Newtown Public Schools
Weekly Update - September 8, 2026
Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, begins at sundown on September 11 and continues through September 13. It is a time of reflection, renewal, and hope for the year ahead. Traditions often include gathering with family and friends, hearing the sounding of the shofar, and enjoying symbolic foods such as apples dipped in honey for a sweet new year.
We wish all members of our school community who celebrate Rosh Hashanah a happy, healthy, and sweet new year!
To prevent dangerous driving and improve enforcement, all school buses in our district will now be equipped with safety cameras that automatically record vehicles that illegally pass when the stop-arm is extended. Each potential violation is reviewed by local law enforcement before a citation is issued.
Our priority is to reduce illegal bus passing. To that end, warnings will be issued to violators starting September 15. As of October 19 - coincidentally, the first day of National Bus Safety Week 2026 - tickets in the amount of $250 will be issued to anyone illegally passing a school bus.
Over the coming weeks, you’ll see an awareness campaign throughout our community — reminding drivers to always stop for school buses and reinforcing the importance of safe driving around children.
As partners in student safety, we also ask that you take a few moments to talk to your child about safe school bus habits:
- Stay alert at the bus stop and avoid distractions
- Always wait for the driver’s signal before crossing the street
- Never walk behind the bus or in the driver’s blind spot
- Follow the driver’s instructions while boarding and riding
We’re grateful for your support in helping make our roads safer for students. Together, we can build a stronger culture of safety for every child who rides a school bus.
Hello, Newtown Families!
I am excited to introduce myself as your new Director of Safety & Security. My name is Jeremy Dexter, and I bring more than 20 years of law enforcement experience to this role. I recently retired as a Lieutenant with the Orange Police Department, where I also served as the department’s Training Coordinator.
For the past three years, I had the opportunity to work as a building substitute in Region 15. I thoroughly enjoyed my time in the schools, and the experience gave me a whole new perspective on education and the unique safety needs of a school community. I was drawn to this position because it provides an opportunity to combine that perspective with the skills and experience I have developed throughout my career in law enforcement and school safety.
When I’m not working, you’ll most likely find me shuttling my kids to their various sporting activities. When time allows, I enjoy attending concerts, riding my motorcycle, and, most of all, spending quality time with my family at our cabin in northern Maine.
I am truly looking forward to this opportunity and to getting to know the students, staff, families, and community that make Newtown such a special place. I look forward to working together to help ensure our schools remain safe, welcoming, and supportive environments for everyone!
Each Friday, these athletes will proudly wear their 15 for Life jerseys, helping spread an important message that goes far beyond the course.
Mental Matters. You Matter. Life Matters.
Every time they put on that jersey, they are helping raise awareness, start conversations, and remind others that no one should ever feel alone.
We are so proud of these young women for using their voices and their platform to make a difference.
Way to go, ladies! You make us proud!
The Newtown High School Athletic Department is teaming up with In A Heartbeat, a CT-based nonprofit organization, to host a free ECG screening event in the Newtown High School main gymnasium on October 22nd from 1:00 - 5:00 pm.
An ECG (electrocardiogram) is a way to measure the heart’s electrical activity and can detect abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias) that can increase the risk of sudden cardiac death. ECGs are quick, painless, and easy, and can save lives! These arrhythmias that the ECG detects are
missed with just a stethoscope and may not cause any symptoms, which is why these screenings are so important to keep children safe!
This free event is open to all Newtown Public Schools students (K-12). The event will be staffed with volunteer technicians who will answer any questions you may have, and parents will receive ECG results from In A Heartbeat within two weeks. The event is voluntary and pre-registration is encouraged. Click here to register your child for this screening.
At Newtown Public Schools, we want every student to have access to a nutritious meal each school day. In accordance with our Board-approved Meal Charging Policy, students will not be denied a meal because of an outstanding meal account balance.
Families are encouraged to regularly monitor and maintain their child’s meal account. MySchoolBucks provides a convenient and secure way to manage school meal purchases from anywhere.
Through the website or mobile app, families can:
- Add money to a student’s meal account
- Set up automatic payments
- Check account balances and review purchase history
- Receive notifications when an account balance is low
If you haven’t already, we encourage families to create a MySchoolBucks account at www.myschoolbucks.com or download the mobile app. Keeping track of your child’s account and maintaining a positive balance helps make mealtimes simple and seamless.
For additional information about the district’s Meal Charging Policy, please visit the Newtown Public Schools website or contact your child’s school.
Our PTA (Parent-Teacher Association) is a group made up of parents, teachers, and sometimes community members who work together to support our schools. The primary goal of our PTAs is to build a strong connection between families and schools to create a positive learning environment for students. PTAs often organize activities and events that benefit students, such as fundraisers, family nights, and volunteer programs. These events help raise money for classroom supplies, field trips, or other school needs that may not be covered by the school budget.
In addition to fundraising, the PTA acts as a bridge between parents and school administrations. They advocate for students by addressing concerns or providing feedback to school leaders. PTAs also host meetings, or informational sessions to keep parents informed about important issues, such as curriculum changes, testing schedules, or educational policies. By fostering collaboration among parents, teachers, and administrators, our PTAs plays a crucial role in enriching the school community and supporting student success.
You can find a link to each school's PTA by clicking on this link
