Newtown Public Schools

With less than 20 school days remaining, our district is buzzing with activity. And while there is no shortage of concerts, field trips, and celebrations, we are still focusing on academics. Importantly, our students in grades 3 through 8 are in the process of taking the required statewide assessments, Smarter Balanced English Language Arts, Math, and Science, while our K–2 students are completing the DIBELS and i-Ready assessments. This year, we made the decision not to test our students in grades 3–8 on the i-Ready during this period in order to avoid the double-testing that typically occurs in the spring. The i-Ready should be viewed as a formative assessment that helps our teachers understand learning progress—both individually and for cohorts—so that they can better prepare students for the assessment that matters, which is the Smarter Balanced. Of course, our high schoolers only have finals left, as most of their major testing has been completed for the year.

I’m pleased to share that Newtown Public Schools has partnered with MP Planning Group to help us thoughtfully plan for the future needs of our district. This important work will support long-term decision-making by providing a clear picture of enrollment trends, school capacity, and facility needs.

The study will take place in two phases. The first will focus on housing, demographic, and economic analyses, using both quantitative and qualitative data to develop 10-year enrollment projections. The second phase will involve a capacity and utilization analysis of all seven district schools. This will help us understand how our buildings align with the educational programs we envision for the future and how that compares to projected student enrollment. MP Planning will also incorporate findings from the Facilities Condition Assessment Study completed last summer to ensure a comprehensive view of current and future needs.

At the conclusion of the study, MP Planning will present key findings to the Board of Education, highlighting potential concerns and outlining data-driven options for next steps. This presentation is expected to take place in late October or early November. At that point, we anticipate forming a stakeholder group to begin a Master Planning Phase, during which we will explore the condition of our facilities and consider how best to serve both our school community and the broader Newtown community well into the future.

I’m excited to move forward in this direction, as I firmly believe in the value our schools bring to the fabric of Newtown. Like all of us, our buildings are aging, and we have a responsibility to ensure they continue to meet today’s expectations while evolving to support the needs of future generations. I look forward to engaging in a collaborative, forward-thinking planning process that positions our district for continued excellence and long-term success.

Warm Regards,

Anne

The full district calendar can be found here.

In addition to the resources available within our schools, families in need of mental health support can also access the following local resources:

Newtown Social Services/Center for Support and Wellness

https://www.newtown-ct.gov/social-services

(203) 270-4330

Newtown Youth & Family Services

www.newtownyouthandfamilyservices.org

(203) 270-4335

A leading provider of mental health services, youth support programs, and family counseling.

211 of Connecticut
www.211ct.org or dial 2-1-1
A free and confidential service that helps connect individuals to a wide range of mental health, housing, and family support services as well as Mobile Crisis Intervention Services for families experiencing urgent mental health challenges with children or teens.

988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
https://988lifeline.org/ or call or text 988

The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, across the United States and its territories.

Newtown Parent Connection
https://www.ctparentconnection.org/
(203) 270-1600

Offers trauma-informed care and community-building programs for all ages.

Throughout May, Newtown Public Schools proudly recognizes Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month. This is an important opportunity to learn about the diverse experiences, achievements, and cultural heritage of our Asian American and Pacific Islander students, families, and community members. To access teaching resources, click on the ASIAN AMERICAN PACIFIC ISLANDER: Illuminating Meaning, Community and Heritage PD Playlist.

Congratulations to Rachel Torres for being accepted into the Inaugural Cohort of the Yale Slavery Teachers Institute! She will be studying there in July for two weeks. The application process was very rigorous and competitive and we are very proud that she was chosen. You can find more information on this webpage. Congratulations, Rachel!

The Rotary Club of Newtown is looking for a host family or families, for the 2025/2026 Spring semester.

One to two families are needed to host a young lady from Japan, who will be entering Newtown High School as a sophomore for the 2025-2026 spring semester (January – June). If you would like to host part of all the spring semester or would like more information, please contact David Freedman 860-372-1596 or newtowndad@hotmail.com

If you think we need more about the program background we could insert this but not sure if we need to.

