Newtown Public Schools

Today I set out to visit each of our schools, thinking it would take about two hours—it ended up taking four, and it was worth every minute. I walked thousands of square feet (and logged 10,000 steps before noon), but more importantly, I had the rare opportunity to just be in our schools.

Usually, I’m there for a purpose: a meeting, a walkthrough, or to check on a facilities issue. Today was different. I wandered through the buildings with no agenda, just observing what was happening in these spaces before the switch flips later this week when all of our staff returns.

What I saw was both energizing and grounding—educators and staff members busy with final touches, moving through the halls with care and intention. I had the chance to catch up with many of them, hearing about summer adventures, babies and grandbabies, college visits and drop-offs.

These moments reminded me of something I read recently: how being constantly busy can literally be a threat to our humanity. I think there is some truth to that. Today was a good reminder to me to slow down and embrace the moment. Doing so helps me to reconnect with what truly matters—and I hope you’ll find moments for that, too, as we gear up for the year ahead.

As I mentioned last week, the StopFinder App will begin rolling out tomorrow. Please see the information below for more details on how to sign up.

Enjoy the last full week with your kiddos!

Warm regards,

Anne

Our full district calendar can be found here

• Last year, our tech team completed a major overhaul of the NPS website. It now serves as a central hub of information about the district and our schools, including access to curriculum documents. We encourage you to explore the site and review these resources before the school year begins. If you have any suggestions, feel free to reach out to us.

• School hours for grades PreK–12 are available here.

• Newtown Community Center continues to offer after-school programming for each of our four elementary schools. Transportation is provided at no additional cost. Reach out them directly for more information at 203-270-4349 or info.ncc@newtown-ct.gov. You can also visit their website newtowncommunitycenter.org for more information.

• Our 2025-2026 school calendar can be found here.

• Bus information can be found in the parent portal. Updated bus routes will be available online Wednesday, August 20th.

• Join us! We still have openings for paraeducators, behavioral therapists, early childhood care provider, security personnel and more. Detailed information can be found here.

The Parent Portal opens today, Monday, August 18th! Families can log in to see teacher assignments and class schedules. We know students are eager to check for friends in their classes, but please remember—placements are made with great care to create the best learning environment for each child.

If your child is feeling unsure about their schedule, take a moment to talk with them about meeting new classmates and building new friendships. These experiences help students grow in confidence, adaptability, and resilience.

We’re excited to announce that Newtown Public Schools will be launching Stopfinder, a new app designed to keep you informed about your child’s bus schedule in real time.

Stopfinder is a secure, easy-to-use, all-in-one app that gives you access to the most accurate transportation information—anytime, anywhere. With the app, you can:

• View your child’s bus schedule.

• Set up GeoAlerts to receive notifications when the bus arrives or departs from specific locations, such as your home, school, or other points along the route.

• Customize Alert Zones for individual students based on their unique route.

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An email invitation will be sent this week from no-reply@stopfinder.com to the primary parent/guardian email we have on file. The way the system is configured, one contact is designated as the primary Stopfinder contact—this individual will receive the initial invitation and will then have the ability to invite additional contacts (e.g., the other parent, grandparents, caregivers, etc.).

Once you receive the invitation, download the Stopfinder app for free from the App Store or Google Play, and follow the instructions to register. Please note: You must complete the registration process using the district’s invitation before you can access your student’s transportation schedule.

If you do not receive your invitation by Friday, please contact Stopfinder Support at stopfindersupport@all-startransportation.com for assistance.

Newtown Public Schools follows a Board-approved Meal Charging Policy that ensures all students have access to a healthy meal each school day, regardless of their meal account balance. While we encourage families to keep their child’s account in good standing, students will not be denied a meal due to a lack of funds.

To support families in managing their child’s school meal account, we offer MySchoolBucks, a secure online payment system that allows parents to:

• Add funds to their student’s account
  
  

• Set up automatic payments
  
  

• Monitor account balances and purchase history
  
  

• Receive low-balance notifications
  
  

We encourage all families to sign up for a MySchoolBucks account at www.myschoolbucks.com or through the mobile app. By staying informed and maintaining a positive balance, you help ensure a smooth and uninterrupted meal experience for your child.

For more information about the district’s Meal Charging Policy, please visit our website or your child's school.

It was great to be back with local legends, Gavin Arneth and Brian Hartgraves, for some fun and back to school tips! Hope you enjoy it!

Last year, we successfully installed portable air conditioning units in all classroom spaces at Middle Gate School—a big step toward improving comfort during hot and humid days. While these units are not a full HVAC upgrade, they have made a noticeable difference.

With Middle Gate addressed, we have turned our attention to Newtown Middle School, now the only school without classroom cooling. Recently, the Board of Education approved the purchase of portable AC units for NMS, and installation is underway. We are prioritizing the upper A wing—typically the hottest area—with the goal of having units in place for the start of the school year. The lower A wing will follow, and we aim to have cooling in all NMS classrooms by spring 2026.

While we do not view this as a long-term solution for HVAC at Newtown Middle School, we believe it provides a viable interim option until more permanent solutions can be discussed and planned. Once installed, these units will eliminate the need to close school due to extreme heat, ensuring a more consistent and comfortable learning environment. This will have a positive impact on both teaching and learning throughout the year and we thank our wonderful and talented maintenance team for making this happen!

The Newtown Community Center continues to provide valuable programming for students, offering engaging activities after school, on early release days, and during days off. These programs give families reliable options while creating fun, supportive experiences for students. Please see the information below for details.

We are pleased to share that the Program for Adaptive Learning (PAL) has moved from Middle Gate School to Sandy Hook School for the 2025–26 school year. This transition was made to better support the unique needs of our PAL students by providing increased space and enhanced opportunities for learning.

The PAL program is designed for students who experience significant delays in academic, social, cognitive, adaptive, and communication development. The additional space at Sandy Hook allows for dedicated areas tailored to the various types of learning activities PAL students engage in—academic instruction, functional communication, behavioral skill-building, and social development.

The PAL team includes special education teachers, behavior analysts, and trained support staff who work closely with related service providers and general education teachers to ensure students have opportunities for inclusion and skill generalization across settings.

We are excited about the expanded possibilities this new location offers and look forward to the continued growth of our PAL students at Sandy Hook.

A heartfelt thank you to our custodial and maintenance staff for their tireless work over the past nine weeks preparing our schools for the 2025–26 school year. Your dedication, attention to detail, and behind-the-scenes efforts make a lasting difference, and we are truly grateful.

It was wonderful to see so many teachers and staff in our buildings today, getting classrooms ready, organizing materials, and preparing for the return of students. Your energy, collaboration, and commitment set the tone for a strong start to the 2025–26 school year, and we’re grateful for all you do to make our schools welcoming and ready for learning.

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.