Veterans War Time Medal Ceremony
On September 21st I attended the Veterans War Time Medal Ceremony at Newtown High School. Any Connecticut Veteran, living or deceased, with qualifying wartime military service, is eligible to receive the Connecticut Veterans Wartime Service Medal. State Senator Tony Hwang, State Representative Mitch Bolinsky, First Selectman Dan Rosenthal, and Senior Vice Commander of American Legion Post 202, Donna Monteleone Randle, represented Newtown at the ceremony. Boy Scout Troop 370 presented and retired the colors. Newtown High School Band played the National Anthem. Newtown High School student Grace Lynch was the guest vocalist. I felt very honored to be part of this event, it was moving to see veterans from multiple eras receive recognition for their service.
Halloween Safety
From the candy to the costumes, Halloween is a fun-filled time for kids and parents. To help make it a trick-free treat, follow these simple safety tips from Safe Kids Worldwide.
Everyone loves a good scare on Halloween, but not when it comes to the safety of those little trick-or-treaters. Fortunately, there are lots of easy things parents and kids can do to stay safe on the spookiest of holidays.
Top Tips for Halloween Safety
- Carry glow sticks or flashlights, use reflective tape or stickers on costumes and bags, and wear light colors to help kids see and be seen by drivers.
- Join kids under age 12 for trick-or-treating.
- Slow down and be alert! Kids are excited about Halloween and may dart into the street. Turn on headlights early in the day to spot kids from further away.
- Remind kids to cross the street at corners or crosswalks.
- When selecting a costume, make sure it is the right size to prevent trips and falls. Choose face paint over masks when possible. Masks can limit children’s vision
Recognizing Three Sport Athletes and Coaches
On October 7th NHS athletes that participate in three sports and their coaches were recognized at the Three Sport Athletes Breakfast. Thank you to our coaches and student-athletes for their time and commitment.
Joseph P. Grasso Marching Band Festival
On October 15th I attended the Grasso Marching Band Festival at Blue and Gold Stadium. Bands from the surrounding areas participated and were judged on their performances. The festival was named in honor of the founder of the band program in the Newtown school district, Joseph Grasso. Mr. Grasso taught in Newtown schools from 1960 until his retirement in 1992.
National Arts Honors Society & Tri-M Music Honors Society Induction Ceremony
On October 12th I attended the National Honors induction ceremony of our fine arts students at Newtown High School. The event featured a guest speaker who is a young artist, Luana Barcelos. She shared her experiences being a local muralist and her not-so-common path of choosing to major in business at UConn. It was very inspirational and I believe the students learned a lot from her presentation.
Rotary Club Students of the Month
Congratulations to Newtown High School senior Savanna Robertson and Newtown Middle School seventh-grader Samuel Villagran for being selected as Newtown Rotary Club Students of the Month. In a ceremony held at Newtown Country Club, both students were presented with awards for their work in school and the community. This is just one of the many programs that Newtown Rotary supports to assist students as they grow into successful adults and citizens.
