Newtown Public Schools

After months of discussions, the school budget has finally been set, along with the town budget. The Legislative Council deliberated last Wednesday and ultimately accepted the recommendation of the Board of Finance’s $900K reduction for a total increase to the school budget of 4.96%. The budget will now go to referendum on April 22nd, the Tuesday after we return from next week's break. I would like to thank everyone for their engagement in the process as I know how challenging it is to find time while caring for your families.

Although it certainly doesn’t feel like Spring, it is only a matter of time before we are facing warm days. With that in mind, I wanted to update you on the cooling of our schools. Newtown High School, Reed Intermediate, Sandy Hook, and Head O’Meadow, all have central HVAC systems. Hawley School had an HVAC system installed in the 22-23 school year. We have had some challenges with regulating the temperature and humidity levels throughout the building since the system was installed. This will require further fine-tuning once the weather turns warmer. We ask for your patience as we work on optimizing the system’s cooling capacity. At Middle Gate, over the years, a number of portable air conditioners had been added to various classrooms. Last summer, I asked for a count of how many classrooms did NOT have a unit and the actual number was relatively low. Further analysis proved that the school has the electrical capacity to add units to the remaining classrooms. I’m pleased to let you know that work will be done over next week’s break and all classroom spaces will have functioning AC units upon our return. As for Newtown Middle School, we are in the process of conducting an electrical study to determine whether or not it would also be possible to add portable units there. In addition to determining if this is electrically feasible, we will also be looking at electrical costs. It is unlikely that we would be able to put units in every room in the middle school but perhaps we could consider cooling known “hot spots”. I will keep you informed as we look at possible options.

I’m sure that no reminder is needed but next week our schools will be closed for spring break. I’m very glad it is not this week given the weather! I hope you all have a wonderful week with your families. There will be no NPS Weekly Update next Monday. The next installment will be on Monday, April 21st.

Enjoy the break!

Anne

The full district calendar can be found here.

Last Wednesday, the Legislative Council voted to approve the 2025/2026 Town of Newtown Budget. That sets the Board of Education budget at a 4.96% increase.

The referendum will be held at Newtown Middle School, on April 22, 2025. Polls will be open from 6 am and 8 pm.

If you are unable to vote in person, you may qualify to submit an absentee ballot application. Click here for more detailed information.

To ensure compliance with all election laws please refer to the information below:

Town Referendums

• Our town charter provides that the Board of Education budget will be submitted to a town referendum.

• The question to be voted upon by referendum shall be the same resolution as was acted upon by the Legislative Council, without amendment (3-25 [h] of the Town Charter).

Connecticut State Statute

• When referendums are held, it is important to avoid any expenditure of public funds to advocate a referendum result.

• The statute prohibits any such expenditures of public funds to influence a vote on a referendum question.

• The scope of the prohibition is very broad and it applies to both local and regional school districts.

When do the prohibitions start?

• Expenditures of public funds to advocate for a referendum result is prohibited only when a referendum is “pending”, i.e. when all the legally necessary conditions have been satisfied to ensure that the question will be submitted to the voters.

• Thus, even when the date of the referendum is known, the referendum is not “pending” until the municipal body (in Newtown, the Legislative Council) has approved the question to be presented to the voters, which includes, for example, the amount of the budget to be approved.

Use of Public Funds

State statute prohibits public officials from authorizing the expenditure of public funds to advocate for a referendum that is pending. This includes:

• Using district email to send electronic advocacy messages.

• Using district telephones to operate a phone bank to get out the vote.

• Using district copy machines to make flyers.

• Posting something on a PTA page on the school/district website.

• Sending flyers home with students that promote a referendum result.

• Reminders may be included in regularly published newsletters.

State statute also prohibits indirect expenditures to advocate for a referendum that is pending. This includes:

• Using students as couriers for information advocating approval of a referendum question, regardless of whether that material is prepared by school officials or a third party group such as a PTA.

• While limited information regarding time, place and question to be voted upon may be sent home via backpacks, the school district’s automated calling and email systems cannot.

