Community Volunteers Wanted to Assist With Superintendent Search

Members of the community are encouraged to provide input into the search for a new superintendent

The Newport School Committee is calling on the community to participate in the search process for a new superintendent to succeed Newport Superintendent Jack Ambrogi, who will be retiring in January 2014. The committee has hired New England School Development Council to assist in the hiring process. Ken DeBenedictis, a retired school administrator and superintendent, is the Newport consultant. Several focus groups that are scheduled in May and June are open to the public. Input gathered from the focus groups will provide the framework for the profile of the new superintendent. Focus Groups Schedule With the exception of the school committee focus group, no members of the school committee will participate in the focus groups. Monday, May 13…

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Report: Newport Schools Show Improvement, Still Struggle

A report released by the research and advocacy group RI-CAN gave the Newport School District an overall grade of "C" for student proficiency advocacy

Almost half of Newport high school students struggle to demonstrate proficiency in math and reading, according to a new report released by the Rhode Island research and advocacy group RI-CAN. The analysis used New England Common Assessment Program (NECAP) data for third through eighth and 11th grade, and four-year graduation rates for high schools. Data was provided by the Rhode Island Department of Education. Newport students are not alone. By eighth grade, 42 percent of Rhode Island students do not test proficient in math and 22 percent are not proficient readers, according to RI-CAN.  A greater 60 percent of black and Latino eighth-graders are not proficient in math and about 40 percent are not proficient readers. Newport Schools …

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nptresident

9:29 pm on Tuesday, May 7, 2013

By the way, my widget comment was about expectation by the state and the testing involved. Not the instruction in the classroom. It's my prerogative to use whatever name I want....   more ›

Islanders Sprint Through the Senior Night Meet

Middletown girls track beat Rogers 112-25

3 Newport Students Perform in RI Music Educator's All-State Music Festival

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On March 24 the following students performed in the RI Music Educator's All-State Music Festival at Veteran’s Auditorium in Providence. Michael Garvey, cello, grade 8, Jr. All-State Orchestra Pearle Emerson, soprano,  grade 8, Jr. All-State Mixed Chorus Forrest Ficke, grade 7, Jr. All-State Treble Chorus

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Rogers High School Jazz Ensemble, Orchestra and Chorus Travels to Bermuda

Students participated in the music festivals and enjoyed sightseeing in Bermuda

Members of the Rogers High School Jazz Ensemble, Orchestra and Chorus traveled April 13 to Bermuda to participate in the Music Festivals adjudicated music festival aboard the cruise ship Explorer of the Seas. In addition to the performances, students enjoyed two days of sightseeing in Bermuda and all of the amenities of the cruise ship. The RHS Jazz Ensemble and RHS Chamber Vocal Ensemble both received assessments of “Superior” for their performances. Additionally, the following awards were presented at the awards ceremony following the festival:

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School Committee Budget Projections 'Shaky' At Best

The Newport School Committee met with the City Council on Wednesday night to begin budget discussions.

Despite its request for a solid FY '13-14 budget proposal from the Newport School Committee by June 30, the Newport City Council can likely only hope for an estimate, Chairman Charles Shoemaker said at a joint meeting on Wednesday night.  The Uniform Chart of Accounts (UCOA), implemented in 2011 as part of a statewide financial reform, has slowed the budget process down, Shoemaker said. As a part of UCOA, more than 1,900 line items must be accounted for in the budget. “The new UCOA has taken a lot of time to get used to. We don’t have a current budget at this point,” he said. Business manager Joan Tracy said the payroll will be converted and the school department will be fully compliant with UCOA as of next June. Shoemaker said that it was…

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Kindergarten Registration is This Week

Everything you need to know about where and when to register your child for kindergarten in Newport Public Schools.

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Newport Superintendent to Retire Next Year

Superintendent Jack Ambrogi announced his plan to retire effective Jan. 2014.

Newport Superintendent John H. Ambrogi announced he would be retiring, effective Jan. 4, 2014, during Tuesday night’s school committee meeting at the Newport Area Career and Technical Center. “It’s been 41 years, three states, one college and eight school districts,” Ambrogi said. “I believe now as I believed when I started, the most important thing a person can do is to contribute to the education of children.” Ambrogi stated that, to clarify any rumors, he would not be taking vacation tme next December and will be with the schools through Christmas. During his retirement, Ambrogi said he plans to spend his summers in Newport and winters in Florida.    Committee member Jo Eva Gained told Ambrogi, “I commend you for making the announcement…

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