It took until the second year of school at Newton-Lee Elementary for students to identify with their new building.

The school opened in fall 2005 and took in students from two nearby schools overflowing with students in this fast-growing county. During the 2006-07 school year, students finally started to grasp the new school’s traditions as the new Newton-Lee became a part of the community.

“You can feel it in the building, that this is their school now,” principal Julie Boyd said.

Those traditions include a winter carnival, Bingo, a night at the skating rink and an event honoring grandparents in conjunction with Valentine’s Day.

Boyd stressed the importance that technology plays in the school’s day-to-day curriculum. The school has three Smart Boards – or interactive white boards that essentially replace chalkboards -- that are used throughout the building.

“The children are just amazed,” Boyd said of the Smart Boards.

The school also has a small ESL program, although Newton-Lee has only a small number of students who speak English as a second language. Unlike some other schools in the district, students aren’t bused to the school for ESL classes, so it serves its own students.

Newton-Lee also has strong involvement from parents, Boyd said.

She said the school relies on its PTA and parents for everything from volunteering to fundraising. The PTA helped raise money for a new playground and is now seeking funds to build a track at the school.

“They are pushing us ahead,” Boyd said of the PTA.

The biggest challenge facing the school will be meeting the demands of an increasing population, she said. Boyd said she hopes to keep class sizes at manageable levels as the community grows.

Other goals include helping each child to succeed academically and closing the achievement gap in an increasingly diverse school district.

“We want to make sure all of our students are achieving at high levels academically,” she said. “We want to give children a well-rounded education, including music, arts, PE and academics.”