About Us

Newton High

Newton High School was established in 1949. The original building was located on Newton Dr. where the Newton County Central Office is located. At this time, this was the only high school in Newton County. Due to student growth, Newton County passed a bond referendum and started construction at our present site. The property that Newton High School rests on was donated by the Bibb Manufacturing Company. The Board of Education began construction in the school year 1972-73 and the school opened its doors to students in August of 1974-75. The first graduating class from this site was June of 1975.

For 25 years this school served as this county's only high school. Enrollment at that time was 2300 students. Another bond referendum was passed and Eastside High School opened its doors in August 1994. As one of two high schools in Newton County at that time, we currently served sixty percent of the high school students. Newton County passed another bond referendum and started construction of its newest high school that opened in 2006. Alcovy High School opened its doors to the students in July 2006. Classroom additions and renovations were made to Newton High School in 1977, 1984, 1989, 1990, 2002, and 2005.

Our brand new facility located on 1 Ram Way, opened its doors to about 2000 students on July 29, 2013. It currently sits on approximately 118 acres and is almost 400,000 sq ft.

Located some 35 miles east of Atlanta, Georgia, Newton High School was first accredited in 1954 and has been at its current location since 1974. The emphasis of the educational program for students at Newton High is on preparation for life after high school. Through a range of intriguing and challenging courses, students find opportunities for critical and creative thinking and vital skills for future success. Students may choose from many electives to pursue an interest in-depth, or sample subjects which focus on their educational and career interests. Strong instructional departments staffed with caring teachers provide a solid educational foundation. At Newton High School, you will find a highly trained staff, a challenging and timely curriculum, opportunities for critical, creative thinking, and training in vital skills with a focus on life-long learning. It is a school where every child is given every chance to succeed.

School Facts:

Type: Public, four-year comprehensive high school for grades 9-12

Total Enrollment School Year 2016-2017: 2040
Ethnic breakdown for 2017-2018 is:
77% African American, 
9% Caucasian, 
7% Hispanic, 
3% multiracial/other
1% Asian/Pacific Islander

Size of 12th Grade Class: 514

CEEB-ACT Code Number: 110-905

Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools

Calendar: Two 90-day semesters with 7 class periods daily. It is one of three schools serving high school students in the county and its municipalities 

Community: The school is located southwest of Covington and thirty-five miles southeast of Atlanta. It is one of three schools serving high school age students in the county and its municipalities. The county can be characterized as rural with a population of 100,184 plus. The area is experiencing a strong surge of growth as the population of Atlanta moves eastward.

Administration:

Principal: Shannon Buff

Assistant Principals:  Dr. Veronica Bacote, Ms. Carla Hull, Ms. Monique Mitchell, Mr. Michael Chapple, Mrs. Katrina Stanfield & Mr. Vincent Byams

School Colors: Blue & White,

Mascot: The Ram!!

Special Curriculum Features
Honor Courses and AP Offerings - Offerings include Advanced, Quest, Advanced Placement level classes. The Quest program is a special curriculum for the intellectually gifted and talented. It is composed of courses in Language Arts, Math, and Science that are taught on an advanced/enriched level and parallel the regular classroom curriculum. Advanced Placement offerings include: Calculus, English Language and Composition, English Literature and Composition, Economics, European History and U.S. History, Industry Certified Business Education Courses, and Prostart-Advanced Culinary Arts.

ALANHS - In partnership with Oxford College of Emory University,ALANHS provides a unique learning experience for high achieving students. The Academy of Liberal Arts Education at NHS is an approach to learning that empowers individuals and prepares them to deal with complexity, diversity, and change. It provides students with broad knowledge of the wider world (e.g. science, culture, and society) as well as in-depth study in a specific area of interest. A liberal education helps students develop a sense of social responsibility, as well as strong and transferable intellectual and practical skills such as communication, analytical and problem-solving skills, and a demonstrated ability to apply knowledge and skills in real-world settings.

Grading Scale

A - 90-100
B - 80-89
C - 70-79
F - Below 70
N/C - No Credit

P/F Pass/Fail

10th Grade - 7 Carnegie Units

11th Grade - 13 Carnegie Units

12th Grade - 18 Carnegie Units

Method of Computing GPA

Includes non-weighted numerical average of all courses taken with an exception of all Advanced Placement (AP) and Post-Secondary Options (PSO) courses; a multiplier of 5% of the calculated average will be added to the grade earned. Thus, after calculation of the course average, a teacher would add 5% to the grade and record the re-calculated grade as the final weighted average.

Graduation Requirements

In addition to completing required coursework for individual programs of study, students entering ninth grade in the 2006-2007 school year had to complete a minimum of 23 required units for a diploma. Tiered diploma options were no longer included in the graduation requirements for students entering ninth grade in 2008-2009. All students are expected to complete a common set of requirements to earn a regular diploma and complete all five sections of the Georgia High School Graduation Test. Students enrolling in 2010-2011 had to earn 24 units of credit; 2009-10 must earn 26 units of credit; in 2008-2009 students had to earn 26 units of credit; and in 2007-08 students had to earn 25 units of credit.

Dual/Joint Enrollment

Offered to juniors and seniors interested in attending college or technical colleges while in high school. Policy on Reporting Class Rank to Colleges Rank, based upon cumulative GPAs of the entire class, is available upon request.

Awards & Recognition

2006 2AAAAA Region Champs Softball, Boys Cross Country
2005 Governor's Cup for SAT Achievement
2005 2AAAAA Region Champs-Softball, 
Girls Cross Country, Wrestling, & Competition Cheerleading
2005 National Achievement Scholarship Finalist
Numerous Young Georgia Authors Winners
2004 State Wrestling Champion
AP Scholars
2002 United States Senate Youth Delegate
Scholarships in Excess of 51 Million Multiple Years
Governors Honors Students
All State Chorus Members
2002 Atlanta Journal-Constitution Honor Teacher Award Winner
Award Winning School Newspaper & Yearbook
District Science Fair Winners
Numerous Statewide Poetic Achiever Award Winners
National Award Winning JROTC Statewide
Award Winning Animal Science & Bio-Tech Department
Newton High is recognized by the State Department of Education as a State School of Excellence.
Newton High was recognized by the United States Board of Education as a National School of Excellence in 1987.
Newton High School is also recognized from the United States Department of Education as a Drug Free School.

Partial List of Out-of-State Schools Accepting Recent NHS Graduates:

Auburn University, Bard College, Baylor University, Beloit College, Boston University, Clemson University, The Citadel, Davidson College, Dillard University, Duke University, Florida A&M University, Franklin & Marshall College, Furman University, Grambling State University, Grinnell College, Hampton University, Harvard University, Haverford College, The Johns Hopkins University, Johnson & Wales, Maryville College, Marymount Manhatten, Mt. Holyoke College, New York University, Northwestern University, The Pennsylvania State University, Pennsylvania State University, Presbyterian College, Princeton University, Rice University, Smith College, Stanford University, Trinity University, Tulane University, Tuskegee University, United States Air Force Academy, United States Naval Academy, University of Alabama, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, University of Pennsylvania, University of Richmond, University of Tennessee, University of Texas-Austin, University of Notre Dame, Vanderbilt University, Wake Forest University, West Point Academy, Woffard College, Xavier College, and Yale University.