The mission of the Newton Schools Foundation is to enhance and broaden community support for public education and to provide private funding for innovative and challenging programs in the Newton Public Schools.

This private, 501(c)(3) non-profit community foundation is governed by a Board of Directors which represents community and business leaders, parents and teachers.

History

The Newton Schools Foundation is committed to the belief that excellence in public education is essential to the economic and social health of the community. Our schools can succeed only if they receive broad popular support.

Historically, Newton’s public school system has been viewed as one of the best in the country. In the 1960’s, Time magazine referred to Newton as “probably the most creative school system in the country.”

The advent of Proposition 2 1/2 in the early 1980’s and shrinking federal and state dollars have posed significant challenges to public education in Newton.

In 1985, a group of parents and community leaders established the Foundation to channel private support to public education. They believed in ideas which are a tradition in Newton – that the business of education is an investment shared by the community, and that creative, innovative and challenging programs need educational venture capital provided by the surrounding community.

Since 1985, programs funded by the Foundation have enabled educators at all levels to develop new curricula, generate imaginative teaching methods which have been used throughout the system, expand their skills as educators and purchase materials and equipment to augment the learning opportunities available to all of Newton’s students. The NSF has awarded more than $2.2 million in grants since 1985.

While the Foundation works closely with the School Department, it is an independent, non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization financed completely by private funds. It is governed by a volunteer board of directors composed of community and business leaders, parents and teachers. This partnership between the public schools and the private sector is a critical collaboration which helps keep the Newton Public Schools at the forefront of education in the state and the nation.