Newtown Public Schools

January marks the official start of the budget process. We encourage you to engage in the process whether in-person or virtually, your participation is an important part of the process.

The full district calendar can be found here.

The first Board of Education workshop will take place on Tuesday, January 28th, at 7 pm in Council Chambers. During this meeting, Board members will deliberate on the Superintendent's Proposed Budget. If needed, these deliberations will continue on January 30th.

On February 4th, the Board will hear public comment on the budget, engage in final deliberations before finalizing and voting on the budget that will be moved forward to the Board of Finance.

Parents, guardians, staff and community members are encouraged to engage in the budget process and provide feedback to our Board Members. This can be done by attending meetings in-person or virtually and speaking during public comment or by emailing Board members.

Town Referendums

• Our town charter provides that the Board of Education budget will be submitted to a town referendum.

• The question to be voted upon by referendum shall be the same resolution as was acted upon by the Legislative Council, without amendment (3-25 [h] of the Town Charter).

Connecticut State Statute

• When referendums are held, it is important to avoid any expenditure of public funds to advocate a referendum result.

• The statute prohibits any such expenditures of public funds to influence a vote on a referendum question.

• The scope of the prohibition is very broad and it applies to both local and regional school districts.

When do the prohibitions start?

• Expenditures of public funds to advocate for a referendum result is prohibited only when a referendum is “pending”, i.e. when all the legally necessary conditions have been satisfied to ensure that the question will be submitted to the voters.

• Thus, even when the date of the referendum is known, the referendum is not “pending” until the municipal body (in Newtown, the Legislative Council) has approved the question to be presented to the voters, which includes, for example, the amount of the budget to be approved.

Use of Public Funds

State statute prohibits public officials from authorizing the expenditure of public funds to advocate for a referendum that is pending. This includes:

• Using district email to send electronic advocacy messages

• Using district telephones to operate a phone bank to get out the vote

• Using district copy machines to make flyers

• Posting something on a PTA page on the school/district website

• Sending flyers home with students that promote a referendum result

• Reminders may be included in regularly published newsletters

State statute also prohibits indirect expenditures to advocate for a referendum that is pending. This includes:

• Using students as couriers for information advocating approval of a referendum question, regardless of whether that material is prepared by school officials or a third party group such as a PTA.

• While limited information regarding time, place and question to be voted upon may be sent home via backpacks, the school district’s automated calling and email systems cannot.

• Advocacy material may be posted on school or district websites; however, once a referendum is pending, such material must be removed.

First Amendment Rights

• School board members and school officials retain their right under the First Amendment to speak out in favor of the proposed school budget or other referendum question.

• School officials can advocate for a referendum result at meetings of the Board of Education.

• Other school employees and officials may speak out as well as long as they do so voluntarily on their own time when during the time the referendum is pending.

Superintendent Uberti will be attending these upcoming PTA meetings to answer questions regarding the budget. We welcome your attendance.

Head O’Meadow

Sandy Hook & SEPTA

Hawley

Reed, Middle & High (Combined Meeting)

Middle Gate

As you may be aware, there is an increase in respiratory illness across the state. We are experiencing an increase in reported cases of the flu and flu-like illness in our schools.

If your student has been diagnosed with the flu or has flu-like symptoms, please keep them home until they are fever free (temp below 100.4) for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medications and their symptoms have improved.

Newtown Public Schools encourages you to review the CDC Respiratory Virus Guidance which can be found here.

Online Kindergarten registration for the 2025-2026 school year is now open. Students who will turn five on or before September 1, 2025, are eligible to register for Kindergarten. If your child’s birthday falls between September 1, 2025 and January 1, 2026 and you would like your child to attend Kindergarten, you may complete the online registration and indicate that you are requesting a waiver. If you plan to enroll your child in Kindergarten, or if you plan to request a waiver, we encourage you to do so as soon as possible. This will help us plan for how many Kindergarten classes we will need based on the number of incoming students.

