Superintendent's Update
Newport Public Schools | September 2, 2026
Superintendent's Message
Pell Welcomes New Students & Families At Orientation Event
Back To School Bash A Success
REMINDER: 2026-2027 Newport Public Schools Bus Schedule & App 🚌
REMINDER: 2026-2027 Bell Schedules
Fall School Open House Dates
Athletics Update
Kids Adventures In Wellness At The Y, September 19th
Newport Community School Fall Learning Programs
Events
Newport Public Schools Important Policies
Resources
Superintendent's message
Dear Newport Schools Parents, Families, and Staff,
Welcome back! As an educator for over thirty years, I can tell you that the first day of school is still one of the most rewarding experiences. Seeing our students, families, teachers, staff, principals, and community partners all excited to be back in the classroom, excited to be learning, and excited to support our students is what public education is all about.
The smiles on our students' faces today said it all. Working together, we’re going to have a great 2026-2027 school year!
A big part of having a great school year is engaged parents. We’ve made great strides improving attendance and decreasing chronic absenteeism over the last 3 years. Let’s keep that momentum up. Please be sure to review our attendance policy, and make sure your students know just how important attendance is to their success in school and life.
Last year we also saw some great results from our no cell phones in schools policy. Free from the distractions of text messages, social media, and constant notifications, our teachers reported greater engagement with students. Please review our cell phone policy and urge your students to follow the simple rule; when you’re in school, devices are powered off and stored away.
Finally, due to the Labor Day holiday on Monday, and the primary election next Wednesday, we have a bit of an on-and-off schedule next week.
- Monday, September 7: No school — Labor Day
- Tuesday, September 8: School is in session
- Wednesday, September 9: No school — Primary Election Day
- Thursday, September 10: School is in session
- Friday, September 11: School is in session
We know these breaks can make for a busy week, so we appreciate your help in keeping track of the schedule. As always, you can find upcoming dates and important school events on our school calendar.
Welcome back to our entire Newport Public Schools community! Have a great first week of learning!
Peter Sanchioni, Ph.D.
Superintendent
Newport Public Schools
petersanchioni@npsri.net
Pell Welcomes New Students & Families At Orientation Event
Pell Elementary Principal Traci Westman and her team welcomed new students and families on August 27th at an orientation event. What a great way to get new students and families familiar and comfortable with their new school!
Back To School Bash A Big Success
Thank you once again to our partners at the Newport Community School for hosting the annual Back To School Bash on September 1st! The event was a big success with students and families connecting with resources, back to school supplies, and just having fun.
REMINDER: 2026-2027 Newport Public Schools Bus Schedule & App 🚌
Click here for the 2026-2027 Newport Public Schools bus schedule. Please note that we often encounter minor issues during the first week or two of school as bus drivers get used to new routes. If you experience any pickup or dropoff issues, please contact (401-399-3229) our bus vendor Ocean State Transit.
You may also use the MY RIDE K-12 App to access your child(ren)’s secure data for bus stop location, route, and pickup time at the touch of a button. The school bus tracking app can share real-time ETAs, reducing time spent waiting at the stop and helping students never miss the bus again.
REMINDER: 2026 - 2027 Bell Schedules
Rogers High School - 7:30 AM - 2:00 PM
Thompson Middle School - 8:00 AM - 2:30 PM
Pell Elementary School - 8:45 AM - 3:15 PM
Fall School Open House Dates
Come explore school with your child! Open House is your chance to meet our teachers and staff, get familiar with the building, and connect with key school and community programs. Please note that 1-on-1 parent-teacher conferences will take place later in the school year.
Rogers High School - Thursday, September 24 at 5:00 PM
Thompson Middle School - September 23rd at 5:30 PM
Pell Elementary PreK, K, Grade 1 - September 28th at 5:00 PM
Pell Elementary Grades 2-4 - September 29th at 5:00 PM
Athletics Update
The Rogers Boys and Girls Cross Country Teams are doing it right by not overlooking the little things! Cross Country will be competing at Brenton Park this year for their home meets. The sweat will be worth the rewards!
Fall Programs
Kids Adventures In Wellness at the Newport County YMCA - September 19
Newport Community School Fall Learning Programs
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Newport Public Schools Important Policies
Events
September 2 - First Day of School for Students Grades 1 - 12
September 2 - 4 - PK and Kindergarten soft start (screenings by appointment)
September 7 - Labor Day - No School
September 8 - Start date for all PK and K students
September 9 - Primary Election Day - No School