Newtown Public Schools
Weekly Update - August 31, 2026
Congratulations to Paraeducator of the Year, Susan Burbank of NMS!
Sue is the kind of person every school hopes to have on its team. A dedicated and caring paraeducator at Newtown Middle School, she brings kindness, positivity, and a wonderful sense of humor to her work each day. Sue is always there for her students, but her impact extends well beyond them—she is equally supportive of the colleagues around her and has a way of making hard days easier and good days better. We are incredibly fortunate to have Sue as part of the Newtown Public Schools community and proud to recognize her as our Paraeducator of the Year!
Congratulations to Teacher of the Year, Alexa Calo of MGS!
Alexa is a Kindergarten Teacher at Middle Gate Elementary School whose dedication to her students extends far beyond the classroom. She consistently goes above and beyond for her students, her school, and the greater Newtown community, bringing tremendous care and commitment to all that she does. Alexa exemplifies the very best of our educators—creating a classroom where our youngest learners feel supported, encouraged, and excited to learn. We are incredibly proud to recognize Alexa for this well-deserved honor and fortunate to have her as part of Newtown Public Schools!
Convocation Keynote Speaker, George Couros
Thank You, George Couros!
A special thank you to George Couros for helping us kick off the new school year with a message that made a real impact—while generating plenty of laughs along the way! George challenged us to think about relationships, engagement, innovation, and how we help every student recognize and develop their potential. His combination of humor, storytelling, and thought-provoking ideas gave us plenty to reflect on as we begin the year.
If you enjoyed George’s message—or would like to hear more—check out his podcast, The Innovator’s Mindset. Superintendent Anne Uberti and Assistant Superintendent Frank Purcaro were recent guests for a conversation about Newtown, productive struggle, community, and helping students find their potential and purpose.
🎧 Listen to “Challenge, Community, and Student Potential – Anne Uberti and Frank Purcaro"
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.
The Nighthawks were up early Sunday morning to cheer on runners and walkers at the 1st Annual Newtown Community Running Event at Fairfield Hills!
What a great morning celebrating fitness, community, and the incredible people who make Newtown such a special place to call home. The event brought together runners, walkers, families, and supporters from across the community—and featured Newtown’s first-ever half marathon!
We were proud to be there to cheer, encourage, and support everyone crossing the finish line
Even more meaningful, net proceeds from the event will benefit Newtown Ambulance in honor of Greg Ritzinger, recognizing his service and dedication to our community.
Thank you for letting our Nighthawks be part of such a wonderful community event!
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
