New Providence Elementary School continued to foster a culture of excellence during the 2025–26 school year by helping all students develop the attributes of the Lexington One Graduate Profile. Our school maintained its "Excellent" absolute rating and was again recognized as a Palmetto Gold Award winner, a testament to our 18-year history of academic success. This year, our community's spirit of service reached historic heights, shattering records for the American Heart Association and contributing significantly to the American Cancer Society and Relay for Life. Our dedicated parents and PTA further strengthened the home-school connection by hosting events like the "Boogie Bash" and Veterans Day Breakfast, while our Boosterthon Fun Run raised more than $65,700 to support our school's mission.
As a team, we remained steadfast in demonstrating the four pillars of our vision: Be Kind, Be Confident, Be Respectful and Work Hard. Academic growth remained a primary focus, particularly through the implementation of new ELA and math curriculum frameworks. In ELA, 83% of students in grades 3–5 met or exceeded standards, while 77% achieved the same in math. To support these achievements, teachers engaged in intensive professional learning, including LETRS training for PK–3rd grade and a schoolwide focus on formative assessment practices to adjust Tier I instruction. Our educators also utilized data from i-Ready to track "Typical Growth," with students identified as striving for growth achieving a median progress of 133% in reading and 113% in math. Furthermore, teachers unpacked new math standards and participated in OGAP training to enhance their instructional strategies.
The Lexington One Graduate Profile competencies were integrated into daily life at NPES, with a specific focus on developing students as independent learners. Students earned recognition for demonstrating these competencies and the pillars of our vision through weekly Wall of Fame features and quarterly Lions Roar character celebrations. Leadership opportunities for fifth grade students flourished through roles such as Paw Patrol, Office Runners and Card Sorters. Additionally, we enhanced student perceptions of a challenging learning environment, with 91.6% of students in grades 3–5 reporting that their classes make them think. Looking ahead to the 2026–27 school year, we will continue to prioritize individual student growth through small-group remediation and a continued focus on math instruction. We also aim to enhance home-school relations by actively seeking and implementing family feedback to ensure continued growth in home-school connection survey scores.
By maintaining high expectations and fostering advanced technology instruction through our ViewSonic interactive panels and digital tools, NPES remains committed to developing future-ready leaders. We are incredibly proud of our 2025–26 achievements and look forward to the continued success of our kind, confident and hard-working school family.
Robert Candillo, Principal
Melissa Newkirk, SIC Chair
Kristen Wilson, SIC Chair Elect
