Superintendent Message

As on all first days, bussing was a bit of a struggle for some of our students. Executive Director Gonsalves is busy working on this with all our schools and Ocean State Transit. Please see more on bussing further down in the newsletter.

Our focus for the 2024-2025 school year is continuing to implement rigorous and equitable instruction for all of our students. That means a renewed focus on literacy and math, and providing students and teachers with enhanced coaching opportunities so that our instruction remains on track. Classroom teachers will do what they do best and as administration we will support them so they are able to do their jobs as we embrace a new model of support in literacy and in some areas math.

We are also continuing to focus on Attendance Matters, Every Day! We made big strides last school year, with improved attendance and a decrease in chronic absenteeism across all of our schools. And a special shoutout to our 19 students who earned perfect attendance last year (full list below)!

Parents and families- we need your help. Let’s keep up the good work begun last year on attendance by creating / maintaining a strong school day routine with the same bedtime, wake up time, and time to head out for the school bus. Rituals and routines, whether in school or at home, help all of us to establish good habits. Also please speak with your children regularly about how their school day went, what classes they are enjoying, and classes where they may need additional help. Please reach out to your child’s teacher or the building principal if you have any questions or concerns. The sooner communication starts the better.

By focusing on the basics of attendance, literacy, and math, we will help to ensure that all of our students are on track to graduate with the “Portrait Of A Graduate” skills they need to succeed in the classroom, career, and as productive members of our community.

Have a great first week of school and learning! We are thrilled to have you back and excited for the school year ahead!

Today, we did experience some school bus delays. During the first few weeks of the school year our buses will be adjusting to new routes with new drivers. Pell, Thompson, and Rogers will utilize our parent communication systems to notify you as soon as we learn of delays.

Ocean State Transportation has also started using the SafeStop app for the 2024/2025 school year, which allows families to track school buses in real time. Please see the flyer for more information and instructions on how to download and use the app.

Any and all feedback is appreciated, as Newport Public Schools and Ocean State Transportation start off the new school year. We do ask for your patience in the first weeks of the school year as we adjust to new drivers, routes, and traffic patterns. Thank you!

And as a reminder, here is a link to our 2024-2025 bus schedule.

Contact number for Ocean State Transit: 401-399-3229

School Contacts for Bussing