NHS Nominated As

Blue Ribbon School

By Jeff White

For the second consecutive time, the State Department of Education has recognized Newtown High School as an exemplar among secondary schools, good enough to represent Connecticut as a contender in the federal Blue Ribbon Schools Program (BRSP). 

The BRSP program was established in 1982 as a means of recognizing schools across the country as models of excellence and equity.

The overall framework of criteria for BRSP centers on four broad themes: the dynamic of student-teacher content interaction; elements of context within schools that are conditions for success; a school’s relationship with the outside community; and the coherence of a school’s overall assessment system.

This week, high school Principal Bill Manfredonia was enthusiastic about the news. “The standards at Newtown High School are very high,” he said, not completely surprised by the school’s recognition from the state. “Our students are very involved in learning, the faculty is exceptional and highly professional.”

Over the summer, a group of teachers, students and parents convened to review areas at NHS that they felt were exemplary. “It was a very healthy process,” Mr Manfredonia said, “because it forced us to get reflective about [NHS].”

The group drafted and submitted the 40-page application that it sent to the state in October, highlighting the areas of NHS that met BRSP criteria.

All schools are judged using eight categories: student focus and support; school organization and culture; challenging standards and curriculum; active teaching and learning; professional community; leadership and educational vitality; school, family and community partnerships; and indicators of success.

This year, the state placed special emphasis on “unusually effective programs in family involvement and character education.”

Although enthusiastic about the prospect of national recognition, Bill Manfredonia said that a decision against NHS would still help the school identify areas to improve upon. “I’m always looking at programs with an eye on improvement,” he said. “Our goal is to make this the best four years possible for our students.”

The Federal Department of Education will now consider nominees. An important step toward attaining Blue Ribbon status is getting a site visit by Washington officials, who determine which schools have the most promise; the last time NHS was nominated by the state, in 1997, the school failed to receive a site visit.

Whether or not NHS is named a Blue Ribbon school, Superintendent of Schools John Reed said the state’s nomination was still encouraging. “I’m just very pleased for Newtown High School, because I have such great respect for our staff and student body,” he said. “From time to time it does help to have somebody look at you and tell you that your efforts are recognized.”

Thirteen Connecticut schools entered the BRSP on the state level this year. Besides NHS, six other schools were nominated by the state: Bristol Eastern High School; East Lyme Middle School; Griswold Middle School; Vernon Center Middle School; Sedgewick Middle School; and Harborside Middle School.

The BRSP alternates recognizing elementary schools and middle and high schools; middle and high schools are recognized together every other year.