Newport Independent School District Superintendent Tony Watts has signed a new four-year contract to lead the Newport schools.
Watts, who is beginning the final year of his initial four-year contract, will continue as superintendent under the new contract that was unanimously approved by the Newport Board of Education.
“Superintendent Watts is the right person to lead the district to the type of change we are all working together to achieve,” said Newport Board of Education Chairwoman Ramona Malone. “He has built a tremendous leadership team that continues to work on accomplishing the mission of the Newport Independent Schools, which focuses on partnering with families and the community to nurture, educate and instill core values in all students to ensure they reach their fullest potential.”
Tony Watts, Newport superintendent
Watts, who earlier in his career served as principal of Newport High School, said he is excited to continue on the path that he and his team have started down.
“We’ve done a lot of good work, but we are not where we want to be,” Superintendent Watts said. “We are getting there, and I’m honored that the district and the Board of Education has the confidence in me to serve another four years.”
Watts, who played college basketball at Mississippi State University and is a member of the school’s athletic hall of fame, was quick to thank his team.
“I have a great team – teachers, staff, principals and administrators – that are really the ones who are doing the work,” he said. “We set the vision, and then the real work happens at the school level and in the classroom. Everyone in the district – from custodians and bus drivers to parents – are all partnering on behalf of our students.”
“Superintendent Watts has worked extremely hard to improve the education of Newport students by implementing new policies and programs to lead the teachers of the district,” said Newport Board of Education member Dr. Tim Curl. “During the pandemic Superintendent Watts demonstrated exceptional leadership developing the processes for continuing the education of the children of the district.”
Watts has developed professional relationships in the community to provide the students with career opportunities for trades and college, Dr. Curl said.
“Superintendent Watts has echoed that we still have much more to accomplish and under his leadership we will continue to focus on improving student education by setting higher expectations for the teachers and the students,” Dr. Curl said. “As board members and citizens of Newport, we have confidence that he will continue to be dedicated to the education of our children.”
Chairwoman Malone added that Watts has also forged stronger relationships with the City of Newport as well other organizations, institutions and residents and meets monthly on an individual basis with each member of the Newport Board of Education.
“Tony is not just a leader in the school district, he has also emerged as a strong leader in the community,” she said. “He is developing into the leader we knew he would be.”
Newport Independent School District
