Newington High School Principal's Newsletter
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Good afternoon,
Thank you to our ML students and staff who planted the beautiful flowers in our front planters!!!
This is my last newsletter of the 2025-2026 school year. As I sit here listening to the birds chirp, leaves blow, and silence inside, I am able to quietly reflect on another amazing year.
Thank you for sending your children to OUR FAMILY OF LEARNERS. Class of 2026 - I will miss you and look forward to celebrating with you on Monday at the Oakdale Theatre. It's been a pleasure being your Proud Principal - you have left your mark for others to follow. Today's senior walk through was another reminder of the impact you have made on Newington Public Schools ---> elementary and middle school students, staff, and administration were so proud to high five, hug, dab, sing, laugh, and cry with you as well as show you their creative signs. It was such a beautiful morning!!!
Thank you to Mrs. Correll and Ms. Slater (Yearbook advisors) who handed out yearbooks today - they look fantastic!
This week's learning: Seniors have fun on their last full day of high school by welcoming students to a Luau, playing in a mariachi band, bedazzling their teacher's head, and handing out "Newi" awards (see pictures below).
All my previous newsletters are posted on the website.
Have a wonderful summer!!!
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We could not be more excited to celebrate the Class of 2026! Below are a few items with information pertaining to graduation:
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Graduation Livestream: Have family and friends that can't make it? No worries! Click here for the Class of 2026 Commencement Ceremony livestream. Thank you to Mr. Trowbridge and his AV students for making this happen!
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Upcoming Mandatory Rehearsal Dates/Times: June 22nd - NHS Auditorium/Oakdale: 8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. - Students go home and return back to NHS at 4:30 p.m.
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Commencement Ceremony Date & Time: Monday, June 22, 2026 at 7:00 p.m. at the Oakdale Theatre in Wallingford. The processional begins at 6:45 p.m.
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Arrive Early: Doors open at 5:40 p.m. and no one will be admitted without a ticket. Due to expected traffic, families are encouraged to arrive well in advance. The theatre doors will close at 6:45 p.m. and will not reopen until after the processional (approximately 7:05 p.m.).
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Meeting After the Ceremony: Graduates should arrange a designated meeting spot with their families in the theatre lobby following the ceremony. There is no bus transportation back to Newington High School.
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Guest Conduct: Balloons and signs are prohibited. The following is the Oakdale's bag policy: Bags up to 12” x 6” x 12” are allowed in the venue. All bags will be searched prior to entry. Bags that are not clear will be subject to additional search.
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Photography: A professional photographer will capture each graduate receiving their diploma. Graduates will be contacted by Art Rich Photography (www.artrichphotography.com) after graduation, and there is absolutely no obligation to purchase photographs.
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Project Graduation Party: Doors at Newington High School open at 10:00 p.m. Graduates must arrive by 11:00 p.m. through the gym entrance. The event concludes at 5:00 a.m.
- The slideshow of pictures that will be shown at graduation can be found on THIS LINK (but you will not be able to view anything until Friday, June 26).
Road Closure: Toelles Road has been closed since the beginning of May, making it more difficult for guests traveling from the south to access the venue. As a result, they must either detour through downtown Wallingford via Ward Street or travel through North Haven. Additional information about the road closures is available on the Toyota Oakdale Theatre website: https://www.toyotaoakdaletheatre.com/road-closures.
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June 22 Makeup/Makeup
June 22 = 2nd graduation rehearsal (MANDATORY) - 8:00 am in the auditorium!!!
*Student may not move exam periods (they must take the exam in the period they have the class)
*Students do not need to attend if the have a study hall or mastery math/reading class
*If students do not have any makeup exams, they do not need to attend on June 22
*The first exam of each day runs 7:35 am - 9:35 am and the second runs from 9:50 am - 11:50 am. Lunch will be offered from 11:54 am - 12:15 pm for any student who would like a lunch.
