Newtown Public Schools

The excitement continues to build here at Newtown Public Schools as today we welcomed our faculty and staff back to our schools! After the relative quiet of August, our hallways were once again alive and bustling with activity. Bulletin boards are going up, classrooms are taking shape, and teachers and support staff are meeting, collaborating, and planning for the arrival of students. They will work wonders in these three short days before our students walk through the doors, and we are so grateful to everyone who contributes to the magic that happens in our schools each day.

We have also filled two very important leadership positions during the past week.

At Reed Intermediate School, I’m pleased to announce that Ms. Leslie Ford is our candidate of choice for the principal position. Leslie currently serves as Assistant Principal at Weston Intermediate School, where she works with students in grades 3–5, and brings 21 years of experience in Fairfield Public Schools. She began her career as an elementary classroom teacher and has held a variety of leadership roles focused on curriculum, instruction, and school leadership. Leslie brings a strong commitment to student-centered learning, collaborative leadership, and creating school communities where students and adults feel valued and supported. The Board of Education will consider Leslie’s appointment at its September 1 meeting, with a tentative start date of September 9.

Also joining our district leadership team is Jeremy Dexter, who officially began today as our new Director of Safety and Security. Jeremy is a retired Police Lieutenant with more than two decades of experience in law enforcement, leadership, emergency preparedness, training, and crisis management. Throughout his career, he has led personnel, coordinated emergency response initiatives, developed training programs, and built strong partnerships with schools, community organizations, and public safety agencies. His extensive background in crisis management, incident command, active-threat preparedness, and school safety will be an important asset as we continue our work to ensure safe, secure, and welcoming learning environments throughout NPS.

Looking Ahead: Our School Facilities

In other news, you may have read about the Board of Education’s recent vote to recommend that the Town of Newtown consider the construction of a new Grades 6–8 middle school. I know this is a significant topic for our families and community, so I want to provide some context about how we arrived at this point and what happens next.

Last spring, the Board formed a Facilities Planning Committee to study the long-term needs of our schools. Over several months, the committee reviewed the Facilities Conditions Assessments (FCAs) completed in 2024, updated enrollment projections, school capacity, educational programming needs, and the overall physical condition of our buildings. The committee engaged in extensive discussion and debate as it considered the various options and worked to identify the most responsible path forward for both our students and the community.

After that work, the committee unanimously recommended exploring the construction of a new middle school serving Grades 6–8. This option would address two significant challenges facing the district: the aging condition of Newtown Middle School and growing space constraints in our elementary schools.

The 2024 facilities assessment identified approximately $40 million in infrastructure improvements that would be needed at Newtown Middle School over the next ten years. That figure addresses the physical needs of the existing building and does not include the significant renovations that would be necessary to modernize learning spaces and better support current educational programming.

Under the concept recommended by the committee, sixth grade would return to the middle school, creating a Grades 6–8 model. Reed would then serve students in Grades 4–5 as an upper elementary school. This would provide additional space at our elementary schools, some of which are already at or near capacity and are projected to face additional enrollment pressures in the coming years.

It is important to emphasize that no decision has been made to build a new school. The Board of Education has recommended that the Town explore the possibility. Much work would still need to occur to determine feasibility, including overall project costs, the estimated impact on taxpayers, potential locations, funding opportunities, and timelines.

If the Town decides to move forward with exploring the project, there would be many opportunities for parents and community members to learn more, ask questions, and provide feedback. Ultimately, a school construction project of this magnitude would require approval by Newtown voters. Even if approved, we would likely be several years away from opening a new school.

This is only the beginning of what would be a significant community conversation. I will continue to provide updates through this newsletter as information becomes available and, should the project move forward, will make sure our families know how and when they can become involved.

For now, our immediate focus is on something much closer at hand—the return of our students! I am very excited to welcome them back to our schools and look forward to another wonderful year of learning, growth, and connection across Newtown Public Schools.

