121 Carpenter Hill Rd, Strafford, VT 05070

Don't let the 5 this school is rated scare you! The scores are based on standardized test scores and having been in 2 previous 10 schools, this school far exceeds those experiences. It raises the bar of what any family would desire for their children. The school is AMAZING at differentiating the needs of their students. We have one child who is advanced so she is sent a grade up for her strong subjects. Our other child struggles and the school quickly came together to devise a support system and he is thriving. Amazing teachers. They teach values here. They meet the needs of the individual child first, encouraging them to learn in a manner that makes sense to them - not force them to approach thinking in a way that will test well and make the school look good on paper. The lunches are made from local ingredients, if not grown in the school gardens. Kids are encouraged to move and take breaks. It's not uncommon for 10 minutes of down time to be filled with music or yoga or a walk around the soccer fields. There are some amazing parents who work hard to create extracurricular activities and the school participates in affordable ski programs, snowshoeing, x-country skiing. TOPNOTCH

Newton school is excellent both in leadership and in the dedication of teachers. Communication between staff and parents is great and the services they provide (along with the quality) is second to none. Newton is one of the best elementary schools in the state, providing quality services and academics. This is coming from a parent who has a child on an IEP. I saw an earlier review-"you have to advocate for your child". Well isn't that called parenting?!