*If a student is absent, administration MUST approve*** Therefore, please reach out to your HOUSE PRINCIPAL
***Click HERE for the full schedule, including bus runs***
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FAMILY OF LEARNERS HIGHLIGHTED |
Congratulations to the following students who were inducted into the National Honor Society last Friday evening. Students inductued demonstated excellence not just in academics, but in Scholarship, Leadership, Service, and Character. A shout out to advisors Mrs. Narowski and Mrs. Zuliani for all their hardwork!
Way to go: Andrew Alemany , Matilde Alves, Mia Anctil, Luke Bacaoco, Colleen Balda, Samantha Beaulieu, Daniel Bieszczad, Alyssa Boronese, Matthew Brown, Briannah Butler, Michael Byrnes, Sage Campbell, April Chavarry, Cason Farragher, Bella Filippone, Gavin Flor, Mikobin Foster-Salters, Tessa Grande, Ryan Hughes, Brayden Karanian, Harrison King, Margaret Krusewski, Ashley Kuwaye, Gabrielle Lovelace, Kavi Mathur, Sophia Michaud, Lacie Montana, Dorothy Nguyen , Ella Nunez, Natalie Pade, Arazely Pellerano, Erinn Piechowicz, Josie Piela, Joana Pinhancos, Ella Rossi, James Salvadori , Addison Stafford, Alexa Staron, Michael Tekien, Sierra Timmons, Makayla Woods
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The Giving Garden, Garden Club at the Newington Senior and Disabled Center is where vegetables, herbs, fruit and fresh flowers are grown and donated to the Newington Food Bank. They received a grant to purchase materials to construct three raised bed accessible gardens. However, the grant did not include labor, so we sought help.
Newington Facilities marked and leveled the ground and spread crushed stone. Jen Deschenes-Emond, a coach at Newington High School, recruited eleven volunteers from the Newington Boys and Girls Track Teams to build the garden bed enclosures and fill them with soil. It was a wonderful intergenerational project greatly appreciated by the Garden Club.
A shout of to Ashley Kuwaye, Grace Trevethan,
Kenna O’Brien, Isla Adams, Jonny Stergakis, Gabby Lovelace, Lacie Montana, Amelia Paula Santos, Isaac Joo, Matthew Brown, Alvaro Inca, Nicole Petit, for their help. The Garden Club will now be able to grow even more produce for the benefit of Newington citizens.
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Neha Vishwanath advanced to the round of 16 after winning her first two rounds in the Girls Tennis CIAC Invitational earning All State recognition.
Neha made it to the quarterfinals, which means she was one of the final 8 players in the state.
This is super impressive for anyone, but Neha is only a sophomore!!!!!!!!!!!!! Way to go, Neha!
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Congratulations to Maggie Krusewski, Ari Stergakis, Olivia Canepari, and Brooklyn Crawford for beating their own school record, winning the State Open, and moving into the #1 seed for the New England Championships!
Aslo, congratulations to Maggie Krusewski for being crowned High Jump State Open Champion. Maggie rose to the top with a 5'4" jump.
Way to go, ladies!!!
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Please see the attached presentation created by Officer Buggee on electric bicycles and the rules and regs in order to A) stay safe this summer, and (B) educate families so that you can be more prepared to assist us in keeping their kids safe.
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NHS has been awarded ten (10) $600 scholarships for courses at both the Hartford campus and Storrs campus. Please click THIS link for the information.
Large overview of the program:
- Each course is part of a one-week immersive exploratory college experience.
- Students will be taught by university professors and will experience a taste of college coursework
- Students will also take “Foundations for College Success”. This workshop series supports learning in three domains: College and Career Readiness, Personal and Leadership Development, and Academic Skills Development. Students will walk away with the start of a college list, a Raise.Me account to help earn scholarships, a Resume, and an academic skills toolkit for success.
- Storrs courses are Residential; Hartford courses are Commuter.
- The week in Hartford kicks off with a family day at The Hartford Yard Goats on us (3 tickets, food, beverages, and an exclusive Pre-College Summer reserved pavilion)
- Our website is BEEFY and has a ton of information about what we do with the students each week: https://precollege-summer.uconn.edu/.
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Newington Public Schools embraces the public display of our school spirit as witnessed by the creative graduation announcement banners. The following guidelines must be observed out of respect for all community members.
