Newtown Public Schools

I hope all of our mothers, grandmothers and anyone else who serves as a mother to another enjoyed the beauty of the day yesterday! Although I wasn’t able to be with my own children in person, we were able to connect during the day. Instead, I spent the day planting my flower and vegetable gardens and reflecting on all of the wonderful mothers I have had the privilege of knowing, both in my personal life and throughout my career. Parenting children is not always easy so to all the mothers in our community, thank you for all you do!

Last Tuesday, the Board of Education met to finalize the plan for getting to the $900K reduction set by the Board of Finance and approved by the Legislative Council. I want to express my gratitude to each of the members of the Board of Ed for engaging in a thoughtful and productive discussion. Given all of the reductions made to this point, the remaining options reflected difficult decisions. In the end, the Board voted unanimously to support the following changes to meet the budget approved by the voters: increasing the pay-to-play fees by $25 at NHS, holding off on the replacement of the fire alarm system at NHS, additional staffing cuts at NHS (no impact on student course choice), reduction of 2 unarmed guards at the elementary schools (two remaining unarmed guards will be split between two schools), reduction of the K-12 director of fine arts (impact will be partially offset by the addition of a fine arts department chair position), reduction of an assistant facilities director, reduction of one elementary Spanish teacher (elementary Spanish will begin in grade 2), a variety of other reductions to general supplies, athletic supplies, staff training, technology as well as other technical adjustments. While none of us wanted to make any of these changes, I believe that these are reasonable reductions that will minimally impact our students’ educational quality and experience. Thank you again to the school and greater community for voting yes on the school budget. It’s scary to think about what else we might have had to cut if the budget had failed.

A friendly reminder that this Wednesday will be a 3-hour early dismissal for staff professional development.

I hope you all have a wonderful week ahead.

Warm regards,

Anne

Reminder that WEDNESDAY is a 3-hour Early Dismissal for ALL SCHOOLS.

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 Lisa Kilcourse, HOM School Counselor, for receiving the 2025 CT School Counseling Intern Supervisor of the Year!

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.

The Rotarian commitment is a pledge to live a life of service, guided by ethical principles, and dedicated to building a better world through fellowship and understanding. It's a commitment to making a positive impact on the lives of others and contributing to the betterment of society.

The Newtown Rotary Student of the Month recognition is a program run by the Newtown Rotary Club to honor and celebrate outstanding students in the Newtown community. This award recognizes and awards students who demonstrate exceptional qualities in academics, character, leadership, and community involvement.

Emily Ramzy has been honored as Newtown Middle School’s Rotary Student of the Month for exemplifying the values of service, leadership, unity, and compassion. She is recognized for her strong work ethic, academic excellence, and her positive, welcoming presence. Emily is a loyal friend, a supportive peer, and a dedicated contributor in and out of the classroom. Beyond school, she excels in dance, is active in her church, and holds her family close. Her teachers praise her as a kind, inspiring, and deserving recipient of this award.

Andrew Smiley has been nominated by the Business, Entrepreneurship, and Applied Technology department not just for his impressive technical skills in computing, robotics, and manufacturing, but for his exceptional attitude, teamwork, and dedication. He eagerly supports classmates, often troubleshooting before the teacher arrives, and is respected for his patience, humility, and persistence. As a key member of the NHS Tech Team, Andrew contributes his time and talent to school events and technical support. His initiative, problem-solving mindset, and positive demeanor make him a valued student and peer.

The Newtown High School Fine Arts Department offers a number of theater courses. In Theater Design students become acquainted with the practical basics of design as a profession. They choose their show/literary text and then develop a visual interpretation. This semester’s class chose High School Musical, Mean Girls, Heathers, Beauty and the Beast, and A Streetcar Named Desire.

Each student had the freedom to select the dramatic or musical production of their choice. They then imagined and envisioned the set and implemented the elements and principles of design. They used graph paper and rulers to create the design to scale, and then began to bring that set to life. They used a variety of materials and did a lot of analysis, problem-solving, and creative thinking along the way. Once their project was complete each student presented their show, architectural plans, set design, and process. Everyone received thoughts and feedback from their peers and teacher. Next steps are to design and create costumes.

Newtown Middle School presented their Spring Art Show to the delight of teachers, students, families and friends. A variety of 2-D and 3-D projects represented the talents of our students, including Clay Picture Frames, Cross Stitch Pixel Art, Food Sculptures, Styrofoam Cup Sculptures, Ceiling Tiles, Color Theory Abstracts, Pin Hole Portraits, Neurographica, Fall Gourd Still Lifes, Plant Silhouettes, Portrait Study, and Clay Tic-Tac-Toe Boards.

There are many scholarships available for visual and performing arts majors, as well as students

who excel in performing arts and want to continue making music with friends in a variety of settings.

Colleges and universities provide scholarships to non-arts majors as well. They recognize the talents of all artists. They want students to continue performing and offer scholarship awards to those who

participate in their many ensembles, art programs and theatrical productions.

Did you know that many scientists, engineers, lawyers, doctors, and research scientists are musicians (Albert Einstein was a violinist!). The Longwood Symphony Orchestra was founded by members of Harvard Medical School. There is a Yale Medical School Orchestra. The Chicago Bar Association Orchestra is made up of attorneys, judges and law students. MIT, RPI, RIT and many other engineering schools have created and infused arts programs for their students because they recognize the connection between the arts and sciences. They are called Art_X, ACT, ArtEx...

Don't give up your passion to create and perform! Check out this link for Visual and Performing Arts Scholarship opportunities: https://hiscavichm.wixsite.com/nhs-fine-arts/services-9. This is a great way to pursue your interest, earn some funding, and continue life-long participation in the arts. If you don't see something here, search online, and/or check with your college/university and specific program​ to see what scholarships and opportunities are available to you.

Newtown Public Schools Art Shows

Newtown Public Schools Spring Concerts

Congratulations to our Track and Field team!

Girls won the large school division in the froshmore championship, and combined genders were runners up! A nearly perfect meet for these great kids!

NHS Unified Sports is having a blast this Spring! Just a few pictures from their first track tournament in Southington!

Newtown Girls Lacrosse will be supporting 15 for Life on Tuesday 5/13 7:00 at Blue and Gold Stadium.

The mission of 15 for Life is to shed the shame around needing help and normalizing the conversation around mental health by creating awareness.

The team will be collecting donations.

You can also catch the future NIghthawks, Girls youth Lacrosse playing at halftime.

Baseball vs Softball

Friday May 16th 7:00 PM at Treadwell Park

C'mon down and support both of these amazing teams!

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.

Each year, the PTA sponsors a free flower potting event where students have the opportunity to select a flower for someone special. This is one of our student-favorite events each year, and thanks to our successful fundraisers this year, we were able to offer it once again!

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!