• Advocacy material may be posted on school or district websites; however, once a referendum is pending, such material must be removed.

First Amendment Rights

• School board members and school officials retain their right under the First Amendment to speak out in favor of the proposed school budget or other referendum question.

• School officials can advocate for a referendum result at meetings of the Board of Education.

• Other school employees and officials may speak out as well as long as they do so voluntarily on their own time during the time the referendum is pending.

Recognizing the diverse holidays and celebrations that shape our students' lives and experiences.

As our spring break approaches, we want to acknowledge and wish our students, families, and staff observing the following religious holidays a meaningful time of reflection and celebration: Good Friday and Easter (Christian) and Passover (Jewish).

Good Friday (Christian): This is a solemn Christian holiday observed on the Friday before Easter. It commemorates the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ at Calvary. It is a day of mourning, reflection, and penance for Christians. Wishing those observing Good Friday a day of reflection and peace.

Easter (Christian): Easter is the central Christian festival celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, which Christians believe occurred on the third day after his crucifixion. It is a time of joy and celebration of new life and the triumph over death. Wishing our Christian students, families, and staff a joyful Easter filled with hope and renewal.

Passover (Jewish): Passover, or Pesach in Hebrew, is an eight-day Jewish festival celebrated in the spring. It commemorates the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt, as told in the Book of Exodus. Key observances include a special meal called a Seder, the retelling of the Exodus story, and abstaining from leavened bread. To our Jewish students, families, and staff, we wish you a meaningful and joyous Passover filled with tradition and connection.

A heartfelt thank you to all the incredible school librarians! Even though National School Librarian Day was last Friday, your dedication and hard work resonate every single day. You are the heart of our school libraries, fostering a love of reading, guiding students on their learning journeys, and creating welcoming spaces for exploration and discovery. Your impact on our students and the entire school community is truly invaluable. Thank you for all that you do!

This week, April 7–11, 2025, marks National Assistant Principals Week, a well-deserved celebration of the unsung heroes in our education system – our Assistant Principals. Assistant Principals tirelessly bolster teachers, motivate students, support principals, and build positive learning communities, tackling countless challenges. Their crucial role deserves our sincere appreciation for their hard work and commitment to our students, schools, and the profession. Join us in celebrating these incredible leaders!

The application portal for tuition assistance awarded by the Newtown Scholarship Association is LIVE! The deadline to apply for our flagship award, the Hertberg Family Scholarship ($10,000/year) is Friday, March 28th. The deadline for the general pool (awards from $500 to $7,500 traditionally) is Friday, April 11th. Students who graduate from NHS (or live in Newtown but attend school elsewhere, ie. Immaculate) are eligible.

Link to the homepage: newtownscholarship.org

Link to the application form: newtownscholarship.smapply.io/

The K-12 art teachers are busy preparing the work of our talented artists for the upcoming district show. Our National Art Honor Society students will be assisting the art teachers in those preparations as they learn the ins and outs of running an art exhibition. The show runs March 31-April 10 at the Newtown Municipal Center and features work from every school. Music will be provided by Newtown High School students and the NHS Culinary Program will provide delicious treats. Thank you to the Newtown Cultural Arts Commission for their help and support of using the Municipal Center Gallery.

This show is a precursor to each of our building art shows in May. You can find all of those dates on the district calendar.

Thank you for your interest in the Newtown Public Schools Preschool Program. The program offers quality educational services to children who have disabilities and to typically developing peers, referred to as Play Partners. Play Partners are role models to their disabled peers and benefit from instruction aligned to Connecticut Early Learning Development Standards.

If you are interested in having your child participate as a Play Partner, please complete the Play Partner Questionnaire 2025 - 2026 (LINK) by February 15, 2025. Play Partners are required to be three years of age on or by September 1, 2025 and be toilet trained before they are admitted to the program. You are still encouraged to complete the questionnaire if your child turns three shortly thereafter. We accept play partners throughout the year, accordingly. Children five years of age by September 1, 2025 are kindergarten eligible and will not be considered for participation as Play Partners. Kindergarten eligible children may not remain enrolled as a student in the Newtown Preschool Program.

