About Us

A Letter from the Principal
Welcome to Niantic Center School!

Dear Parents and families,

I am very excited to be the principal of Niantic Center School. We have worked very hard to develop our school goals and are ready to implement them to provide the very best education possible to our students!

At Niantic Center School we have one of the very best teaching staffs you will find anywhere in the country. I feel qualified to make that statement as a former Niantic Center School graduate and parent of three daughters who all attended Niantic Center School as students. Our teachers work collectively and collaboratively both in grade level teams and Professional Learning Communities to ensure that we are planning for and growing each student. We try to capture our students learning and progress along the way. Some examples are our “Best Board Work”, “Scallop Press” where each student will create and publish their own book “and a school wide slide show. “

Niantic Center School community is an open and friendly community. Our students are kind, parents involved and teachers professional and caring. We implement the Body and Mind Program at Niantic Center School to work on positive behaviors throughout the school, playground and on the bus. We have five school-wide assemblies to reinforce these positive behaviors and reinforce the motto “Fill buckets” not empty them. We need parent involvement with the school to maximize the educational experience for our students. We encourage you to be involved in our Niantic Center Community. One of the best ways is to get involved with the PTA. We have a wonderful PTA that does amazing work and provides our students with many opportunities they would not normally be afforded.

I proud to be the principal of such an outstanding school and consider myself privileged to be a member of the Niantic Center School Community. Thank you in advance for your support. On behalf of the entire school, we look forward to a rewarding year with our families, students, and community.

Jeff Provost
Principal

Niantic Center School

7 West Main Street
Niantic, CT 06357
Phone: (860) 739-3961
fax: (860) 739-1258

Principal:
Jeffrey Provost
Jeffrey.Provost@elpsk12.org
 

School Schedule:
9:05 a.m. - 3:35 p.m.

Early Closing:
9:05 a.m. - 12:35 p.m.

Delayed Opening:
11:05 a.m. - 3:35 p.m.

History of Niantic Center
 

In the 1800's there were 9 school districts in East Lyme, each with a one room school house. In 1883-4 a four room school was erected on Pennsylvania Avenue to replace the small building there. It was located just north of the present Town Hall and behind what is now the Probate offices. It consisted of Primary, Intermediate and Grammar grades with four teachers. High school aged students went to school in New London.

Following World War I the school became over-crowded and land was purchased on the corner of (East) Pattagansett Road and West Main Street. A new brick building was built there for $80,000 and first occupied in January 1928. There were 229 pupils grades 1-8 and seven teachers.

In 1948 an addition was made to the south side of the building with a new auditorium/ gymnasium and more class rooms. At that time the enrollment was 288 with a principal, ten teachers and a helping teacher. The cost for that addition was $250,000.

A third addition was added in 1976 and the original building was torn down. The parking area and the playgrounds were also changed at that time.

Elizabeth Hall Kuchta
East Lyme Town Historian