Every day, school provides opportunities for students to learn, build relationships, develop skills, and engage in meaningful experiences that support their academic and personal growth. We believe that regular school attendance is one of the most important factors in student success.

  

As part of our district-wide attendance campaign, "Every Student, Every Day...Counts," we are committed to partnering with families to ensure students attend school consistently and receive support when attendance challenges arise.   To help families understand our attendance support process, we have developed an Attendance Flow Chart that outlines the steps we take when a student begins to miss school. 

Please note, both excused and unexcused absences are included in this attendance monitoring process. We believe early communication between home and school is essential.  The purpose of this process is to identify challenges early and connect families with resources and support.

In addition to the Attendance Flow Chart, Newark Central School District has developed a district-wide Attendance Incentive Program to encourage and celebrate positive attendance habits throughout the school year. This program is designed to make attendance engaging, recognize improvement, and reinforce the importance of being present at school every day. 

Each month, schools and students have an opportunity to earn recognition based on attendance-related goals. The program is designed to celebrate not only perfect attendance, but also improvement, growth, and persistence. This allows all students to work toward attendance success regardless of their starting point. 

Capital projects are critical for school districts because they directly impact student achievement, ensure learner safety, and protect the community's long-term financial investment. On Thursday, October 15, 2026, at 6:00pm in the High School LGI, the district will be holding its first informational night regarding our upcoming projects.  

The first project will be completed in two phases and includes roof repair, PA systems, elementary “fix it” items identified in our building conditions survey, the HS natatorium and our server room.  This project is planned to be broken into two phases and will be the highlight of this informational session.  It is important for you to understand what is being proposed as this portion will go to a community vote in December 2026.

Our second project is the renovation of the HS auditorium.  This will also be discussed; however, a second informational meeting will be held with this project being the distinct focus as renderings are still in development. This project will go to community vote in May 2027.

Included in Thursday’s meeting will be staff from our architectural firm, our financial company and district administrators.  The goal is for you to be able to see the future of the Newark Central School District and ask any questions you may have.

Lastly, attending a school district capital project meeting is a powerful opportunity for community members to directly shape the future of their local schools and neighborhood. By participating, taxpayers can ensure their hard-earned dollars are invested wisely in projects that maximize student safety, modernize learning environments, and protect local property values. Ultimately, strong community attendance fosters the transparency and collaboration needed to build a safer, more prosperous future for students and residents alike. We hope to see you there!

We are excited to share an opportunity that is strengthening how we support students across Wayne County. Wayne County Community Schools is one of seven communities nationwide selected by the Wallace Foundation to participate in the Advancing Opportunities for Adolescents (AOA) initiative. Newark Central School District is one of 11 districts selected to participate in a pilot program that incorporates success coaching to help students set and achieve personal goals, overcome barriers, and connect with the support they need. Think of a success coach as a trusted adult who helps students recognize their strengths, navigate challenges, and plan for their future!

An important part of AOA is providing consistent professional learning for the adults who support our students. Identified success coaches will receive training in various topics that include but are not limited to, trauma-informed and healing-centered practices, adolescent development, restorative practices, and other strategies to help them better understand and respond to students’ needs.

On October 9, 2026, members of our Newark team who participated in AOA and Change Impact training over the summer will serve as facilitators during a county-wide professional learning opportunity for future success coaches from across the region.

Students interact with many caring adults throughout their school experience, and having a common understanding helps ensure those adults can work together to provide consistent, meaningful support. By learning common strategies and building a shared language, we can strengthen relationships, recognize student strengths, and help students work through challenges.

At the heart of this initiative is the belief that every student deserves an adult who knows them, listens to them, believes in them, and encourages them to reach their full potential. By investing in the adults who support our students, we are building stronger connections and creating more opportunities for every student to feel that they belong and that their future is full of possibilities.

On September 5, 2024, Governor Kathy Hochul officially signed a bill that went into effect on July 1, 2025, requiring all New York State school districts operating a high school, as well as Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES), to have student representation procedures in place on school boards.  Last year we had two excellent representatives, however, like many districts, we were finding our way as we determined the best course of action to utilize our newest members.  

This year we have two new representatives, Kyleigh Avedisian and Abigail Wells, and both have hit the ground running!  Following a regional workshop in August attended by other regional student board members, board presidents and superintendents, we realized we were in the same boat as others. Ultimately, many boards were examining how to leverage our student members to empower and engage all students in having a voice at a higher level.  

After working with Kyleigh and Abigail, they decided to kick of the year by creating a video for the HS, letting the students know who they are and what their role is on the board.  Furthermore, they talked about the importance of student voice.

Each month they will share a message with the student constituency and seek feedback about a topic aligned to our “Big Rocks”.  Currently, they want to know what makes students want to come to school as well as understand the barriers that lead to higher incidents of absenteeism in the high school. The district is excited about the student responses and hopes to use student voice to create positive change across all schools. As the year progresses, they will share their messaging with all students across all grade levels.

Lastly, giving students a voice shifts education from a top-down model to an inclusive partnership, which increases student motivation, attendance, and emotional well-being.  This is so important as  we hope to contribute to the success of every student, every day.  We can’t wait to hear from each student!