To the Community:
This week’s school spotlight is Newcastle Elementary. Our elementary school students have done many great things this year. Here are a few of the highlights. Our 3rd and 4th-grade students showcased their talents with a performance at the park, while the 2nd and 5th graders presented holiday musicals. Additionally, students’ artwork was proudly displayed at the library, highlighting their creativity. Efforts to enhance parent communication have been strengthened through platforms such as Class Dojo, newsletters, and positive phone calls home. Students also wrote kindness notes to celebrate positive choices, which are now beautifully displayed in our hallways.
NES has also partnered with NHS to build a mentor program from scratch. Students have been strategically coupled together in an exciting way to allow some of our best students to invest in each other. This will no doubt pay dividends in each of their futures that we do not initially see.
The school has begun a student of the month initiative, in which students are recognized for outstanding achievement, as well as mirroring a character quality of the month. In May, this will be paired with a new awards assembly, where attendance, exceptional academics, and character for the year will be recognized. This will no doubt be something that lasts for years into the future.
I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to our elementary school students and teachers for their flexibility and patience as we navigated the challenges caused by the tornado damage in November. Construction for repairs began in late January and we are excited to have this integral portion of the school repaired and fully functioning again.
Our PTA has been extremely supportive this year. In the fundraising campaign, over $12,000 were raised in just two weeks. The support of this group is no doubt invaluable.
A special thank you goes to Mr. Jonathan Atchley for stepping in as the acting head principal this year. His leadership and dedication have been truly exceptional.
I am truly proud of our teachers and staff. They have demonstrated great perseverance and resiliency this year.
It’s a great day to be a Racer!
Dr. Cathy Walker
Superintendent, Newcastle Public Schools
