Superintendent's Newsletter

Dear Newtown Families,

I hope this message finds you well and that you have the time to read through my monthly update. Below, please find some of our district's highlights and discover what makes Newtown Public Schools great!

Sincerely, Chris

As we reach recovery from the initial wave of pandemic-induced measures, schools have faced severe staff shortages, higher rates of absenteeism, addressing interrupted learning, and providing mental health support. The global pandemic impacted teaching and learning, prompting a unique shift in our practices, including the implementation of remote learning and the use of digital resources to engage students. Following a presentation by our Assistant Superintendent on October 5th, 2022, and January 3rd, 2023, it is clear that we are on the right path to recovery as our students are learning at an accelerated pace. Although we are beginning to see learning success, the impact of the pandemic would last well into the future, and this would necessitate adjustments to staffing, instructional resources, and specialized support.

Efforts to meet the academic and social-emotional needs of our students played a critical role in the design of our 2023-24 operational plan. Newtown staff and leaders would focus their work on meeting students' needs, providing high-quality instruction, offering a variety of academic pathways, providing appropriate support, and creating safe, respectful learning environments for all students. Our operational plan development aligned with our Mission in Newtown’s Strategic Plan – ensuring we have created an environment that represents:

• High Expectations
• Quality Instruction
• Continuous Improvements
• and Civic Responsibility

During volatile economic times and facing unprecedented challenges, it is important to remind ourselves that ensuring that our students reach their academic potential is our primary mission. The recently released scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) are consistent with the widespread suspicion that the pandemic took a major toll on public school students in the United States.

We are faced with Federal ESSERS funding ending, while student academic and social-emotional needs are projected to still exist. We are tasked to create a budget that supports programming while considering the financial stressors in our community. According to Harvard University professor, Dr. Richard Elmore, educators can best serve their students by actively engaging them in classroom instruction that emphasizes rigorous and relevant content, taught by highly skilled teachers. This model of improved student learning is referred to as the “instructional core.” But most importantly by protecting and enhancing the instructional core and strengthening our practice children become more engaged in student-centered classrooms where they are encouraged to generate and apply content actively. The focus of this year’s budget will be to protect and enhance the instructional core which includes three interdependent components: teachers’ knowledge and skill, students’ engagement, and academically challenging content.

As we build our budget each year, we are mindful of changes in enrollment. However, we have maintained reasonable class sizes to meet the growing needs of learners. While we project enrollment to be relatively flat for the 2023-2024 school year. The net result is a decrease in 41 students Pk-12. Staffing in our operational plan reflects projected enrollment but is equally attentive to the academic and social-emotional needs of our students. While we have included some staffing cuts in certified and non-certified staff based on enrollment and realignment of supports.

By streamlining processes, finding more cost-efficient options, and reducing the costs of running our schools, we can allocate more funds to teaching and learning. Qualified and motivated teachers are the single most important school-based determinant of quality education. Developing strategies to cut costs while resulting in more cost-efficient schools that can do more for our students while staying within our budget.

The Superintendent's final budget request is $85,989,669 or a 4.69% increase over this year.

Our 2023-24 budget maintains and enhances quality services and has the best interest of our students and staff in mind. Further, it supports all staff and leaders in their ability to improve the academic and social-emotional learning landscape for each student, including identifying students who will need to re-engage in school and find academic success in the year(s) ahead following a worldwide pandemic. The proposed operational plan meets BOE priorities in class size, technology, mental health resources, funding for special education, and the development of academic pathways that promote the diverse needs and interests of all students. Investments in our students now, more than ever, will represent a commitment to their future as capable learners, influential leaders, and civic-minded community members.

I had the pleasure to attend the Newtown High School Capstone presentations. A capstone is a multifaceted assignment that serves as a culminating academic and intellectual experience for students. Capstone projects take a wide variety of forms, but most are long-term investigative projects that culminate in a final product, presentation, or performance. Students are asked to select a topic, profession, or social problem that interests them, conduct research on the subject, maintain a portfolio of findings or results, create a final product demonstrating their learning acquisition or conclusions (a paper, short film, or multimedia presentation, for example), and give an oral presentation on the project to a panel of teachers, experts, and community members who collectively evaluate its quality. The Capstone project is a graduation requirement for all seniors in Connecticut.

While visiting classrooms I am reminded about how important joy is to learning. Especially after the pandemic, it has been evident that our children and staff love being back in a normal school environment. That sense of joy and engagement is important for all of us. Infusing joy with purpose can decrease student and teacher stress, foster community, and help students feel a greater sense of belonging. A teacher can actively create moments for joy and rejoicing in the classroom; by doing so, the teacher shares the gift of themselves with their students (Wineberg, 2012). While walking through our schools, I can honestly say, the joy and engagement are back!

On January 23rd our Strategic Planning Committee developed an understanding of the purpose and importance of a Portrait of the Graduate. We began to identify skills, competencies, and dispositions most important for Newtown graduates to possess. We also worked on setting up the focus groups for staff, families, community, and Board of Education members. Our first community focus group was held virtually on January 30th.

I understand the stress that this lack of consistent transportation is causing you and your family. I have compiled a list of frequently asked questions (FAQ). Below please find answers to many of your transportation questions. I will continue to keep lines of communication open and also continue to work to solve this problem.

