School Local Northampton

10 students are non-white.

* Walkable, bikeable neighborhood school communities: in fact, two-thirds of

Northampton Public School students walk or bike to school.

* A “Made In Northampton” curriculum developed by our teachers -- not one taken

off the shelf from corporate curriculum publishers -- that fosters critical thinking,

creative imagination and academic excellence.

* A pre-K-through-12th grade school system with a record of success:

Of the Northampton High School students who graduated from NPS

elementary schools, 85 percent scored “proficient” or better on both the 10th

grade English and math Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System

(MCAS) tests. Approximately 80 percent of graduating seniors continue their education. Class of 2014 college acceptances included many top institutions including

Smith, Mt. Holyoke, Columbia, Swarthmore, John Hopkins, Wesleyan,

Hamilton, Grinnell, Tufts, Barnard, Bates, Brandeis, Washington U., Carnegie

Mellon and Oberlin. How Good Are The Northampton Public Schools Academically? When you start your education in the Northampton Public Schools, you

are on your way to realizing your full potential and reaching your intellectual goals.

* Of the Northampton High School students who graduated from NPS elementary

schools, 85 percent scored “proficient” or better on both the 10th grade English and

math Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) tests.

* Northampton High School has the highest percentage of Advanced Placement (AP)

class participation in all of Western Massachusetts, and its percentage is eighth

highest statewide.



* Approximately 80 percent of graduating seniors continue their education. Class of

2014 college acceptances included many top institutions including Smith, Mt. Holyoke, Columbia, Swarthmore, John Hopkins, Wesleyan, Hamilton, Grinnell, Tufts,

Barnard, Bates, Brandeis, Washington U., Carnegie Mellon and Oberlin. Do Northampton Public Schools “Teach To The Test”? (No!)

If you enroll either in the Northampton Public Schools, a charter public school in a

different town, or Northampton’s vocational public school, you will take the state

Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) standardized tests

beginning in 3rd grade. But does that mean that our curricula are designed to boost test scores, at the

expense of critical thinking and creative pursuits? Absolutely not! The Northampton Public Schools curricula are “Made in Northampton” by our

teachers, who are committed to nurturing independent thought, collaborative

problem solving, intellectual stimulation and boundless imagination. We don’t take off-the-shelf curricula from corporate publishers and we refuse to

narrowly teach to the test. We know that our students will perform strongly when

we educate the whole mind, and the proof is in the results. Which Schools Are Part of the Northampton Public Schools? The Northampton Public Schools include the Early Childhood Center preschool, our

four elementary schools (Bridge Street School, Jackson Street School, RK Finn Ryan

Road School and Leeds Elementary School) the John F. Kennedy Middle School and

the Northampton High School. How Do I Register For The Northampton Public Schools? Registration forms and additional information is available at this webpage on the

official Northampton Public Schools website. If you have questions related to

students entering Pre-K through 8th grade, contact Jennifer Towler (413-587-1328

or [email protected]). For students entering the high school, please

direct questions to Julie Kurose (413-587-1353 or [email protected]). What Elementary School Zone Am I In? If you are not sure which of the four elementary school zones your home is in, check

out this comprehensive list of school assignments by street. Can I Enroll a Northampton Public School Outside My Zone? Click here to learn more about the Intra-District School Enrollment Program. If

you have questions, contact Jennifer Towler (413-587-1328 or

[email protected]). Find Your PTO

A great way to connect with Northampton’s public school communities is through

each school’s Parent Teacher Organization. Here the links to each school’s PTO

website:

Bridge Street School PTO

Jackson Street School PTO

Leeds Elementary School PTO

RK Finn Ryan Road School PTO

John F. Kennedy Middle School PTO

Northampton High School PTO

Join The School Local Northampton Campaign

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upcoming events.