2025 Kindergarten Registration Process

• Online registration for all students seeking entrance into Kindergarten for the fall of 2025 will open January 6, 2025

• You may register your child on or after January 6th by visiting newtown.k12.ct.us and clicking on the Registration link

• Requests for consideration for early entry (waiver) will be made through a special section of the regular online registration; no other action needs to be taken at this time

• Any student seeking Kindergarten entrance for the fall of 2025 must be registered by February 1 in order for your home elementary school to schedule your child’s screening appointment

• Screening will take place between February 3rd and 13th at the home elementary school

• Specific dates and times will be communicated by the individual elementary schools

Once you have registered, please contact your elementary school to schedule a screening that will help your school prepare for your individual child’s needs.

If you have any questions, please contact Sarah Connell in our Central Office at 203-426-7606 for assistance.

Thank you for your interest in the Newtown Public Schools Preschool Program. The program offers quality educational services to children who have disabilities and to typically developing peers, referred to as Play Partners. Play Partners are role models to their disabled peers and benefit from instruction aligned to Connecticut Early Learning Development Standards.

If you are interested in having your child participate as a Play Partner, please complete the Play Partner Questionnaire 2025 - 2026 (LINK) by February 15, 2025. Play Partners are required to be three years of age on or by September 1, 2025 and be toilet trained before they are admitted to the program. You are still encouraged to complete the questionnaire if your child turns three shortly thereafter. We accept play partners throughout the year, accordingly. Children five years of age by September 1, 2025 are kindergarten eligible and will not be considered for participation as Play Partners. Kindergarten eligible children may not remain enrolled as a student in the Newtown Preschool Program.

Following submission of your questionnaire, the preschool team will contact you to invite your child to participate in a Play and Meet the Teacher activity scheduled for the afternoon of Friday, March 14, 2025 at Newtown Preschool Program located at Sandy Hook School. A preschool staff member will email you prior to the play session to confirm the details of the activity. Only one adult may accompany the child for the play activity.

You will receive notification through email by April 4, 2025 regarding your child’s Play Partner status. Parent confirmation of Play Partner participation will be due on April 25, 2025.

Newtown Public Schools Preschool Program Details are as follows:

Program Days: Mondays through Thursdays

Program Hours: Morning sessions run from 9:00 to 11:45

Afternoon sessions run from 12:45 to 3:30

Location: Newtown Preschool located at Reed Intermediate School

Rate: $2,400.00 for a full year four half day program

If you, a caregiver or an educator have any questions or concerns about your child’s development in any of the aforementioned developmental domains, rather than moving your child’s application forward as a Play Partner, it may be more appropriate to discuss your concerns and provide you with specific information regarding early childhood development or consider an evaluation. Please feel free to call Ms. Laura Pellerito, School Psychologist, at (203) 426-7683, if you have any questions about your child’s development.

Sincerely,

Laura Esposito

Supervisor of Special Education

Tel (203) 426-7626 • Fax: (203) 270-6185

Did you know that joining your PTA offers several benefits for both you and our school community? Our PTAs do many wonderful things throughout the school year that support and enhance the educational experience for our students. In addition to raising funds for educational programs and classroom resources, members have the opportunity to have their voices and ideas heard, meet new people and build connections within the school and greater community, as well as gain leadership skills that can be both personally and professionally valuable. In addition, being involved in your PTA gives you a closer look at what is happening in your child’s school by participating in or organizing events that foster a positive school culture.

You can find a link to each school's PTA by clicking on this link.

Thank you for your support!

Being the parent of a student with special needs can be confusing, isolating and frightening. Newtown Special Ed PTA, or SEPTA, is a great way to connect with a supportive community. We look forward to you joining us!

For more information, please visit the Special Ed PTA's website by clicking on this link.

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.

All-Star is actively seeking drivers. Flexible schedules and a paid training program.

Consider calling today!