By Richard Kaufman
Growing up, Victoria Newman always knew she wanted to be involved in education. Having a younger sister during her adolescent years in nearby Westport, Newman often pretended to play school and the role of teacher at home.
After graduating from the Masters School in Dobbs Ferry, N.Y., Newman attended the Syracuse University School of Education, where she received her bachelor’s. Afterwards, while interning with Stamford Public Schools, she received her master’s degree.
Newman taught in Stamford and then Greenwich before being relocated to Singapore because of her husband’s job in banking in the late 90’s.
While in Singapore, Newman worked for a company called Asian Welcome, which helped ex-patriots from all over the globe relocate to Singapore.
After coming back to the United States and having her two daughters, Newman felt there was a need in the community for educational services, such as tutoring, test prep and educational consulting.
That’s when Greenwich Education Group (GEG) was born.
Located in a one-room schoolhouse off Livingston Place in Greenwich back in 2003, Newman wasn’t even sure if she could afford the monthly rent while operating her new venture.
Fast-forward 15 years and GEG has evolved dramatically. From a one room-operation, GEG has moved to 6 Riverside Ave. It has also expanded with three different NEASC (New England Association of Schools and Colleges) accredited, co-ed independent day schools based in Stamford: Links Academy, The Pinnacle School and The Spire School. GEG also has a learning center named The Collaborative Center.
The idea for the schools stemmed from GEG beginning a flexible homeschooling program.
Links Academy, located at 78 Harvard Ave., in Stamford, is NEASC and NCAA-accredited for students in grades six through 12. It’s designed for students who need a flexible, customized and accredited school option because of issues like concussion symptoms, school anxiety, and even lyme and other tick-borne illnesses. Those who devote a lot of time to athletics, as well as the arts, attend Links because of the flexibility component.
Along with being NEASC-accredited, The Pinnacle School is a state-approved special education school for students in grades two through 12 located with The Spire School at 44 Commerce Rd., in Stamford. The Pinnacle School enables students with language-based social and academic deficits to thrive through small class sizes, differentiated instruction, active problem-solving and relationship building.
The Spire School provides customized instruction for intellectually capable students who are struggling with executive functioning challenges, depression, anxiety, ineffective coping skills and other emotional issues. Students benefit from small class sizes and a supportive learning environment with a focus on health and wellness. Each student has a life coach at Spire.
The Collaborative Center helps provide students with the skills necessary to flourish academically. The center looks at what each student brings to the table and offers solutions that are personalized and unique.
GEG will now expand into a 3,000-square-foot space next door to Pinnacle and Spire on Commerce Road. With their leases expiring in 2020, Newman said that GEG is looking to move their schools into one campus.
Newman said the best part of her day is visiting the students at these schools because she gets to interact with them in the classroom. She said it’s “rewarding” to see the students succeed and eventually graduate.
“We really care about our teachers, our staff. I really care about every kid and every family,” Newman said. “My goal when I started this was to make a difference every single day in the lives of the children and families we serve. I think we do that.”
GEG also offers Day and Boarding School advisory services, which Newman said she takes great pride in participating in.
“I love placing kids in schools and looking and figuring out what is the best fit,” she said.
Beyond the classroom, GEG remains involved with the Greenwich community through various events. In May, in conjunction with the YWCA of Greenwich, GEG helped present a program on migraines in adolescents, and what parents and educators need to know. Newman said community is a driving factor in GEG’s mission.
“We’re very community conscious and community focused,” Newman said. “Everything we do has grown out of a need in the community.”
Newman’s entrepreneurship and ability to grow GEG was recognized in 2016 by the U.S. Small Business Administration when she was named as the Connecticut Small Business Person of the Year.
“It was really cool,” said Newman, who went down to Washington D.C., and met Mark Cuban, as well as members of President Barack Obama’s cabinet
But none of GEG’s success and growth over the years, Newman said, has been possible without the help of her staff which she refers to as “The Dream Team.” Newman added that she’s “lucky, grateful and humble” to have the team that she has.
GEG has come a long way from the one-room schoolhouse it occupied at its inception. For Newman, the last 14 years or so in education have been extremely enjoyable. Newman has been an AVID mentor and volunteer with the Greenwich High School PTA. Newman also serves on the Board of Directors for the Arch Street Teen Center and the Distinguished Teacher Committee for Greenwich Public Schools.
“I know I’m one of those people that every day I can tell you, I love what I do and I do what I love,” Newman said. “I love being in the schools, I love meeting with families, I love collaborating with my colleagues. We are all a team here and we’re all equal.”
For more information on GEG and its services, go to greenwichedgroup.com.