Why can't we find bus drivers?

During the Pandemic, many drivers went on to find other transportation jobs, and it’s been extraordinarily difficult to recruit them back. At 56, the average school bus driver is 14 years older than the median U.S. worker. Buses are enclosed spaces, which experts say pose higher COVID transmission risks. Bus drivers typically work a split schedule, meaning they work in 2 shifts: One in the morning, and another in the afternoon. This makes it harder for them to take on second jobs to supplement their income. Because Newtown has two bus tiers, drivers have fewer hours driving, which means other districts with more tiers can provide more opportunities for working hours. Many drivers have chosen to find other forms of work at greater pay and flexible hours. The pandemic has left school districts throughout the nation with staff shortages. Though less talked about than the teacher shortage, the bus driver shortage is one of the most acute, along with shortages of paraprofessionals, special education teachers, and substitutes.

Why can’t the district hire owner-operators to help out?

In 2011, when the district decided to issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) for transportation services. All-Star Transportation was selected through the process which resulted in many of the owner-operators selling off their fleet. Many of the owner-operator drivers have found other employment and are not readily available to jump in with buses to drive.

What has the district done to try to find a solution to this problem?

• Over the summer we worked with our transportation provider to consolidate 6 buses.
• The Board of Education provided financial incentives to current bus drivers and hiring incentives to those to come aboard.
• Newtown Public Schools has offered our coaches the opportunity to earn their public passenger endorsement, so that they may provide transportation to and from athletic games.
• I’ve reached out to the Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents (CAPSS) and requested their advocacy in Hartford.
• All-Star Transportation has offered referral bonuses, increase pay rates, and increased recruiting efforts.
• I’ve spoken with the Connecticut Commissioner of Education, Charlene Russell-Tucker who is connecting me with Eric Scoville, CSDE Director of Communication, to explore and follow up with transportation partners to determine supports that may be available. Eric will connect for additional information as needed.
• I’ve contacted the United States Education Secretary, Miguel Cardona. He shared that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration did extend the “under the hood” waiver. This waiver exempts drivers seeking their Commercial Driver’s License from having to take an engine compartment portion of the pre-trip vehicle inspection skills testing. He also confirmed that this is a recurrent theme in many districts across the country.
• I’ve requested support from Newtown’s legislative delegation in Hartford and the Governor, as this problem is a statewide issue.
• When All-Star does not have enough drivers, we do try to borrow substitute drivers from other All-Star terminals, but our surrounding neighbors are also short-handed.
• Working with the bus company we attempted to further consolidate routes after the holiday break, but the route times were not efficient. We will develop new routes to hopefully address the shortage starting in early February.
• We investigated outside solutions such as rideshare options for students, but these programs are best suited for large urban areas and we also had concerns about student safety.
• Families received a survey where parents/guardians could choose to transport their children to and from school and at the high school level let us know if their children are choosing to drive to school. The purpose of this survey is to see if we would be able to consolidate routes further (parent choice) by accounting for the students choosing other forms of transportation.
• I’ve reached out to the American Legion, The Rotary Club, and the Greater Newtown Community to see if there are individuals with a Commercial Driver's License or those who want one to apply to be a bus driver.

Is Newtown the only district dealing with this issue?

Many districts are dealing with the bus driver shortage. Some districts are impacted more than others. There are barriers unique to Newtown which makes this issue more complicated for our district.

• Newtown covers 38,644 acres or 60.38 square miles, making it the fifth largest town, area-wise, in the state. The size of the town makes it difficult for us to consolidate/combine routes and keep bus times reasonable.

• The lack of safe walking paths to and from school does not allow the school district to leverage or expand walking routes.
• As mentioned above, the two-tier bus structure provides fewer working hours and requires more buses per run.
• Other districts are having issues with the bus driver shortage. The bus driver shortage is also impacting multiple bus companies. Please see the links:

• https://ctexaminer.com/2022/11/22/middletown-schools-try-to-address-bus-driver-shortages-that-have-left-parents-in-the-lurch/
• https://www.fox61.com/article/news/education/bus-driver-shortage-likely-to-impact-another-school-year/520-078a5094-9678-4e02-8a49-807d7ad10569
• https://www.wtnh.com/news/education/durham-experiencing-school-bus-driver-shortage/
• https://www.sheltonherald.com/news/article/Illness-Shelton-school-bus-missed-runs-17463250.php

How long does it take to get a bus driver’s license?

Before driving a bus, new hires must complete 20 hours of classroom instruction and, after obtaining a CDL permit, 60-80 hours of behind-the-wheel training. Training includes student management, proper student transportation procedures, state laws, company policy, defensive-driving procedures, legal use of the roadway, speed control, zone control, lane position, proper student pickup, and drop-off railroad crossing procedures, and pre-trip checks of a bus’s interior and exterior. All newly licensed drivers must be cleared by an All-Star transportation trainer before driving a bus by themselves. Employees must attend monthly safety meetings focusing on state-mandated topics, as well as seasonal workshops on subjects such as back-to-school tune-ups, winter driving, “spring into safety,” and complacency and danger zones.