● The banners are for High School Seniors Only
● The size of the banner may not to exceed 4’x8’
● Banners may ONLY be hung on the fences at Clem Lemire Recreation Complex on the fence facing Willard Avenue and Mill Pond Park exterior fence facing Willard Avenue.
● Oversized banners or those put up ahead of Friday, May 29, 2026 will be taken down and discarded.
Banners may be put up beginning 12:00 noon on Friday, May 29, 2026 and must be removed by 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 30, 2026. Please note if banners are not removed by June 30th, they will be discarded. Please help us continue this wonderful tradition by observing these guidelines. Thank you for your support.
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Below are the important dates, times, and information for seniors as we approach graduation. This is a shortened summary of the events/schedules ahead of us. Mr. Ficocelli will be sending out updates about graduation via StudentSquare!
April 30th - Advisory Period - Senior Class Meeting was held in the Auditorium:
- Graduation Information
- Complete this survey as soon as possible! The survey needs to be completed prior to graduation.
Last Week of May:
- Graduation tickets mailed home to students in good standing. Students not in good standing (academic, attendance, and financial obligations) will receive letters that their tickets are on hold.
- Senior delinquencies must be paid in cash to the main office from this date onward.
Week of June 8th-June 12th:
- Periods 7 & 8 Exams (Seniors Only)
Tuesday, June 16th:
Wednesday, June 17th:
Thursday, June 18th:
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Friday, June 19th:
7:30 am- 9:30 am – Mandatory Rehearsal #1/Cap & gown distribution - NHS auditorium
9:45 am- 11:00 am – Senior Graduation Walk: Elementary/Middle Schools
11:30am – Senior Gathering - Outside of Event Center - Pass out yearbooks and signing
*Final senior credit check conducted following this rehearsal
Monday, June 22nd - Mandatory Rehearsal #2:
8:00 am – Arrive to School
8:30 am – Assemble by House in Auditorium
9:00 am – Load Buses
9:15 am – Depart for Oakdale Theatre
9:45 am – Begin rehearsal at Oakdale Theatre
11:30 am – Depart Oakdale – Return to NHS
4:45 pm - Return to NHS to depart for Oakdale on NHS Buses. Please be back at NHS on time. *You CANNOT drive yourself to the Oakdale!
Monday, June 22nd - Commencement Ceremony:
4:45 pm – Assemble by House in Auditorium
5:00 pm – Load Buses
5:15 pm – Depart for Oakdale Theatre
6:00 pm – Arrive at Oakdale Theatre
6:15 pm – Assemble in staging area
6:45 pm – Begin processional
7:00 pm – BEGIN COMMENCEMENT!
*You MUST plan for your own transportation home.
* The All-Night Graduation Party will begin 1-hour after our ceremony ends. The latest time to enter is 11:15 pm. The event ends at 5 am.
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Sharing Anonymously For Everyone ( S.A.F.E) - This form can be used to report concerns to the school including but not limited to: concerns for the safety and well-being of others, acts of bias or prejudice by students or faculty, and other incidents (such as harassment) safely and anonymously.
Please fill out this information to the best of your ability so we can address the issue, providing as much detail as possible.
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Kindness Is Something Simple (K.I.S.S) is a way to recognize the kind acts of others. You may complete the form so that a staff member or student receives a Hersey's kiss attached to a K.I.S..S card. Take a few seconds to recongize someone anyday of the school year!!!
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All drop offs should occur at the west side of our building (in the back by the Event Center, prior to making a right onto Veteran's Drive). Students who are being dropped off should enter from the north side of our building, by the student parking lot. Doors will open at 7:05 and close at 7:34. After 7:34 am, all students will need to enter the building through our main entrance.
All pick ups should occur in the same location.
The map below outlines the student drop off in blue. You will note the "student drop off section" and the blue star(*) which indicates where the students will walk to get to the North entrance. We are asking you to abide by our protocols to keep everyone safe. Thank you!
There is absolutely NO student drop off at the gym entrance or along the cones that indicate "no parking/no drop off".
