Good afternoon,

Happy Friday! Although muggy, we enjoyed eating on the patio and studying in the Principal's Courtyard. Wishing you all a wonderful weekend.

Mental Health Week -Students at NHS honored this week by creating posters, learning about self-care, expressing gratitude and establishing our 1st whole school Mental Health Panel. A special thank you to the students who participated on the panel for their leadership, vulnerability, and advocacy around mental health. Students courageously spoke about various topics such as academic and social pressures, body image, identity and gender norms, substance use, self-image, setting boundaries and coping skills.  We are grateful that NHS recognizes the importance of mental health awareness and provides a forum for these important conversations. Thank you to Ms. Christina Redman for her leadership and dedication to this work!

Here's this week's learning: students and staff enjoyed an outstanding performance of Romeo and Juliet at Hartford Stage; students created games around The Great Gatsby and had fun playing them (see picture on the left); and students watched Money Ball to see how statistics play out in real life baseball scenarios.

Attendance - we are now in the home stretch - last half of quarter 4. Students and families should be mindful of our attendance policy and students are expected to be in school every day!

If you would like to submit a Daily Announcement Quote, please click THIS FORM!

As always, please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions, comments, concerns, or contributions for the newsletter!

***This newsletter contains new information as well as previously shared information.***

Congratulations to Ava Tavares who was selected as the Class of 2025 Essayist. Ava, along with other seniors, entered the contest by submitting an essay on the prompt "What is something you learned or some way you evolved for the better while here at NHS that you will take with you through life and that you think would be beneficial to all your fellow graduates?

Ava will share her essay at the Class of 2025's Commencement Ceremony on June 17.

Congratulations, Ava!!!

Newington Teachers were recognized at the 176th CEA RA.

Carla Toney (NHS World Language Teacher, pictured on the right) was awarded CEA's Above and Beyond the Call of Duty Award, which recognizes outstanding contributions to public education by an individual. Carla was nominated by her colleagues.

Jennifer Rodriguez (Anna Reynolds 1st Grade Teacher, pictured on the left) was awarded the John McCormack Award, which recognizes educators for their Professional Practice, Advocacy for the Profession, Community Engagement, Leadership in Professional Development and Attention to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.

As a recipient of the John McCormack Award, Jennifer is now nominated for the NEA Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence.

Congratulations to both these amazing educators!!!

Newington Public Schools and CCSU have established a partnership agreement that allows Newington High School students the opportunity to take up to two evening courses per semester, four per academic year, to earn university credit if the student earns a grade of “C” or higher.

Students interested in taking a course for the Fall 2025 semester need to complete the CCSU registration form and submit to the School Counseling Office by August 1st for the CCSU Fall 2025 semester, which begins on August 26, 2025.

See attached documents to view the CCSU Dual Enrollment Information including NHS’s Dual Enrollment Guidelines and Procedures, CCSU’s Spring course offerings, CCSU’s High School Dual Enrollment Registration Agreement, and CCSU New Student Information.

If you have any questions contact the main school counseling office or your school counselor.

Join us for the 9th Annual Bill Pellegrini Charity Golf Tournament. This tournament benefits Boston Children's Hospital Scoliosis Research.

When: June 24, 2025

Where: Indian Hill Country Club

Click HERE to Register and find out more information

The School Counseling Department will be hosting an incoming 9th-grade orientation program on May 19th in the Newington High School Cafeteria for parents/guardians and students. Schedule for the event:

6:30 - 7:00 PM -Student Council Members will be providing tours of Newington High School. The School store will be open to purchase NHS gear for your incoming student(s)!!

7:00 - 8:00 PM - Presentation from NHS School Counselors and current students.  

Topics to be covered are:

On May 21st at 7:00 PM, the School Counseling Department will be hosting a panel of College Admissions Representatives in the NHS Cafeteria to discuss applying to college, the college admissions process, and frequently asked questions. We will have college admissions counselors from Central Connecticut State University (CCSU), Springfield College, Quinnipiac University, and the University of Connecticut (UConn). 

School counselors will also review what was discussed during junior individual planning meetings, where students should be in their post-secondary research, and what students should be working on over the summer months in order to be ready for senior year. A chance to ask related questions will be provided at the conclusion of the presentation.

