Newtown Public Schools

As we return to work and school routines following the long Memorial Day weekend, I hope everyone had an opportunity to spend time with family and friends despite the rainy weather that seemed to settle in for much of the holiday. More importantly, Memorial Day serves as an important reminder of the men and women who gave their lives in service to our country. Their sacrifice is worthy of reflection and gratitude, and we remain thankful for all who have served our nation and those who continue to do so today.

I want to thank everyone who took time out of their busy schedules last Tuesday to participate in the budget referendum. As you are likely aware, both the Town and Board of Education budgets passed, paving the way for planning to begin in earnest for the 2026–2027 school year. We appreciate the community’s engagement throughout this process and the continued support shown for our students, staff, and schools.

Our next regularly scheduled Newtown Board of Education meeting will be held next Tuesday, June 2nd. During this meeting, the Board will review and discuss reductions needed to bring the originally requested budget in line with the approved budget. The Board is then expected to vote on the proposed changes and finalize the 2026–2027 budget, allowing us to move forward with planning and preparations for the upcoming school year.

Lastly, I encourage all parents and guardians to participate in our annual NPS Family Climate Survey. Your input truly matters. The results are carefully reviewed and used to help identify themes, inform district and school goals, and shape action plans aimed at continuously improving the experience of students, staff, and families across Newtown Public Schools. The survey will remain open until June 5th. Please click on the link below to participate:

Newtown Public Schools Parent/Family Climate Survey

If you would like more information about the survey, please see the information below in the newsletter.

Warm regards,
Anne

Our full district calendar can be found here

This week, many of our families will be observing Eid al-Adha, an important holiday celebrated by members of the Muslim community around the world. We extend our warm wishes to all those celebrating and hope the holiday is filled with peace, reflection, and time with family and loved ones. As a reminder, students who are absent due to the observance of a religious holiday may be granted an excused absence in accordance with district practices and state guidelines. We simply ask that parents/guardians notify the school of the reason for the absence.

Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, celebrated each May, is a time to recognize and honor the rich cultures, traditions, and contributions of individuals of Asian and Pacific Islander descent. In our school community, we celebrate the diversity that strengthens us by highlighting the histories, achievements, and voices of AAPI individuals who have made lasting impacts in fields such as science, education, the arts, and public service. This month also provides an opportunity for students to learn more about different cultures, reflect on the importance of inclusion and respect, and appreciate the vibrant traditions that are part of our shared community.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to recognize the importance of emotional well-being for every student, staff member, and family in our school community. Taking care of our mental health is just as important as caring for our physical health. This month, we encourage everyone to check in with themselves and others, practice kindness, and make time for rest and reflection. Together, we can create a supportive environment where everyone feels seen, heard, and valued.

As we enter the final months of the school year, Newtown Public Schools, in accordance with Connecticut statutes, will seek to collect feedback through our annual School Climate Survey. The surveys will be given to students in grades 3-12, parents/families, and staff to gather input relating to experiences within our schools. The results will then be used by our administrative team to identify successes and set goals for improvement pertaining to school climate.

The survey is being administered through the Thought Exchange platform and the questions were developed in consultation with EdAdvance, our Regional Education Service Center. All questions are aligned to Connecticut State Climate Standards as required by statute. Each family survey takes about 10-15 minutes to complete and responses are anonymous. If you have children in multiple schools, please complete one survey per school. Your feedback is very important to us and we hope that you will take the time to share your thoughts.

The survey will remain open until June 5th. Please click on the link below to participate:

Newtown Public Schools Parent/Family Climate Survey

The District's Food Service Advisory Board brings together students, teachers, and parents/guardians to help shape the school meal program. Your voice helps guide:

• Menu planning
• Nutrition education
• Program promotion
• Feedback on what families like - and what they would like to see improved

VIRTUAL MEETING INFORMATION:

Newtown Food Service Advisory Board

Wednesday, June 3 · 3:30 – 4:30pm

Time zone: America/New_York

Google Meet joining info

Video call link: https://meet.google.com/ekm-vbjd-pvr

Or dial: ‪(US) +1 276-335-0196‬ PIN: ‪664 905 901‬#

More phone numbers: https://tel.meet/ekm-vbjd-pvr?pin=8831193877051

Your input is important to us!