Warm regards,
Anne

Our full district calendar can be found here

Please reach out to your school if you have any questions.

Please find the 2026-2027 Bus Routes here!

*REMINDER*

• Pick Up and drop off times are estimated and therefore you must allow a 10-15 minute variation to the published times.
• Pick up and drop off times and stop locations are subject to change due to changing enrollment and traffic conditions.

We’re here to help! For any bus-related questions or concerns,

please reach out to All-Star at 203-304-9779

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.

An email invitation will be sent 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.

Children need healthy meals to fuel their learning, and a nutritious school breakfast and lunch support our students’ academic success, wellness, and physical well-being. Newtown Public Schools is proud to offer healthy, balanced meals every school day.

Here is what to know for the 2026–27 school year:

• Breakfast: Free for all students enrolled at Newtown High School (participating School Breakfast Program location).

• Lunch Prices:

  • Elementary Schools: $3.25

  • Reed Intermediate & Middle School: $3.50

  • High School: $3.75

Families may also qualify for free meals this school year.

Click here for more information and to apply!

(Or here for the Spanish language version)

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.

This year’s New Staff Orientation, led by Newtown High School English teacher Kristin English, provided a welcoming and comprehensive introduction to Newtown Public Schools for our newest educators. Throughout the week, new staff had opportunities to build relationships with one another, meet district and school leaders, and learn about the practices, programs, and resources that support teaching and learning across the district.

Sessions covered a wide range of topics, including classroom culture, restorative practices, meeting the needs of all learners, challenging behavior, technology, AI lesson integration, the Portrait of a Graduate, TEAM, teacher evaluation, and curriculum. New staff also learned more about the Newtown community through a district tour and had dedicated time to prepare their classrooms and connect with colleagues.

Thank you to Kristin English for coordinating and facilitating the week and to the many teachers, administrators, and staff members who shared their expertise and helped welcome our newest colleagues to the NPS community.

NHS Cheer took some time out of their summer to give back at National Night Out!

The team spent the evening face painting, creating crafts, and even taking their turn in the dunk tank! This has become an annual tradition for NHS Cheer, and we love being part of such a fun community event.

A huge thank you to SRO Stephanie McDermott for including us and giving our team the opportunity to be part of the night!

And we’re not done yet!

Catch NHS Cheer face painting at Rockin’ the Hook on Saturday, September 26th!

Come find us at the Heritage Park Pavilion and say hi!

With the summer still in full swing, that didn’t stop the South-West Conference (SWC) from hosting its annual Student-Athlete Leadership Summit on August 19th at Newtown High School.

The SWC Student-Athlete Leadership Summit brings together student leaders, team captains, and athletic directors from member high schools from the South-West Conference. The day focuses on team development, leadership, sportsmanship, inclusion, and the importance of education-based athletics.

Ten student-athletes from each SWC member school participated in a day filled with team-building activities and leadership development. Students were challenged to recognize their own leadership strengths, empower those around them, and learn how to effectively lead others.

The conference also provided an opportunity for SWC Athletic Directors to participate in professional development focused on education-based athletics and ways to continue supporting student-athletes both on and off the field.

It was a great day of learning, collaboration, and connection as student-athletes and athletic leaders from across the conference came together to strengthen their teams, schools, and the SWC as a whole.

A huge thank you to NHS Athletic Director, Matt Memoli for hosting this important event.

SWC Leadership Conference Presentation

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.

We are proud to officially introduce Newtown Sports Network.

What started as NFN Broadcasting has grown into something much bigger. As we continue to expand, so does our vision.

Beginning this fall, NSN will bring live broadcasts, highlights, interviews and coverage of Newtown High School Athletics, while continuing our commitment to the youth sports programs that helped build this platform.

This rebrand isn't about changing who we are- it's about growing into what we've always envisioned: one network connecting Newtown sports from youth to high school.

Thank you to every athlete, coach, parent, fan and supporter who has been part of this journey.

please follow us on instagram:

newtown_sports_network

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.