointment or phone call. The relationship between you, your child’s teacher and your child is critical for success.
Speaking of success, I want to congratulate our very own Thompson Principal Dr. Michael Browner Jr. on being appointed to the Rhode Island Ethics Commission by Governor Dan McKee. This is a testament to Dr. Browner’s strong ethical compass and his leadership. We are very fortunate to have him as one of our school leaders. Congratulations Dr. Browner!
We have even more to celebrate in Newport. Last night at our NSC meeting at Pell Elementary School, the NSC honored two students that received national recognition from the College Board. Congratulations and thank you to the RHS Key Club for coordinating the 2nd Annual RHS Activities Fair. The event was held last Friday, and provided an opportunity for students to explore the many sports, resources, and clubs that are available. Click here for photos.
Finally, we will be celebrating and holding Our Learn 365 Family Kickoff for Pell students and families tomorrow (Thursday, October 10th) from 6:00-7:30 pm. All Pell families children that attend after school programs with EBCAP, MLK, Boys and Girls Club and FabNewport are invited to join 365 this year. Learn 365 is showing incredible promise for students who participate in the program, which includes curriculum aligned after school programming. Data from last year indicate that our Learn 365 students had improvements in both attendance and learning. Let’s keep the momentum going and if your child is not part of 365, come celebrate with us and learn more.
So now that we have touched on present successes let’s discuss the future. Saving for your child’s college education can seem daunting and complicated. That’s why Rhode Island’s College Bound Saver Program is offering free webinars and one-on-one meetings for Newport parents and families. They will help answer questions and or make you aware of some things you as a family may want to think about such as: How much should I save for college? Where can I use these funds? Is this just for tuition? What happens if my child decides not to go to college? Are there tax benefits for saving with a 529 plan? Can I contribute though my paycheck? Click here to signup for a webinar, or click here to schedule a virtual meeting with a College Bound Save Program expert.
Finally, a reminder that Monday, October 14th is a holiday and there will be no school.
Have a great week of learning everyone!
Colleen Burns Jermain, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
Shimoda junior high students visit Thompson Middle School
Yesterday, a small delegation of junior high school students from Shimoda, Japan visited 7th and 8th grade social studies classrooms at TMS. Four students and their teacher were accompanied by four other adult officials from Japan. Thank you to the City of Newport for inviting us to host a part of this visit.
Athletics Schedule, Upcoming Events & Resources:
- TOMORROW: Learn 365 Family Kickoff for Pell families
- TOMORROW: College Bound Saver webinar for Newport families
- This Saturday: Music, food, vendors, and fall fun at the Broadway Street Fair
- Buy Your Tickets for the Newport Public Education Foundation’s October 17th “An Evening For Education” Celebration. (all funds raised will benefit Newport Public Schools).
- Rhode Island Healthy Schools Coalition Newsletter
ATTENDANCE AT School - Let’s be successful!!!
When checking in with your child, be sure to also re-emphasize the importance of Attendance Matters, Every Day. The reason is very simple. If your child isn’t in the classroom engaging with their teachers and fellow students, they are missing out on critical learning time. Even missing just a few days of school can add up over the course of the school year, creating learning gaps that are hard to make up. We are seeing attendance rates below 90% and for this time of year that is concerning. We want our daily attendance to be at 95% or higher. Parents/families, you can do your part by making certain your child/children attend school every day. As a community, we all need to come together to support great attendance at our schools so that learning happens every day, in every classroom, at every school.
The district is establishing an attendance work group to review current trends and create a comprehensive plan to address student absenteeism. Please let us know if you are interested in participating by November 1.
About Us
Technology Helpdesk - email: helpdesk@npsri.net
Technology Helpdesk - phone: 1-833-752-0725 (press 2 for Spanish)
Aspen Family Portal Help - email: parentportal@npsri.net
Email: cathynash@npsri.net
Website: npsri.net
Location: 15 Wickham Road, Newport, RI 02840
Phone: (401)619-5376