Superintendent's Corner
Welcome to New London Public Schools (NLPS), home of amazing students, staff and families! It is a true honor to lead in such a unique city that prides itself on its vast beauty, diversity and multitude of community partners.
In the fall of 2018, NLPS instituted a new vision that aims to bring all constituents (students, staff, families and community) together to co-serve our students. We have continued to work to align all of our actions and goals to support this vision of being United In Excellence. I am incredibly proud of the work we have accomplished in a short time by working TOGETHER, while keeping children at the center of all we do. As a leader, I find strength in collaboration and teamwork. We will continue to work daily to live up to our vision. All members of our school community are encouraged to actively rise, become involved, and co-lead district and school initiatives that further support our students. We are home to fourteen district sub-committees, have school-based committees, and have various volunteer opportunities and of which any constituent can become involved.
Besides being in a unique location, our district is also unique in its educational programming. We are on the path to becoming Connecticut’s first and only all-magnet school district. Our mission is: To educate and graduate students who specialize in one of three themed magnet path-ways: International Education, STEM, and Visual and Performing Arts, who are well versed in the academic knowledge and practical experiences necessary to succeed beyond high school; who are critical thinkers and innovators; who are courageous and self-reliant; and who challenge the status quo while enriching their community, country and global society. Our magnet pathways will soon be complete with coherent K-12 programming. We find great strength in welcoming our-of-district students to our schools and in the partnerships of over 40+ CT communities of students we serve. Additionally, two of our school buildings are actively under construction to be able to offer our students a world class 21st century education in state of the art buildings. We are super excited to see active construction happening. I encourage you to view our district website for building plans. Construction aims to be completed in 2024.
NLPS is committed to high-quality instruction and academic programming for all. Our District Improvement Plan grounds each of us in four main pillars aligned to categories:
This plan was developed with input from members of the school community, is grounded in research, and helps us acknowledge and celebrate the successes of the past, areas in need of improvement, and next steps for moving forward. The plan outlines our commitment to accountability and the highest of expectations. Our students deserve nothing less. We are excited to watch each and every student rise to the high expectations we set forth for them. The foundation continues to be set for students to meet success and shine! Please CLICK HERE to access our District’s Improvement Plan.
Our district utilizes multiple communication pathways to share information with, and to receive information from, all constituents throughout the year. We work to communicate visually, orally, through social media, and in person as we value the relationships we foster with our parents/caregivers, partners, and members of the community at large. .
Please continue to visit our website regularly for school and district updates and to keep abreast of most current district news. Please do not hesitate to reach out should you need assistance. We are here to assist all students and families whatever the need.
Students never cease to amazing me. Their passions, talents and excitement for learning come alive as they are placed in classes that match their learning styles and interests. We thank you for supporting all aspects of our district, as we continue in our journey to transformation. The future continues to be bright for all throughout NLPS! I thank you for your interest in our district and for your partnership.
Sincerely,
Superintendent Ritchie