As The New Century School enters its 15th year on its Ann St. campus, Head of School Ann Marie Simonetti is focused on one central theme: community and belonging. This builds on last year’s theme that also focused on community but adds the element of recognition. “As a very diverse community,” she reflects, “we want to be sure that everybody not just feels welcome but also feels like they belong and have a voice and a place to be heard, seen, and valued.”

But to back up for a second, you read correctly—TNCS is 15! The commitment to community during this milestone year comes alongside important positive changes for the 2025–2026 school year. To make sure the year got off to another fantastic start, Ms. Simonetti hosted a staff week that welcomed new members to the community (you’ll meet them all in upcoming posts!), celebrated each individual by rolling out the “green carpet,” and bade warm farewells to staff opening new chapters in their lives.

Growing in New Ways

TNCS is experiencing record enrollment, with the largest preschool and middle school cohorts in the school’s 15-year history. TNCS has also begun accepting its youngest learners ever—students as young as 20 months—following a multiyear licensing process.

Strengthening Connections

The transition from Blackbaud to Transparent Classroom provides families with more meaningful updates about their children’s learning while streamlining teachers’ record-keeping. Blackbaud still handles admissions processes, and Ms. Simonetti will in fact be speaking again at the annual conference (more on that to come).

Administrative offices have also moved. Now in Building South, this relocation enables more frequent collaboration between Ms. Simonetti and Preschool Director Terriann Lane as well as overall more “touch points” among staff, teachers, and students throughout the day.

Another exciting development is the revamp of the popular Ozone student lounge. This space gives middle schoolers a space to unwind, connect, and grab a healthy snack (they designed their own menu of selections). Ozone also gives students arriving from other schools for extracurricular activities or aftercare a place to hang out while the later TNCS school day comes to a close. At Ozone, students can play pingpong, read, play board games, and just decompress.

Looking Ahead

As TNCS prepares its 15th anniversary celebration (likely happening this spring), the school community is “honoring the past, examining where we are now, and having community conversations to figure out where we want to go next.”

For Ms. Simonetti, leadership means “helping others realize their potential and providing them opportunities to bring out their best.” With a team committed to showing up for each other and their students, TNCS is poised for another remarkable year. “It takes the village,” Ms. Simonetti says.

Interested in learning more about TNCS? Join us for our Open House on October 25th. Register on our website.