Following submission of your questionnaire, the preschool team will contact you to invite your child to participate in a Play and Meet the Teacher activity scheduled for the afternoon of Friday, March 14, 2025 at Newtown Preschool Program located at Sandy Hook School. A preschool staff member will email you prior to the play session to confirm the details of the activity. Only one adult may accompany the child for the play activity.

You will receive notification through email by April 4, 2025 regarding your child’s Play Partner status. Parent confirmation of Play Partner participation will be due on April 25, 2025.

Newtown Public Schools Preschool Program Details are as follows:

Program Days: Mondays through Thursdays

Program Hours: Morning sessions run from 9:00 to 11:45

Afternoon sessions run from 12:45 to 3:30

Location: Newtown Preschool located at Reed Intermediate School

Rate: $2,400.00 for a full year four half day program

If you, a caregiver or an educator have any questions or concerns about your child’s development in any of the aforementioned developmental domains, rather than moving your child’s application forward as a Play Partner, it may be more appropriate to discuss your concerns and provide you with specific information regarding early childhood development or consider an evaluation. Please feel free to call Ms. Laura Pellerito, School Psychologist, at (203) 426-7683, if you have any questions about your child’s development.

Sincerely,

Laura Esposito

Supervisor of Special Education

Tel (203) 426-7626 • Fax: (203) 270-6185

During a recent learning walk, second graders at Middle Gate were observed enthusiastically researching birds as part of their reading module study.

Be sure to visit the Municipal Center between March 31 and April 10 to see this year’s District Art Show 2025! You will see the imagination of our talented artists come to life in the creative pieces they have made over the course of the year (so far!). The art show reception took place on Thursday, April 3 and was enjoyed by all as students happily shared their masterpieces with parents, families and friends. NHS National Art Honor Society students earned many fans as they provided face painting to students and adults! NHS Culinary students provided tasty treats and Sadie Baimel sang beautiful music throughout the evening. A special shout out the Newtown Cultural Arts Commission for helping us obtain gallery space for our show. Here is a taste:

The National Core Arts Standards are made up of the artistic processes of Creating, Performing/Presenting/Producing, Responding and Connecting (“relating artistic ideas and work with personal meaning and external context”). Anchor Standard 10 is: “Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art.” Anchor Standard 11: “Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural and historical context to deepen understanding”. (https://www.nationalartsstandards.org/)

Music

Newtown High School Junior Lillian Padilla provides a great example of Music connecting to Social Studies:

“For a US History project, we were tasked with making a "creative piece" about the Cold War. Some of the options were writing a poem, making a poster, or rewriting song lyrics to fit the topic. As a music student, I opted to rewrite the lyrics of the song "That Funny Feeling" (originally written by Bo Burnham) to fit the topic of the Cold War.”

You can hear her song:

The Newtown High School Singers and Choir performed in the Autism Awareness Concert at Newtown Congregational Church on Saturday, March 29th. This annual fundraiser is put on by F.U.N. (Families United in Newtown) and run by Linda Jones.

We have been very excited to have Cosmic Coffee + Smoothie Bar feature student art work again this year. It is an authentic experience for Newtown High School students to have their work exhibited. Patrons have enjoyed this opportunity as well, so much so, that a few patrons have offered to purchase student work!

Congratulations to Sadie Baimel and Cameron Linnetz for their performance in the All-State Music Festival on Saturday, March 29. They were chosen after two auditions in which they demonstrated their musical abilities through solo performance, as well as scale and sight-reading skills. Sadie performed in the Mixed Choir (soprano), with conductor Dr. Jeffrey Douma of the Yale School of Music (Yale Glee Club). They performed Ayudame! By Carolos Cordero, Tonight Eternity Alone by Rene Clausen, I’ll Go with You by Dr. Jeffrey Douma,

A Prayer by Ken Burton, and Lingua Tonga by Shruthi Rajasekar. Cameron (tuba) performed in the Orchestra with conductor Catherine Birke of The Juilliard School Music Advancement Program. They performed Subwaves by Trevor Weston and Borodin’s Polovtsian Dances from Prince Igor.

