Author: Mia

MA 6th Best State to Raise a Family
Massachusetts is 2017’s 6th Best State to Raise a Family according to Wallet Hub.

In order to determine the best states in which to put down family roots, WalletHub’s analysts compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia based on 40 key indicators of family-friendliness. Our data set ranges from “median family salary” to “housing affordability” to “unemployment rate.”

Raising a Family in Massachusetts (1=Best; 25=Avg.):
- 18^th – % of Families with Kids
- 3^rd – Infant Mortality Rate
- 24^th – Median Family Salary (Adjusted for Cost of Living)
- 11^th– % of Families Below Poverty Level
- 23^rd– Unemployment Rate
- 13^th– Divorce Rate
- 26^th– % of Two-Parent Families
For the full report, please visit here.
June 30, 2017
MA Best State for Education in US!
According to U.S. News and World Report, Massachusetts leads the country for best education. MA stats:
1. Higher Education#20
2. Pre-K – 12#3
Best States for Education
- #1Massachusetts
- #2New Jersey
- #3New Hampshire
- #4Connecticut
- #5Maryland
June 29, 2017
Boston #1 Coziest City in US
The top ten America’s Coziest Cities are as follows:
1. Boston, Massachusetts
2. San Francisco, California
3. Seattle, Washington
4. Albany, New York
5. Portland, Oregon
6. Rochester, New York
7. Minneapolis, Minnesota
8. Sacramento, California
9. Denver, Colorado
10. Salt Lake City, Utah
Visit Honeywell Plugged In to learn more about why each of these cities is considered so cozy.
June 28, 2017
Newton #66 Safest City in US
Top 10 Safest Cities in the United States according to Neighborhood Scout. Newton ranks #66 behind Arlington, but just ahead of Wellesley.
1. Oak Ridge, TN
2. Shoreview, MN
3. Ridgefield, CT
4. Franklin, MA
5. Zionsville, IN
6. Bergenfield, NJ
7. Lake in the Hills, IL
8. Lexington, MA
9. Bartlett, IL
10. Reading, MA
15. Belmont, MA

16. Needham, MA

44. Andover, MA

48. Plymouth, MA

55. Milton, MA

58. Wakefield, MA

62. Gloucester, MA

65. Arlington, MA

66. Newton, MA

67. Wellesley, MA

78. Beverly, MA

86. Melrose, MA

92. Peabody, MA

94. Amherst, MA
June 27, 2017
NNHS Senior Scavenger Hunt Issue

Dear Newton North Community,

On Friday some of our recent graduates participated in a scavenger hunt. This is not a school sanctioned event nor is it a part of any official senior class activities.

Unfortunately, we learned that one of the tasks on the scavenger hunt was to post to social media in a way that was deeply disrespectful and hurtful to the LGBTQ community. We were very disappointed to learn of this behavior, especially coming on the heels of such a joyful event on Wednesday. These actions do not reflect the values of our North community – values that call for us to celebrate our differences, respect and support each other, and welcome all.

This may be an opportunity to speak with your student about the importance of being a good digital citizen and the importance to be respectful to all people. As a school, we will continue to work with our current students to ensure they uphold the values of our North community as they venture forth to become citizens of our global world.

