Newington High School

Newington High School, a community of learners, is committed to providing all students with high-quality learning experiences by challenging and actively engaging them in their education in a safe, welcoming, and enriching environment. All students are expected to meet high academic and behavioral standards. These expectations are achieved through a dynamic partnership among students, staff, home, and community. In an increasingly technological and ever-changing world, Newington High School provides all students with the knowledge, skills, and values needed to set goals and reach their full potential as life-long learners.

Newington High School students will apply academic and technical knowledge and skills across all disciplines by:
 

• Critically reading and comprehending a variety of written materials
• Clearly expressing ideas in writing for a variety of purposes and audiences
• Thinking critically and reasoning effectively to solve problems
• Using oral language and listening skills to communicate effectively
• Demonstrating information and communication technology literacy

Newington High School students will develop self-responsibility that enables them to live a healthy and active lifestyle by:
 

• Making decisions to achieve long and short-term goals
• Acting with respect toward self and others and practicing moral and ethical conduct
• Developing skills and competencies for personal well-being and growth
• Recognizing and valuing our commonalities and diversity for the common good
• Contributing to the global community through responsible actions

Newington High School is fully accredited by the New England Association of Schools & Colleges, Inc. (NEASC). Founded in 1885, NEASC is the nation's oldest regional accrediting association whose mission is the establishment and maintenance of high standards for all levels of education, from pre-K to the doctoral level.

NEASC serves more than 2,000 public and independent schools, colleges and universities in the six states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont and the American/International schools in more than seventy nations worldwide.

For more information regarding NEASC or the accreditation process, visit NEASC

Newington High School has not always been the beautiful modern structure we occupy today. In fact, Newington High School, as a separate structure, did not exist. Until 1933, students of high school age in Newington traveled to Hartford or New Britain to attend high school. In 1933, to save money, eleven rooms were added to the existing junior high school to accommodate grades eleven and twelve. The first senior high graduating class was the class of 1938.

By 1940 improvisation was needed to serve Newington students in already limited space. World War II prevented a building program, but in 1949, Newington's citizenry voted to build a new high school building. This new building was occupied by 1951 and the first class to complete three years in the "new" Newington Senior High School graduated in 1954. Very soon, however, Newington's population growth was reflected in the overcrowded conditions at the high school. By the mid-sixties, planning began for a new high school building. Meanwhile, the student population continued to grow. As a result, double sessions were instituted in 1967 and continued through 1971.

In March of 1971, Newington High School students and faculty were in their new home at 605 Willard Avenue. On October 3, 1971, Newington High School held its formal dedication ceremonies. Concurrent with the dedication of the high school was the dedication of the auditorium to the memory of Charles A. Bowes, first principal of Newington High School. Unfortunately, in spite of Mr. Bowes' dreams of the new facility, his untimely death on February 27, 1966, prevented him from seeing his dream come true. It was with these memories that his successor, Warren R. Bourque, second principal of Newington High School, presented Mrs. Ann Bowes a facsimile of the dedication plaque in honor of her husband's forty years of contributions to the improvement of educational opportunities for the youth of Newington.

We currently occupy the school built in 1971, but what happened to that original junior-senior high school and all of its additions? The original building, the first separate junior high, was razed and the former Newington Senior High School of 1951 was renovated and is now used as part of the Police Department.

Newington High Forever (Alma Mater)

Banners raised on high now, voices sing thy name.
Newington, we hail you: Hear! we acclaim.
To thee Gold and Blue, we pledge to endeavor to always be true.
Oh, Newington High Forever! With hearts bound to thee
Proud sons e'er to be;
All hail our Alma Mater, Newington High Forever.

Words and Music by Ned Rosen - '68
Ed. and Arr. by F. Dillion

• MOUNTAIN LAUREL: Official State Flower
   
• TORSE: School colors, Blue and Gold
   
• SHIELD: Symbolic of strength
   
• OAK LEAVES AND ACORNS: Alludes to the Charter Oak State, and to the intellectual growth of Newington High School students.
   
• WATERFALL, ROCKS, AND FOLIAGE: Portion of the official Newington Town Seal.
   
• 1934: School founding date.
   
• ARROW AND ATOMIC SYMBOL: Represents progress, "From Arrows To Atoms" denotes transition from Old to New in Newington education. The inclined arrow is symbolic of the motto, "Onward and Upward".