'Demystifying Teen Relationships' Event at Newton South

Working together with teens on how to develop safe and healthy relationships.

Newton South Athlete Nominated for McDonald's All American Game

Burton is one of only three athletes nominated from the Boston area.

Mass. Not in Top 10 for Graduation Rate, Newton Above State Average

Massachusetts had an adjusted graduation rate of 83 percent for the 2010-2011 school year. How did Newton compare?

Massachusetts didn't make the top 10 high school graduation rates in the nation, according to preliminary data released by the U.S. Department of Education on Monday, but Newton schools have a higher graduation rate than the state average. The graduation rates released Monday are for the 2010-2011 school year—the first year for which all states used a common, adjusted four-year cohort graduation rate, according to a U.S. Department of Education press release. Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) spokesman JC Considine told Patch in an email that Massachusetts has been computing cohort graduation rates since 2006, which are available on the DESE website. According to the preliminary state-reported data, for …

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PHOTOS: Newton South Comes Together for 'One School One Book'

This year, the entire school read "The Fault in our Stars" by John Green. On Friday, Sept. 21, 2012, students and faculty had a chance to discuss the book's themes with each other and a number of guest speakers.

Branching off from last year's "Two Schools, One Book" project, Newton South held its "One School, One Book" event on Friday, Sept. 21, 2012.  This year, the entire school read The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. Then, on Sept. 21, students and faculty got together for a series of discussions about the book's themes and ideas. Students participated in a number of panels that focused around sports, art, science, religion, culture, relationships and more.  The event included more than 20 guest speakers including two-time cancer survivor and "extreme athlete" Jothy Rosenberg and Boston Globe advice columnist Meredith Goldstein.  Newton North High School will hold its One School, One Book event tomorrow, Oct. 2, with a reenactment of The …

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SAT Scores Up at Newton North; Students Scored Better Than State, National Average

Newton South's scores dipped a bit from last year, but they are still higher than the state average and Newton North.

Newton North High School students' SAT scores increased in 2012, going against a national trend of lower scores on the college entrance exam. SAT scores at Newton North High School in 2012 were higher in reading, math and writing than scores in 2011, according to results released this week. Across town, Newton South High School's scores dipped a bit from last year. However, South's scores remain higher than those at Newton North. Both Newton North and Newton South students scored better than students across the Commonwealth and the nation. In 2012, 377 Newton North students took the SATs, according to results released by the College Board. Their scores were 582 in critical reading, 608 in math, and 590 in writing for a total average of …

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Newton North and South Named in Boston Magazine's Top 50 High Schools

Boston Magazine recently ranked the top 50 Boston-area high schools and both Newton North and Newton South cracked the top 12.

With a recent title as one of the best small cities in America, it may come as no surprise that Newton has two of the top high schools in the Boston area. In a recent ranking done by Boston Magazine, both Newton North and Newton South were listed in the top 50 Boston-area high schools. Newton South came in at No. 7 and Newton North at No. 11. According to the Boston Magazine article, the schools were ranked according to information collected in 15 different categories including the enrollment, student to teacher ratio, number of AP classes offered, number of sports offered, graduation rate and SAT scores.  The top schools will be featured in this month's "best schools" issue. With an enrollment of 1,691, Newton South has a 97.5 percent …

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Five Things to Know for Fall High School Sports in Newton

Fall sports in Newton's public high schools started this week, are you ready?

With just a couple of weeks left to summer, fall high school sports are already underway in Newton. The fall season features nine sports at the city's two high schools, including football, soccer, golf, field hockey, girls' volleyball, cross country, girls' swimming, cheerleading and dance team. Most teams have varsity, junior varsity and freshman squads.  Planning to be a part of the fall athletics at Newton North, Newton South, Mount Alvernia or Newton Country Day? Here are five things you need to know:   For both Newton North and Newton South football players and cheerleaders, pracitce started Monday, Aug. 20. For all other sports, practice begins this Thursday, Aug. 23.  Unless coaches have specified otherwise, freshmen athletes report…

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Former Newton South Hockey Coach Dies

Michael McGovern, 60, died on July 16.

Former Newton South High School head hockey coach Michael F. McGovern died this week, according to his obituary posted on the Joyce Funeral Home website.  McGovern died at his home in Manomet on July 16. He was 60. McGovern retired from the Waltham Public Schools system two years ago after a long career. He previously served as the assistant principal of the John W. McDevitt Middle School. He also taught at the McDevitt School, as well as the former South middle school and Henry J. Whittemore Elementary School.  McGovern also coached several athletic teams including hockey and fooatball at Waltham High School and Watertown High School, according to his obituary. He also served as the head hockey coach at Newton South High School.  Calling …

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Tragedy Leads to Charity: Family Honors Newton South Grad with 'Luke's Lights'

Nineteen-year-old Lucas Voss-Kernan tragically died in May 2012 while on a road trip with friends. As a tribute to his "light", friends and family have started a charity to help people in Kenya.

After visiting Kenya in 2010, Newton South graduate Lucas Voss-Kernan always remembered the laughter of the Kenyan family he met – their sense of togetherness and happiness amidst what, to many Americans, might seem like very tough living conditions.  Luke, who was building a school in Kenya with the non-profit organization Free the Children, spent a day with a Maasai family during his time in Africa. The dark, smoky dung hut housed a family with eight children -- many of who had to walk barefoot for over an hour to attend school.  Volunteering in Africa was just one example of Luke's life motto to "Dream big. Do bigger." "His ability to see the light inside everyone defined who he was and how he lived in the world," says Gisela Voss, Luke…

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Newton South Athlete Awarded with Annual Hamill Award

John Jennings is a second generation recipient of the award.

The Newton Parks and Recreation Department recently awarded Newton South 2012 graduate John Jennings with the annual Bill Hamill Award, which is given each year to an outstanding high school baseball player in Newton.  Jennings was honored at a luncheon and award reception on Wednesday, June 27 at the Parks and Recreation Department offices in Newton Corner. According to Boston.com, Jennings will go on to play at UMass Amherst next year. Much to the award committee's surprise, Jennings' father, Bruce Jennings, also won the Hamill Award in 1976. The senior Jennings attended Newton South as well.  The Bill Hamill Award has been handed out every year since 1970 and honors star athlete Bill Hamill, who graduated from Newton High School in 1955…

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