Regards,

Henry J. Turner, EdD

Principal

Newton North High School

June 26, 2017
Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For
Top 10 Best Companies to Work For in Massachusetts are:
1. Boston Consulting Group (National Rank: 3) – Boston
2. PriceWaterhouseCoopers (National Rank: 23) – Boston
3. Cooley (National Rank: 25) – Boston
4. Nvidia (National Rank: 39) – Westford
5. Delta Air Lines (National Rank: 63) – Boston
6. Cisco (National Rank: 67) – Boxborough
7. Autodesk (National Rank: 71) – Boston
8. Hyland (National Rank: 75) – Andover
9. Cadence (National Rank: 81) – Chelmsford
10. Bright Horizons Family Solutions (National Rank: 90) – Watertown
Top 10 Best Companies to Work For in the U.S. are:
1. Google
2. Wegmans Food Markets
3. The Boston Consulting Group
4. Baird
5. Edward Jones
6. Genentech
7. Ultimate Software
8. Salesforce
9. Acuity
10. Quicken Loans
Full list here.
June 25, 2017
Best public high schools in Massachusetts
Best public high schools in Massachusetts according to Niche. The 2017 Best Public High Schools ranking is based on rigorous analysis of key statistics and millions of reviews from students and parents using data from the U.S. Department of Education. Ranking factors include state test scores, college readiness, graduation rates, SAT/ACT scores, teacher quality, and high school rating.
1. Lexington High School, Lexington, MA
2. Cambridge Rindge & Latin School, Cambridge, MA
3. Newton North High School, Newton, MA
4. Wellesley Senior High School, Wellesley, MA
5. Acton-Boxborough Regional High School, Acton, MA
6. Brookline High School, Brookline, MA
7. Newton South High School, Newton, MA
8. Boston Latin School, Boston, MA
9. Weston High School, Weston, MA
10. Wayland High School, Wayland, MA
June 24, 2017
US News and World Report Best High Schools: How Does Newton Do?
According to US News and World Report, the top high 10 schools in Massachusetts are:
1. Boston Latin School, Boston (#42)
2. Advanced Math and Science Academy, Marlborough (#98)
3. Hopkinton High School, Hopkinton (#175)
4. Dover-Sherborn Regional High School, Dover-Sherborn (#217)
5. Medfield Senior High School, Medfield ( #227)
6. Lexington High School, Lexington (# 264)
7. Belmont High School, Belmont (#267)
8. Weston High School, Weston (#270)
9. Cohasset Middle/High School, Cohasset (# 292)
10. Medway High School, Medway (#293)
Newton South High School (#405)

Newton North High School (#677)

Wellesley High School (#497)

Brookline High School (#625)

Rankings are based on:
- STEP 1 | Students perform better than expected in their state.
  
  We looked at reading and math results for students on each state’s proficiency tests and then factored in the percentage of economically disadvantaged students, who tend to score lower.
- STEP 2 | Disadvantaged students perform better than state average.
  
  We compared each school’s math and reading proficiency rates for disadvantaged students – black, Hispanic and low-income – with the statewide results for these student groups and then selected schools that were performing better than their state averages.
- STEP 3 | Student graduation rates meet or exceed a national standard
  
  We excluded schools from consideration if their graduation rates were lower than 75 percent – a threshold that is higher than a federal law that requires states to give extra resources to schools below 67 percent.
- STEP 4 | Students are prepared for college-level coursework.
  
  We calculated a College Readiness Index, which is based on the school’s AP participation rate and how well the students did on those tests. Tiebeakers were used to determine ranks of schools that achieved the same College Readiness Index.
June 23, 2017
Elite GK High School Prep Clinic – Valeo Futbol Academy

Elite GK High School Prep Clinic – Valeo Futbol Academy. Register here.

June 22, 2017
Newton Public Schools Final Budget
Dear Newton Families:

Last night, the School Committee approved the budget for the 2017-18 school year. It is a budget that reflects our commitment to improving student achievement and providing strong supports for all students.

In developing the budget, it was our goal to:
- Maintain our forward momentum,
- Preserve the programs and supports we have built over the past few years, and
- Continue to provide a high quality education to all students in the Newton Public Schools.
The 2017-18 budget was very challenging to put together. Increases in transportation, health insurance, and student services costs, coupled with the current school year deficit, left us with a budget gap of over $2 million. The balanced budget presented on March 22^nd identified areas in which programs and staffing were preserved. It also identified services we were unable to preserve due to the budget shortfall.

Earlier this week, we were notified that we would receive one-time funding from the city’s health insurance reserve fund. We also realized a reduction in bus parking expenses. Together, this funding added an additional $1,350,000 to the budget over a two-year period.

The final budget approved by School Committee allows us to preserve so many of the programs and supports we have worked hard to implement over the past several years. With the additional monies we received late in the budget process, we have been able to partially restore program areas we thought we would need to reduce more significantly, most notably library staff at our schools.

I know this budget process has been challenging and we were not able to include everything we wanted in the budget. However, I am confident we will be able to continue to provide all of our students from Pre-K – 12 with a high quality educational experience next year. In the meantime, we are looking forward to a successful finish to the current school year.

For more specific information on the budget, please visit the district website: https://tinyurl.com/lahbbx9

Sincerely,

David Fleishman

FAQ – 2017-18 Budget-FINAL
June 21, 2017