NNPS at a Glance

Each day in Newport News Public Schools the focus is on one mission: ensuring that all students graduate college, career and citizen-ready.

Newport News Public Schools educates approximately 26,500 students in 41 schools: 3 early childhood centers, 24 elementary schools, 7 middle schools, 5 high schools, 1 middle/high combination school and a virtual learning academy. NNPS is a community of diverse learners: over 1,500 students speak a language other than English. NNPS employs approximately 4,200 teachers, administrators, and support staff. Each day in Newport News Public Schools the focus is on one mission: ensuring that all students graduate college, career and citizen-ready!

With an early learning curriculum designed to boost literacy and math instruction, state-of-the art science labs and advanced educational technology, NNPS has the tools to ensure student and teacher success.

Directory of Schools and Programs

NNPS Leadership Team

Journey 2025 Strategic Plan

NNPS Profile of a Learner

Teaching & Learning at NNPS

Standards of Learning and Accreditation


3 Early Childhood Center

24 Elementary Schools

7 Middle Schools

5 High Schools

1 Middle & High School Combination

Magnet Programs

Specialty Programs

Special Education

Adult and Continuing Education

English as a Second Language (ESL)

Accreditation

2023 Graduates: 1,700

2023 Grants & Scholarships: Over $57 million

Student Population: 26,500

ESL Students: 1,500

Teacher Population: 2,045

Operating Budget

Per Pupil Expenditure


Great things are happening in NNPS!

More NNPS Students are Earning Diplomas

Newport News Public Schools' graduation rate increased to 95.8% with the Class of 2022. The school division's on-time graduation rate increased from 94.5% in 2021 and has increased significantly from 72.9% in 2008. During the same period, the dropout rate decreased from 12% to less than 1% (.9%) in 2022 according to data posted by the Virginia Department of Education.

NNPS' on-time graduation rate is higher than the state average of 92.1% and the NNPS dropout rate is lower than the state average of 5.2%. The school division's overall student completion rate, which includes students who have earned a diploma or a GED in four years, is 97.5%. Read more...

NNPS has Talented, Award-Winning Employees

Newport News Public Schools is home to three W!SE Gold Star Teachers: Iris Harris-Williams at Enterprise Academy, and Hope London and Lisa McAlister at Denbigh High School. To earn the Gold Star Award, a teacher must have achieved a 93% passing rate on the W!SE Financial Literacy Certification Test in at least one class during the 2020-21 school year.

Karen Digiorgio, library media specialist at B.C. Charles Elementary School, earned recertification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. Mrs. Digorgio completed the rigorous process to become recertified in Library Media, pre-K through 12. National Board certification is a symbol of excellence in teaching and professional growth and the highest credential in the teaching profession. The Certification process usually takes between one and three years.
 

Accomplishments

NNPS Profile of a LearnerNNPS developed and launched a divisionwide PK-12 Literacy Plan to build the capacity of all learners as readers, writers, communicators and researchers. Implementation strategies include innovative and equitable practices that close achievement gaps and increase access to rigorous learning experiences that are reflective of the NNPS Profile of a Learner.

NNPS embarked on a long-range Facilities Master Plan process to identify and prioritize schools and facilities. Cooperative Strategies, a national school facility planning firm, lead the development of the plan, which guides major capital improvements including new construction, renovations and consolidations to better meet the educational goals and needs of NNPS.

NNPS Students are Excelling

The second cohort of students completed the Christopher Newport University Community Captains program in June 2022. The partnership between Newport News Public Schools and CNU was signed in November 2018 to ensure NNPS students are prepared for life after high school. Each student accepted into the program receives two years of learning opportunities at CNU during their junior and senior year of high school, including a CNU student mentor for guidance and support during the program.

Awards

The U. S. Department of Defense Education Activity awarded a World Language Advancement and Readiness grant worth $1.6 million to Newport News Public Schools. The grant will support the addition of two schools to the existing Spanish dual language immersion program. The expansion of the dual language immersion program will provide the opportunity for military-connected students, as well as students in the northern end of the city, to participate in a program that promotes bilingualism, biliteracy, and multiculturality. NNPS uses a 50/50 two-way dual language immersion model in which students receive instruction in English 50% of the time and the other 50% in Spanish.

The National School Boards Association selected Newport News Public Schools' TEaMS program as a 2022 Silver Magna Award winner. The Magna Awards recognize school divisions for efforts that support underserved students. NNPS established Tiered Emotional and Mental Health Supports (TEaMS) in 2019. The program offers a continuum of social and emotional services to students, ranging from classroom lessons addressing social emotional learning to direct outpatient clinical mental health support. School staff is also trained to recognize and address students' social emotional needs. The TEaMS approach removes barriers to mental health care by providing services at no cost to families. NNPS is the only school system in southeastern Virginia to offer such access to these professionals in schools.

Newport News Public Schools earned the Association of School Business Officials International Meritorious Budget Award for excellence in the preparation and issuance of its budget for FY 2022. 

Newport News Public Schools has been named a system of Top Schools in Virginia Living magazine's 2022 list of notable institutions. Virginia Living published the list of Top Schools in its March/April 2022 issue. The list highlights a selection of approximately 200 outstanding Virginia public and private institutions from preschool to graduate level that boast exemplary programs and achievements.

An Achievable Dream High School has been named a W!SE Blue Star School for the 2020-21 school year. To earn this accolade, a school must have achieved an 80% passing rate on the W!SE Financial Literacy Certification Test and have either a majority of students on a given grade level receive personal finance instruction or have at least 10% of the school's students take the Certification Test.

Three Newport News high schools are listed among the 100 Best W!SE High Schools Teaching Personal Finance: Achievable Dream High School, Menchville High School and Woodside High School. The national ranking recognizes excellence in personal finance instruction.

General Stanford Elementary is named a Purple Star School. The Virginia Department of Education awards this designation to schools that meet its high standards for service to military-connected students and their families.

NNPS Students Earn National and State Awards

Jan Fedyszyn, a junior at Warwick High School Debate Team, was named the Virginia High School League Class 4 Lincoln-Douglas Debate State Champion. Fedyszyn earned a top placement in regional and super regional competition giving him the opportunity to advance to state competition.

Archery teams from Richneck Elementary, Gildersleeve Middle and Menchville High, and three individual archers competed in the National Archery in the Schools Program Tournament in Louisville, Kentucky. Three archers from B.C. Charles Elementary - Ryan Washington, Elyssa Wright and Peyton Telfare – qualified for the national tournament as individual archers.

The Heritage High School Girls Outdoor Varsity Track team earned the Virginia High School League (VHSL) Class 4 Outdoor Track State Championship. Madison Whyte placed first in the 100, 200, and 400 meter, with Sabria Wooden coming in second in the 400.

The Menchville High School Girls Varsity Basketball won the VHSL Class 5 State Championship. Amari Smith was named the Class 5 Girls Player of the Year and Head Coach Adrian Webb was named the Class 5 Girls Coach of the Year.

The Heritage High School Girls Varsity Indoor Track team won the VHSL Class 4 State Championship. During the state meet, Madison Whyte claimed individual state titles in the 55-meter dash and the 300-meter dash; Kara Ashley, Madison Whyte, Sabria Wooden and Sanaa Wooden won the 1,600 relay; and Kara Ashley, Myzhane Solomon, Sabria Wooden and Sanaa Wooden teamed up to win the 800 relay.

The Woodside High School Boys Track Team captured the Class 5B Outdoor Regional Championship in spring 2022.