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Overview

The Newburgh Enlarged City School district is located at "The Crossroads of the Northeast," an area on the west bank of the Hudson River 60 miles north of New York City and 80 miles south of Albany.
The school district serves students from four neighboring municipalities: the City of Newburgh, the Town of Newburgh, New Windsor, and a small portion of Cornwall. Two of the elementary schools, two of the junior high schools, the high school, and the pre-K centers are in the City of Newburgh. More than 50% of the District's students live in the City of Newburgh. All children within the District are provided bus transportation to their schools.

Demographic Factors

In the 2005-06 school year, 46% of the district's nearly 13,000 students were eligible for free lunch and 12% for reduced-price lunch. In that same school year, 31% of the student were Black or African American, 35% were Hispanic or Latino, 2% were Asian or Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, and 32% were White. Thirteen percent of the student in that school year were considered to be Limited English Proficient. Seventy-eight percent of the student went on to post-secondary education.

The District

The District includes nine elementary magnet schools grades K-6, three junior high schools grades 7-9, and one high school grades 10-12. In the 2008-09 school year, the District will begin the process of changing its grade configuration to a grades 9-12 high school with grades 7-8 middle schools and two K-8 schools. According to the district's master plan, the eventual configuration will be grades K-4 and K-8 schools, grades 5-8 middle schools, and the grades 9-12 high school. In addition, the district has two pre-kindergarten centers. The staff includes 1,183 teachers, 176 teaching assistants, and 73 administrators. In the past three years District tax payers have passed bonds for repair and renovation projects across the District totaling $126.5 million. Due to a favorable state aid rate, school tax increases have been relatively minimal.

Outstanding Programs

Elementary Magnet Schools: global explorations, sound mind/sound body, performing arts, back to basics, technology & gifted and talented
Smaller Learning Communities: a variety of junior and senior high school houses & academies
Construction Career Academy and Certified Nurse Aide Program at Newburgh Free Academy
An Extended School Year Program for students who need more time to complete grade level and graduation requirements
After-School Programs and Extracurricular Club and Athletic opportunities at every level.

The District Guiding Principles

1. Establish a grades 9-12 high school.
2. Establish a goal of 20 students per class to be achieved as quickly as District resources allow.
3. Reshape grade configuration to support the NYS required curriculum, testing, and graduation standards.
4. Utilize the district's facilities in the most efficient and effective manner.
5. Support and enhance parental and student choice.
6. Create learning environments that are smaller, safer, and more personal to make sure that all students are better known, better served and better supervised.