Dear Newmarket High School Families,
           Welcome back to the 2025/2026 school year! I hope you and your family had a restful and rejuvenating summer break. As I begin my fourth year, I’m excited to share that this summer was quite busy, with the hiring of several new staff members and supporting our returning staff as they adapt to their new roles. As we start this school year, I feel a strong sense of purpose and pride in what lies ahead. I am genuinely eager to face any challenges that come our way. With your continued support, my staff and I are dedicated to providing outstanding educational and extracurricular experiences for all our students.
           As you may already be aware, the school board has updated the graduation requirements, which will affect all high school students. For the class of 2026, the total number of credits needed to graduate has been lowered to 25. In subsequent years, the board has suggested decreasing the required credits by one each year until reaching 24 credits for the class of 2027. This change will be reviewed with the board, superintendent, and me to make any necessary adjustments. The primary reason for this update was to enhance scheduling flexibility for all students and provide more opportunities to explore courses and passions that may not fit within the regular school day. Examples include Extended Learning Opportunities (ELOs), which enable students to leave the classroom and collaborate with an external agency to develop core skills while gaining practical experience. Our previous credit requirements limited these activities, and only a few students had the chance to participate in an ELO. Please encourage your students to discuss the options and opportunities available to them with their school counselors.
           The high school is shifting to a new scheduling model for the 2025/2026 school year. We will implement a hybrid schedule, with Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays featuring a more traditional 7-period day, and Tuesdays and Wednesdays serving as longer block days. This schedule better aligns with our Vision of a Graduate and our core values. It also enables better long-term planning, eliminating the need to adjust schedules due to holidays or inclement weather, such as snow days. The full schedule is available on pages 25 and 26 of the student handbook.
           One of the biggest hot-button topics for New Hampshire schools this summer has been the use of cell phones. Due to recent legislative changes, schools are now required to enforce a bell-to-bell cell phone policy. In Newmarket, we will implement an “off and away” policy during the school day (7:35-2:30) for all students. Our staff will positively model this behavior and also keep their phones off and out of sight. If you need to contact your student, please call the office (603-659-3271), and we will relay all non-urgent messages at different times throughout the day without disrupting the learning environment. We expect that this legislative change will be a significant adjustment for both students and parents. We will continue to work with the community to ensure that we meet our needs while complying with the new law. For more information about our “off and away” procedures, please refer to the student handbook.
           As part of our ongoing school accreditation process, we have developed a school growth plan that highlights key goals and initiatives we will prioritize over the next two to three years. The plan, approved by the school board, will act as our guide for our work and professional development in the coming years. Some areas we will focus on include regularly reviewing our curriculum and actively integrating our Vision of a Graduate (VOG) into our daily practices. This is exciting and motivating work, and I look forward to sharing our progress toward these goals throughout the year.
           I want to inform the community about some important upcoming dates for events where you can visit the building and meet our exceptional staff. Ninth-grade orientation is scheduled for Monday, August 25, from 8:30 to 11:30. If you haven't already, RSVP by emailing Amanda Eisfeller (eisfellera@newmarket.k12.nh.us). Transportation will be provided. Please note that this event is exclusively for incoming 9th graders. The first day of school for all students in grades 6-12 will be Tuesday, August 26th, with doors opening at 7:15. We will hold the High School Open House on Thursday, September 25th, from 6:00 to 7:30, with parents following their student’s schedule throughout the evening. Students attending the morning session at Seacoast School of Technology (SST) should arrive at NJSSH no later than 7:00 AM for their bus, which departs at 7:05 AM. PM students should arrive at NJSHS by 11:25 a.m. for an 11:30 a.m. departure. Students who wish to drive themselves to SST must have all necessary paperwork completed at both SST and NJSHS before parking on either campus. SST begins on Monday, August 25th, and Newmarket students are expected to be in attendance. Transportation from NJSHS to SST will be provided.
           While the start of any school year can bring excitement and nervousness, we are eager to welcome students back to school and are committed to supporting them as they transition into the hard work of learning. To troubleshoot some first-day issues, please have your children log in, check their emails, and view their schedules on Infinite Campus before the first day of school. If you encounter a problem, please get in touch with the Technology Department via email. We have mailed home a letter with information and a QR code for you to update. Finally, the school website has a link to all the information about school openings, should you need additional resources.
          I wish everyone a smooth start to the school year, with good health, positivity, and strong connections. My door is always open, and I welcome your input. Feel free to contact me via email at the address below or call to arrange a time to talk about any ideas or concerns.

Thank you,

Andrew Korman, PhD
Principal
Newmarket Junior Senior High School
kormana@newmarket.k12.nh.us