Over 1200 students, with families and teachers attended the 30th CAS Awards Banquet on April 1 at the Aqua Turf. “This award is presented annually to honor two seniors from each CAS member high school who excel in the performing and visual arts and possess qualities of scholarship and leadership.” (CAS)

Congratulations to Emily Metzger (art) and Sadie Baimel (music/theater) as this year’s CT Association of School award winners! They are pictured with NHS Choral Director Jane Matson and NHS Art teacher Kymberly Noone. Sadie was also selected to kick-off the ceremonies by performing the National Anthem!

The NMS musical was performed this past weekend to the delight of families, friends and the community. 53 students spent many hours learning their lines, music, dances, and crew responsibilities to prepare this fun and colorful show. Guest appearances were also made by Principal Jim Ross and Assistant Principal Brian Walsh. Congratulations to all!

The Wizard of Oz (Youth Edition)

Reed Intermediate School Drama Club

May 2-4

The RIS Drama Club will be performing another fan favorite - The Wizard of Oz. Originally written in 1900 by L. Frank Baum, follow the adventures of Dorothy and Toto when they land in Oz.

Families, friends, and the Newtown community can enjoy the Unified Music class performance of their rap songs in the NHS Chorus Spring Concert on May 19. Here is a link to the district calendar: https://www.newtown.k12.ct.us/calendar as well as the district’s Visual and Performing Arts Calendar of Events: https://hiscavichm.wixsite.com/nhs-fine-arts/calendar-of-events

Monday 4/7

Boys Lacrosse vs Stamford

JV-6:00 Back Field

Varsity-7:00 B&G

Boys Volleyball vs Danbury

JV-5:00

Varsity-6:30

Tuesday 4/8

Boys Lacrosse vs Bunnell/Stratford

Varsity-7:00

Girls Tennis vs Trumbull

3:30

Softball vs Trumbull

Varsity- 4:30

Thursday 4/10

Softball vs Fairfield Warde

Varsity-4:15

Boys Lacrosse vs Brookfield

JV-5:00

Varsity-7:00

Baseball vs Norwalk

4:15

Boys Tennis vs Pomperaug

3:30

Friday 4/11

Girls Lacrosse vs Staples

JV-5:00

Varsity-7:00

Saturday 4/12

Boys Volleyball vs Cheshire

JV-10:30

Varsity-12:00

We are proud to announce these 4 amazing Seniors were awarded the following awards:

Rachael Albrect & Charlie Dunn were awarded the SWC Leadership Award.

Mo Murphy & Marc Maurath were awarded the CAS-CIAC Scholar Leader Award

Congratulations to all!

On Tuesday April 1st, members of Wrestling, Cheer, Dance and Indoor track were invited to the BOE meeting for a Celebration of Excellence. The students did a small presentation on their incredible seasons.

Congratulations Nighthawks!

Dance-State Champions-Jazz division

Wrestling- SWC Champions

Girls Indoor Track- SWC Champions

Cheer- SWC, State & New England Champion

NHS Softball will be holding a camp during break week. This camp is open to all youth Softball players. There will be no charge for this clinic as this is for Senior captain, Sophia Caruso's

Capstone project. We hope to see you there.

Register today! April 15-16th 10:30-12:00, NHS Softball field.

We would like to Congratulate Matt Memoli, NHS Athletic Director on being selected to receive the 2025 Paul Mengold Athletic Director of the Year Award.

Matt is receiving this prestigious award due to his ongoing support of Unified Sports at NHS, he believes that every student with different needs should have the opportunity to participate in a CIAC sport.

Unified Sports is year around at NHS. The students participate in Soccer, Basketball, Track & Flag football, bringing together students from around the area for games and tournaments.

Mr. Memoli will be presented with this award at the CIAC Unified Sports Awards Banquet in April.

Photo credit: Andy Hutchison at The Newtown Bee

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!

Please take a few minutes to complete the survey on school meals from Chartwells.

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!