Superintendent's Newsletter

Dear Newtown Community,

As we enter this season of Thanksgiving, I am sure you look forward to this time to enjoy family traditions, travel, or just relax. I am thankful for my family, my friends, and my health. I am so grateful for the warm welcoming to Newtown and the opportunity to work in a community that deeply cares about our students. There isn’t another place that I would rather be than here. Your unwavering commitment has not gone unnoticed, as families, teachers, staff, and students work together in the best interest of our school community.

I wanted to send each of you a sincere word of thanks and my warmest wishes for a happy and safe holiday celebration. I truly hope you can have a wonderful day filled with thanks and reflect on the blessings of the year gone by.

I am looking forward to the much-needed time with my family. I hope that this time also provides you with the rest that you all deserve. I wish you a happy and safe Thanksgiving break with family and friends.

Below, please find some past highlights and discover what makes Newtown Public Schools great!

Sincerely,

Chris

On October 1st I attended the Computer Science National Honors Society at Newtown High School. The National Computer Science Honor Society recognizes young students who have demonstrated interest, passion, and academic excellence in the subjects of computer science, programming, and other computer science disciplines. More importantly, the program encourages women to participate in computer science. "In 2011, women received only 18.2% of bachelor's degrees in computer science according to the National Girls' Collaborative Project. This number has been slowly increasing over the past decade."

On Halloween visited Middle Gate School and to my surprise, I found that the staff was enjoying the day, as much as the students. The theme for the staff costumes was Beanie Babies! The students were loving the fact that our faculty and staff are also big kids at heart!

Shawn Mullens is a science teacher at Newtown High School and he recently took me on a tour of the Newtown High School garden and greenhouse. Shawn incorporates the garden into the Greenery curriculum. The food harvested from the garden goes to the cafeteria and also to Real Food CT which takes the harvest and donates them to food pantries and soup kitchens. Shawn commented that harvesting for a purpose has assisted in improving the students’ focus on the work. Working for a purpose (helping the community) has improved the student motivation to excel in their classes.

Even though there was some light rain, the students and staff at Reed Intermediate School came out in force to thank our veterans! Inside, our Reed chorus entertained veterans and their families!

Congratulations to the Newtown Athletic Department. For the second straight year, Newtown Athletics was named a Michaels Cup Award Winner. The Michaels Cup is presented to programs that exhibit sportsmanship and community service.

On November 20th I attended Newtown High School’s production of Almost Maine. Almost, Maine is a story about a place that’s so far north, it’s almost not in the United States. It’s almost in Canada. And it’s not quite a town, because its residents never got around to getting organized. So it almost doesn’t exist. One cold, clear, winter night, as the northern lights hover in the star-filled sky above, the residents of Almost Maine, find themselves falling in and out of love in unexpected and hilarious ways. The students did an amazing job! I encourage all of our community to come out to any of our fine arts productions, our students and faculty are amazing!

On Monday, November 21st I attended the Newtown High School National Honors Society Induction. Congratulations to the students as well as congratulations to the parents and families of these remarkable young people.

In the past few school years, our students have had to overcome adversity, unlike any other group. Adapting to unexpected conditions, learning in unprecedented ways, and using synchronous and asynchronous instruction, while also being challenged to establish connections with teachers, families, and peers. Even with all of these obstacles before them, they've persevered and succeeded. I would like to thank our current National Honors Society members for their continued commitment to service and education. They continue to set a high standard of service for our future members.

New National Honors Society inductees were selected based on four criteria: Character, Scholarship, Leadership, and Service. These students excel in academics, but also give their time, knowledge, and energy to those who need help the most. They have taken an active role in their lives. They share the belief that the few can help to inspire the many. These students are selfless leaders who give service to others without worrying about what they will receive in return.

We have begun the process of creating a strategic plan. Newtown Public Schools has partnered with Partners for Educational Leadership to develop a process to create a viable strategic plan for Newtown Public Schools. Strategic planning establishes how a school will reach its goals and uphold its vision and values. A strategic plan is like a road map that gets you where you are aiming to be. It is our goal that this strategic plan will inspire and unite the whole school community, keep the focus on the big picture, and assist our district to keep pace in a changing world. Through this process, we will ensure that this is not something imposed from the top down. Input and buy-in from all stakeholders will not only minimize the chance of blind spots and unlock collective genius, but it will also ensure that everyone is committed to the plan. Get all members of the community involved in considering the possibilities and opportunities the school has, and how you can make the most of them. In the coming months, we will be reaching out to you for your voice in this process.

Congratulations to Emma Kozek! She was recognized on November 22nd as Newtown Middle School's Rotary Club Student of the month. Emma is a thoughtful, kind, and courteous student. She is a model student, and a quiet leader and she never fails to try her best. She is a pillar of the Lions' Pride Community Values.

I'm looking forward to my first Masuk/Newtown football game on Wednesday evening. I hope to see you all there to support the football team, cheer squad, and band. Go Hawks!