Houghton Elementary School is a child-centered school focused on learning.  The school has a population of five hundred children within a grade span of kindergarten through grade four.  The school seeks to provide its children with a strong foundation in basic skills and opportunities to extend the thinking of young minds.  By matching children’s natural curiosity with literature, mathematics, science/technology, the arts, and the environment our school fosters life long learning for these future citizens of the twenty-first century.

Houghton Elementary School promotes and reinforces social values that exist in society: respect, responsibility, kindness, honesty, and cooperation.  Children, like adults, are social beings.  Houghton is a place which promotes a true sense of community where children care to learn and learn to care.

Staff, parents, volunteers, and guests need to serve as appropriate models for young children.  The responsibility of public education is significant and must be shared by all the public: school staff, parents, local government and its citizens.  Then in unison it can be stated: We believe our children are the future.

Houghton Highlights

Increase in the children’s library book collection to over 15,500 books;

Extensive involvement of Sterling community in the school including: Community Reading Day, Sterling Historical Society for local history, donation of mulch by Sterling Peat, donation of ice cream by Davis Farm for school fundraisers involving over two hundred parent volunteers;

Continued cooperation between Houghton and Chocksett PTO’s with major fundraisers;

Increased curriculum and cultural enrichment programs for children to complement curriculum with guest speakers funded by the PTO;

Grade 3 child volunteers trained by scout leaders in the folding of the American flag;

Involvement of children in total school community by: grade 4  participating in the school’s daily office morning announcements and weekly school paper recycling efforts;  grade 3 in charge of daily raising of the school’s flag; grade 2 in charge of watering flower beds

PTO sponsored Chess Club during winter recesses for grades 2,3,4 

Initiation of Parent Lunch Weeks
 
Houghton Elementary School, as with all schools in the Wachusett Regional School District, maintains a Critical Incident and Safety Plan that includes contributions from Sterling Police and Fire Departments, Massachusetts State Police and the District Attorney's Office.