About the District

Newington, Connecticut is a suburban community of about 30,000 residents located just south of the capital city of Hartford. Seven Newington schools proudly serve approximately 4,200 students in full-day kindergarten through twelfth grade. Newington Public Schools serves the community and their students with seven schools including four elementary, two middle, and one high school.


The culture of excellence throughout the Newington Public Schools can be attributed to long-standing community support and high expectations for its schools. Our success begins with a student-centered mission and a shared vision for the success of every child. Our actions are guided by research and measured regularly through strategic systems and processes for continuous improvement.

Mission

NPS engages and empowers students to lead academically successful, socially responsible, compassionate, and purposeful lives. We will foster a thriving learning community that cultivates growth through:
Engaged Learning: Provide students rigorous instruction (highly academic learning experiences) that is connected to their lived experiences and the real world making learning valuable and relevant .
Empowering: Instruction affirms, creates a sense of social and emotional safety and honors all students and communities of color including their ethnic, racial, and linguistic identities and develops all students’ abilities to recognize and critique social inequities.

Vision

Every day, every NPS student is actively being equipped with the skills and knowledge necessary to become a contributing member of their community, while being highly prepared to thrive in life, and pursue their career or college aspirations upon graduation.

In order to accomplish our mission, it is critical to have a widely shared vision of effective teaching that is focused on rigorous expectations, relevant curriculum, and respectful relationships.

We know that teaching is effective when:

  • Students employ 21st-century knowledge and skills.

  • Students are engaged in authentic learning and apply their knowledge and skills to new situations and challenges.

  • Students’ individual needs are identified through multiple measures and addressed through current standards-based curriculum and research-based instruction.

  • Students meet or exceed curricular standards and demonstrate continual growth within the cognitive, affective, and psychomotor domains.

  • Students are independent learners and thinkers who are responsible and accountable for their learning and actions.

  • Students, teachers, administrators, and parents demonstrate positive relationships through shared responsibility, collaboration, and mutual respect.

  • Students are continually learning in safe and supportive environments.  


 


Theory of Action

If our NPS Community works together to support social emotional learning and highly engaging instructional practices, then our students will experience an equitable learning environment designed for optimal student achievement.


Core Beliefs

  • Each individual has worth and deserves respect.

  • Every individual is unique and deserves recognition.

  • Every individual can learn.

  • Motivation directly affects learning.

  • Performance is directly related to expectations.

  • Learning is a lifelong process.

  • Effective education empowers individuals to reach full potential.

  • Education expands options throughout life.

  • Effective education is essential to the future well-being of our society.

  • Education is the shared responsibility of the student, family, school system, and community.

  • Individuals are accountable for their own actions.

  • The teacher’s role in the education process is vital to the success of the learner.

  • Family support, commitment, and involvement strengthen student learning.

  • The commitment of the entire community is vital to an excellent school system.

  • Success builds self-esteem; self-esteem promotes success.

  • The understanding of and respect for diversity strengthens society.

  • Change is inevitable and creates the opportunity to grow.

  • Excellence in education is worth the investment of time, effort, and resources.

  • The entire community benefits from an excellent school system.