Superintendent Colleen Burns Jermain is calling on Newport families to make education a daily priority at home, emphasizing that consistent parent engagement is critical to student success.
In her weekly message to the school community, Jermain stressed that teachers and principals want to hear from families about both challenges and successes their children are experiencing.
“YOU are your child’s most important educator and we need YOU — parents, guardians, and family to set the stage with your child about just how important getting a good education and attending school every day are for now and the future,” Jermain wrote.
The superintendent encouraged parents to move beyond surface-level conversations and ask specific questions about what children learned in each class, their homework assignments, favorite subjects and any classes where they’re struggling.
“In the beginning, it may be a struggle to get any answers — most likely you may get silence or strange looks,” Jermain acknowledged. “As you do this every day though, you will find your child will open up and you will learn more.”
The message comes as the Rhode Island Department of Education released 2025 RICAS and SAT state assessment results last week. The district saw some improvements, including increases in English Language Arts and math scores in some grades and subgroups, as well as gains in SAT scores.
“We also saw some improvements in our SAT scores. We need to continue the work and do better,” Jermain said.
The superintendent pointed families to resources including free access to Khan Academy for help with math and literacy skills.
Jermain also emphasized the importance of daily school attendance, noting that students learn resilience, hard work and accountability when families make education a priority.
“Newport Public Schools have the tools to help all our families — and if we do not have them we will work with you to find them,” she said.
Schools will be closed Monday, Oct. 13, for Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples Day.
Read the full superintendent’s message for additional school news and upcoming events.