Rotary clubs channel their commitment to service at home and abroad through five Avenues of Service, which are the foundation of club activity:

• Youth Service, one of the five, recognizes the importance of empowering youth through leadership development programs. Rotary Youth Exchange is one of many youth leadership development programs offered by Rotary.
• Living in a foreign country is a powerful way to gain global understanding and promote peace.
• Through Youth Exchange, students learn a new language, discover different cultures and customs, and make friendships that last a lifetime.
• The objectives of the Rotary Youth Exchange program include: • Instilling international understanding and goodwill in students • Creating positive change by empowering youth • Making lasting connections for host clubs, host families, communities, and the students involved Rotary districts administer the Youth Exchange program in collaboration with local Rotary clubs.
• A Rotary district is a group of Rotary clubs in a specific area or region.
• Rotary has approximately 530 districts worldwide. Unlike many exchange programs, Rotary Youth Exchange is managed by volunteers, resulting in relatively low administrative costs and a strong support network of engaged Rotarians.
• Rotary’s youth protection policies and district Youth Exchange certification program ensure that the safety of our youth is the highest priority.

We want to alert families and staff to a concerning social media trend circulating on TikTok that encourages students to tamper with school-issued Chromebooks in ways that can cause them to overheat or catch fire. This behavior is extremely dangerous, posing serious risks to student safety, school property, and the learning environment. Such actions may lead to disciplinary consequences and potential legal ramifications.

We urge parents and guardians to speak with their children about the hazards of participating in viral online challenges. While these trends may appear entertaining, they can result in real harm and long-term consequences.

To our staff, if you notice any unusual behavior or signs of device tampering, please contact your school administrator immediately.

Thank you for your partnership in keeping our schools safe and focused on learning.

Click here for more information and to apply.

According to the Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America the 2025 allergy season is expected to be long and intense. The number of allergy related student visits to the Health Offices across the district have skyrocketed in the past two weeks. Students must follow their allergy regimen (ie: oral medications, eye drops, nasal sprays) at home consistently for the most effective relief of symptoms. School nurses do not have stock allergy medication to dispense to students during the school day.

Photo cred: The Newtown Bee

Congratulations to Newtown's Valedictorian David Baghdady, Salutatorian Sophia Wade and our other demi-decile students: Rachel Calorossi, Shawn Cardamone, Connor Child, Evan Cowley, Daniella Crisci, Charles Dunn, Martin Dunn, Annabelle Foley, Bridget Gioffe, Beatrice Grace, Edward Liu, Charles Massett, Ryan Michlovitz, Ella Renak, and Penelope Warren. We are so proud of you!

Ms. Catharine Kimberly and Mrs. Paula Olmos Valeri, serve as the advisors for the World Language Honor Society. The ceremony honored students who completed at least eight hours of community service by tutoring their peers during and after school, as well as by assisting teachers in lower-level Italian, French, Latin, and Spanish classes.

As part of the recognition, students received a graduation cord, a pin from their respective language associations, and a beautiful bouquet of flowers prepared by our school’s greenhouse. This distinction will appear on students' transcripts and makes a great addition to resumés and college applications. In addition, students are eligible to apply for scholarships through their respective World Language Honor Societies.

The World Language Department also presented several awards, including the World Language Department Awards for Excellence, COLT Awards, National Latin Exam recognitions, and awards from the American Association of Teachers of French.

Following the ceremony, students, teachers, and parents enjoyed a lovely selection of international cookies prepared by our Culinary Department.

After scoring second place in the chess league against four other districts, our players had a Newtown individual tournament in school.

Our school club champions are:

1. Dominick Hammond

2. Gavin Bazuro

3. Noah Thorsson.

These kids play some fantastic chess and work hard every week to get better. They have also shown great sportsmanship throughout the year, especially with playing with other teams from the state!

Newtown High School students created an Open Mic Night and Gallery to share their talents and creativity through performance, poetry reading, and original artwork. The event was organized and run by the National English Art Honor Society, National Art Honor Society, and the Tri-M Music Honor Society students and was open to all. Imagination, creativity, food, fun….here is a sampling of the evening:

Pablo Picasso said, “Every child is an artist.” That was on full display in the past week at Hawley, Middle Gate and RIS.

