Just like when you eat local and shop local, when you “School Local” you get benefits
you can’t get anywhere else:
* The most qualified teachers in the area, with 83 percent of our faculty holding
Masters Degrees or higher.
* The most vibrant and diverse student body in the area, thanks to a school system
that serves families of every economic background, and in which three of out every
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
Click here to join our email list, learn how you can volunteer and participate in our
upcoming events.