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A Few Important Things to Note:
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Attendance - Join us in emphasizing the importance of being in school. Attendance is critical to the success of our students. It not only contributes to academic success, but fosters relationships between students and teachers and students and their peers. NHS course work is rigorous and moves at a fast pace, so every lesson is vital to a student’s learning. When students miss school, they miss opportunities to ask questions, deepen their learning, participate in class discussions, and build connections.
We hope that families vacation during school vacation time and do their best to schedule appointments outside of school hours, or at the very least, have their student attend school prior to or immediately after an appointment. When students are pulled from school, it puts them at a disadvantage. If the choice is made to vacation during a time when school is in session, students will only be given one day per absence to submit their work.
If a student is going to be absent a Parent/Guardian must either call Magee House Office on extension 1525 or submit a note through ParentSquare directly to Corina Muir. If a note is submitted through ParentSquare a phone call is not necessary. If a call is made, a note will need to be entered in ParentSquare or brought to the Magee Office to be considered excused (for the first 9 absences for state reporting purposes. These absences, unless extenuating and cleared by administration, will count toward the loss of credit). For any absence beyond 9, a medical note, court documentation, etc. must be presented in order to be excused (for state reporting purposes only. These absences, unless extenuating and cleared by administration, will also count toward the loss of credit).
If a student is absent for medical purposes, medical documentation needs to be brought to the Magee Office office when the student returns to school. Once processed by the Magee Office, the documentation will be given to the nurses.
If a student is tardy, they must enter through the main entrance, sign in on the tardy kiosk and bring their pass to class. For delays or special schedules, they must report to the Magee Office to receive a tardy pass to get into class.
If a student is being dismissed early, a note must come from a Parent/Guardian either through ParentSquare or with a physical note brought to the Magee House Office.
NHS sends an automated message every morning at 9:45 am alerting families of any attendance change. This includes absences, late arrivals, early dismissals, and any message sent via ParentSquare. Therefore, we ask that you do not call if you receive this alert from ParentSquare if you have sent a message to Mrs. Muir via ParentSquare, only if you have not sent a message.
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Electronics - Given the distraction electronics can cause and the potential for inappropriat use, here is our policy:
- Electronic devices are to be used responsibly. Students should follow the individual teacher's classroom rules. Students should NOT have them out in class unless directed by the teacher. If a student is caught with a cell phone or electronic device in violation of our policy while in a classroom, the teacher will confiscate the phone or device, it will be brought to the house office, and it will not be returned until a parent/guardian comes to school to claim it. If a student refuses to turn over their electronic device they will be sent to the main office and the device will be confiscated by administration. Refusal to turn devices over to administration will result in the student being sent home.
- Unauthorized audio/video taping of images (including staff), student altercations, internet postings, and use during emergency drills and procedures (ie. lockdowns, shelter in place, fire drills, etc.) will result in immediate revocation of privileges for the student. The parent/guardian will be notified and appropriate disciplinary consequences will be issued.
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Parent Square - click HERE to obtain all the information about our new School Messenger.
Academic Integrity - Academic integrity is an integral aspect of any institution of education. Students are responsible for demonstrating their understanding of content standards and skills in an ethical manner. Academic dishonesty occurs when a student cheats, plagiarizes, shares assignments, or otherwise misrepresents someone else’s work or ideas as their own.
Cheating includes but is not limited to providing another student with information regarding assessments, copying another’s work, having prior knowledge of assessment materials not provided by the teacher, having unauthorized assistance in answering questions, and/or submitting work that another has completed on a student’s behalf. Plagiarism is a form of cheating that results from misrepresenting words or ideas that are not one's own. This includes the use of technology including artificial intelligence (AI). Students are subject to disciplinary and academic consequences that may impact acceptance into various national honor societies.
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School nurse information:
Names: Callie Lawrence and Audra Rappoccio
email: hsnurses@npsct.org
phone number: 860-666-5611 x 1163 or 1164
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If you have any questions, concerns or highlights, please don't hesitate to contact me. You can reach out via the following ways:
- phone: (860) 666-5611 x 1190
- email: ttigno@npsct.org
Proud Principal,
Terra A. Tigno
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