Enjoy a snapshot of those beautiful galleries:

The spectacular artwork displayed at each school is a representation of the many art concepts and skills students have studied throughout the year. Color (primary, secondary, color mixing), analogous colors, tints and shades, shape, patterns, relief sculpture, reflection, perspective, still life, self-portrait, foil embossing, collage, art to record scientific facts, symbolism, inspiration, types of lines, patterns, texture, subtractive art, contrast, value, negative space, gestures, culture…In addition to pencil, colored pencil, watercolors, and other paints, media included oil pastels, shape making, cutting, gluing, weaving, scraping/rolling/printing, wax resist, print with found materials, and clay.

Students also learned about a number of artists and their style and media, including artists Yayoi Kusama, Wassily Kandinsky, Charles McGee, Wayne Theibaud, Reggie Laurent, Jean-Michel Basquait, Romero Britto, Piet Mondrian, Roy Lichtenstein, Tim Burton, and Grandma Moses. Projects were inspired by authors as well - Peter Reynolds and Jan Brett)

Reed students created Oil Pastel Insects, Playing Cards, Pointillism Landscape, Kaleidoscope Name Art, Metal Tooling, POP Art Onomatopoeia, Hero and Villain Clay Mask Design, and Personified Food Sculptures. Art Club students displayed Water Bottle Sculptures, Coil Pots and Pinch Pot Bobble Heads, as well as Letter Sculptures. Students further used their imagination and creativity by writing fun stories to accompany their Food Sculptures (ex. The day my pizza came to life….). The art teachers collaborated with English teachers to follow writing protocols. Families were able to click on a QR code for each project to see and hear student docents present their project, the things they learned, and their approach and problem-solving strategies. Congratulations to all of our artists!

(Next week’s newsletter will feature the upcoming shows at Head O’Meadow and Sandy Hook - be on the lookout).

Newtown has been honored, for the 17th time, with the Best Communities for Music Education designation from the NAMM Foundation for its outstanding commitment to music education. Now in its 25th year, the Best Communities for Music Education designation is awarded to districts that demonstrate outstanding achievement for providing music access and education to all students.

Newtown Public Schools Art Shows

Newtown Public Schools Spring Concerts

It's that part of the season that we celebrate our Seniors!!

Thank you seniors for your dedication & leadership. Your hard work and passion have left a lasting mark on your teams. As you move on to new chapters, know that you will always be part of the Nighthawk family. We’re proud of you and wish you all the best.

Congratulations to our NHS Hawks Nation student-athletes of the month!

Brooke Bulkley- Girls Lacrosse Captian

Maddy Thoesen-Softball Captain

Andrew Faircloth-Boys Lacrosse Goalie

Thank you to Around the town Real Estate for the Boost Bowls gift cards.

CONGRATULATIONS to Girls Lacrosse goalie- Emily Sachs on recording her 100th career save. Emily, a Sophomore is just getting started!

Way to go Emily!

Please ensure your child's lunch account is up to date so they can enjoy nutritious meals at school. If your family is facing financial challenges, we’re here to help! Reach out to your child's counselor or principal for assistance and resources. Every student deserves a healthy meal!

Did you know that joining your PTA offers several benefits for both you and our school community? Our PTAs do many wonderful things throughout the school year that support and enhance the educational experience for our students. In addition to raising funds for educational programs and classroom resources, members have the opportunity to have their voices and ideas heard, meet new people and build connections within the school and greater community, as well as gain leadership skills that can be both personally and professionally valuable. In addition, being involved in your PTA gives you a closer look at what is happening in your child’s school by participating in or organizing events that foster a positive school culture.

You can find a link to each school's PTA by clicking on this link.

Thank you for your support!

Being the parent of a student with special needs can be confusing, isolating and frightening. Newtown Special Ed PTA, or SEPTA, is a great way to connect with a supportive community. We look forward to you joining us!

For more information, please visit the Special Ed PTA's website by clicking on this link.

Several of our schools are in need of student support services staff. If you enjoy working with kids, we encourage you to visit our employment opportunities page.

All-Star is actively seeking drivers. Flexible schedules and a paid training program.

Consider calling today!