We are excited to share that our sister school in Madrid, Spain is looking forward to continuing our exchange program for the 2026–2027 school year! April 20th is the final deadline to sign up. Please review the information below.

The Connecticut State Department of Education is pleased to share an exciting opportunity for certified teachers interested in expanding their impact through adult education. Connecticut Adult Education is seeking instructors for subjects including General Education Development (GED) Preparation, English as a Second Language (ESL), Career Readiness, Digital Literacy, and high school credit completion with flexible scheduling options available.

Pictured: NMS Principal, Jim Ross, Petra Petkov (NMS), Lillian Grossman (NMS), Superintendent Anne Uberti, Michayl Wilford (NHS), NHS Principal, Dr. Kim Longobucco

Not Pictured: - NHS Recipient Gabriella DeNicola

Congratulations to all of the students who participated in the 2nd Annual Newtown Middle School/Newtown High School Science Fair! Students in grades 7 and 8 researched topics of interest and designed experiments to explore their scientific questions and ideas.

The event was organized by students from Newtown High School, who also served as judges for the projects. The creativity, curiosity, hard work, and dedication demonstrated by all participants were truly impressive.

Thank you to all of our student scientists for sharing your ideas, experiments, and enthusiasm for learning. We are incredibly proud of each and every participant and grateful to the NHS students who helped make this event such a success.

Congratulations to our NHS Girls Outdoor Track & Field team on winning their 4th straight Championship!

Your hard work and dedication continue to set the standard of excellence.

What an incredible accomplishment by this talented group of student-athletes.

Way to go, ladies!

It’s that time of year when our teams come together to celebrate our Seniors.

Senior Night is a special opportunity to recognize our seniors for their hard work, dedication, leadership, and commitment to their sport and team. We thank them for the memories, and the impact they’ve made on our school!

We will continue to highlight these amazing student-athletes all month long.

This week: Boys Volleyball & Girls Golf.

Congratulations to our amazing student-athletes who are continuing their academic and athletic careers at the next level!

Thank you for representing NHS with pride, We cannot wait to see all that you accomplish in this next chapter.

Once a Nighthawk, always a Nighthawk!

Violet Assante-Labash- Bates College-Track and Field

Mason Czaplinski-Post University-Soccer

Ava Lombardo-Roger Williams-Volleyball

CJ Manfredonia-Moravian University-Lacrosse

Congratulations to former NHS multi-sport standout Abby Ihlefeld whose women’s lacrosse team just captured a National Championship with the Florida Southern Mocs!

What an incredible accomplishment, and the entire Nighthawk community is so proud of you, Abby.

National Champion has a pretty nice ring to it!

There is still time to honor your student, family, team, or business with an engraved tile that will become a permanent part of Blue & Gold Stadium!

Leave your mark and help celebrate the memories, achievements, and pride of our Nighthawk community for years to come.

Questions? Email: nhshawksnation@gmail.com

In order to help families avoid the accumulation of large negative lunch balances, the district will be implementing the following steps:

• At $25 or more: Parents/guardians will be notified by email.

• At $50 or more: School personnel will contact you directly.

• At $75 or more: A formal letter will be mailed home from the school.

• If balances continue to grow without an effort to reconcile: Families will be contacted by the Central Office.

Please note: Students with a negative balance are not permitted to purchase a second lunch or snacks until the account is brought current.

Our goal is to support families in staying up to date with lunch accounts and to prevent larger debts from accumulating. By connecting families with school personnel, we hope to assist you in making online payments or, if eligible, applying for free and reduced-price lunch.

Click on the link for instructions on how to set up a MY SCHOOL BUCKS account so you can keep your account current.

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.