This week, students had the opportunity to watch the production of Ragtime at the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, CT. We were invited by one of our career fair guests, Nick Pallazzo, who sponsored the trip.  Ragtime is an important educational experience for students because it offers insight into both careers in theatre and the historical themes of the production. By watching a live performance, students can observe the wide range of careers that bring a show to life, including acting, directing, set and costume design, music performance, and stage management. Ragtime explores significant moments in American history, such as immigration, racial injustice, and the rise of industrialization, all told through a powerful and emotional story. Experiencing these themes on stage allows students to connect with history in a deeper and more meaningful way, fostering empathy and critical thinking about social change in both the past and present. Our students were blown away by the performance, and the cast received a standing ovation. 

Last week, students at Newington High School had the unique honor of meeting Brigadier General William H. Williamson of the United States Marine Corps, who visited our school alongside other high-ranking Marines. Their visit, coordinated with our school’s Marine Corps recruiter, Ssgt Curtis, provided students with firsthand insight into leadership, service, and the diverse paths available through military careers. Ms. Roach, a teacher at NHS, and Ms. Cuyler, the Workforce Development Specialist, had the opportunity to meet General Williamson at Parris Island in February at the Marines Educator Workshop. While there, they got the opportunity to gain firsthand knowledge of recruiting, training, and transformation from civilian to Marine. 

Brigadier General Williamson represents a powerful legacy of progress in the U.S. military. For much of the Corps' history, African Americans were excluded from leadership roles. It wasn’t until 1942 that the first Black Marines were allowed to serve, training at the segregated Montford Point instead of Parris Island. Today, Brigadier General Williamson’s role is a testament to how far the Marine Corps has come and how vital representation remains. For our diverse student body, seeing someone of color in such a respected and influential position affirms that leadership, excellence, and service are possible regardless of background. 

Attention Families and Friends of the Class of 2025

Looking for an easy way to support Project Graduation? We need donations of bottled water and sports drinks for the All Night Graduation Party! Donations can be dropped off at 17 Lamplighter Lane in front of the garage. Please contact Lisa Vumback at lmvumback@sbcglobal.net or call her at (860) 558-2540 with any questions.

Your continued support is appreciated!!!

Seniors are asked to fill out THIS QUICK SURVEY to help us prepare for their senior walk that will take during rehearsal on Monday, June 16.

Administration met with seniors to review senior activites and graduation.

HERE is the slideshow presentation.

HERE is the request form for additional graduation tickets (anything beyond 6).

The senior outing (Lake Compounce) will take place on May 30. More information on the outing and ticket sales information are coming soon.

Please join us for Food, Fun, & Lip Sync Battle

Where: NHS Cafeteria

Why: To celebrate the hard work ALL students have done & to regonzie our graduating seniors!

How much: $15/students $20/all others

Questions: email - nhspab06111@gmail.com

RSVP: by May 30th

Click HERE for more information and scan the QR Code above!!!

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. 

Banners may be put up beginning 12:00 noon on Friday, May 30, 2025 and must be removed by 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, June 29, 2025. Please note if banners are not removed by June 29th, they will be discarded.   Please help us continue this wonderful tradition by observing these guidelines. Thank you for your support.

IHS partners with the Newington Public School District to administer School Based Health Center services at Newington High School.

The clinic is staffed by a part-time nurse practitioner and a full-time licensed social worker who work collaboratively with school administrators, staff, and families to deliver medical and on-going therapeutic behavioral health services. 

All students at the school are eligible to enroll in the SBHC, and all enrolled students of the School Based Health Center have access to the following services:

 Diagnose and treats illnesses and minor injuries, such as a sore throat, an ear infection

 Prescribes medication

 Administers immunization

 Conducts examinations for school or sports

 Assists students in managing chronic conditions, such as asthma and diabetes

 Conducts individual and group health promotion and education

 Provides limited reproductive health services

 Provides counseling and mental health services

 Conducts individual, group, and family therapy sessions

 Performs crisis intervention

Impact of School-Based Health Center (SBHC):

 Increase access to healthcare services

 Improve health, wellness and educational outcomes for students

 Reduce out of school time for purposes of going to healthcare appointments

 Supports families’ ability to remain at work to maintain family economic security 

To reach the School Based Health Center, contact:

-Danielle Oliveria, APRN, oliveira@ihssbhc.org

-Shannoya Scott, Social Worker, LMSW, sscott@ihssbhc.org

To learn more about IHS visit, www.integratedhealthservices.org, and to enroll your student, use the QR code above to go directly to the Parent Permission Form that you can complete and submit immediately online or stop in our Nurses' Office at NHS.

If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact me. You can reach out via the following ways:

Proud Principal,

Terra A. Tigno