Newton Schools Foundation (NSF) is a vital catalyst of community support for the Newton Public Schools. NSF raises private funds from sources across the Newton community, not only from parents and alumni, but also from individuals, local businesses and foundations who want to make a difference by supporting education and local schools. NSF works closely with school leadership to find ways to enhance and enrich the ongoing curriculum and helps provide opportunities to explore ideas that would not otherwise be possible under the usual constraints of the annual school budget.

NSF supported programs impact schoolchildren of all age groups throughout Newton. These programs range the gamut of content areas, including STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math), Environment and Sustainability, Closing the Achievement Gap, Arts, Literacy, Social/Emotional Learning, and Global Learning.

Initiatives supported by NSF for the elementary schools, specifically, include new curricula and learning opportunities that foster high achievement for all students, such as Instrumental Music Programs (professional instrumental clinicians support ensemble music programs and give individualized instruction to students); Zones of Regulation (a cohesive social-emotional curriculum that helps K-1st students learn to self-regulate); Integrated Arts Curriculum: (art teachers coordinating with the science and social studies curriculum); and One Book, One Kindness Convention – Race and Culture (a school-wide reading initiative designed to create greater understanding about the impact of race and racial identity on the school experience). Continue reading →