Newtown Public Schools

Weekly Update - October 21, 2024

Message from the Superintendent

Dear Newtown Families, Faculty and Staff,

I believe last week was the first week since mid-September in which no buses were parked. That being said, there were still some other communication issues that were not adequately addressed by All-Star and I will continue to work with them to improve in this area. I have also heard from a handful of community members who have put forth several possible explanations as to why All-Star has had difficulty attracting drivers to Newtown. Those range from lack of benefits/adequate insurance, to low pay, and our two-tier bus system resulting in less driver hours. I will be looking into each of these factors and comparing them to area towns. However, keep in mind that nationally, in 2023, there were approximately 15% fewer bus drivers than there were in 2019. The bus driver shortage is not unique to Newtown. There was a wave of retirements, known as the “Great Retirement” during and following the pandemic that has impacted many employment sectors. That being said, there is a limited pool of potential applicants and if there is something that causes drivers to go to a surrounding town instead of here, it is something we should be considering.

At last week’s Board meeting, our elementary and intermediate principals presented their School Strategic Plans. These plans tie directly to the NPS Strategic Plan and include steps for improving academic achievement, creating schools that are welcoming and supportive for all students, and creating working environments that are positive for staff. My leadership team has committed to the steps identified in their plans and our theory of action is that those steps will result in the desired outcomes in each of these important areas. If you are interested in viewing the presentations, please click on the following link: Newtown BOE Meeting 10.15.24.

Our schools are places to learn and academics are always prioritized. Given the amount of time your children are in our care, we also recognize our responsibility in shaping students’ development. When children make mistakes, as they will do, we need to balance the teaching moment with the consequence. In the earlier years of development, we rely heavily on teaching students why what they did was wrong. As they get older and have presumably had repeated opportunities to learn right from wrong, we shift more to consequences. Some kids will never learn from being “told”. They need to learn from experience and that is when consequences become very important. If there are no consequences at that stage, we are essentially teaching kids that what they did was okay. Although we do our best, we don’t always know what our students are experiencing. And we can’t help if we don’t know. If your child is experiencing problems at school, please reach out to the teacher and/or counselor. If you do not receive a satisfactory response, then reach out to either the assistant principal or principal. You may not always agree with the outcome but I can assure you, your concern will be fully considered and/or investigated.

Looks like we are in for a summer bonus week of weather. Get out and enjoy the last of the warmth!

Warm regards,

Anne

Important District News and Reminders

Newtown Youth & Family Services

Newtown Youth and Family is licensed non-profit mental health clinic & youth service bureau offering high quality programs & services for the well-being of the our community. They offer a full range of supportive services. Some examples are:

REC is a social and recreational club for children, teens, and adults with social difficulties or moderate to high-functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders.

The Life Skills Program is for young adults with social difficulties or Autism Spectrum Disorders to increase knowledge and skills necessary for everyday living.

Sibshops offers support for siblings of brothers and sisters of special health and developmental needs.

For more information, see the flyer below or visit their website at Newtown Youth and Family.

American Legion Post 202

Faculty and Staff~

The American Legion Post 202 is seeking to recruit at least one member from each school in order to serve as a liaison between our schools and the Legion. Those of you who have worked in our schools, are likely aware of all the Legion offers to our students. Prospective members do not have to attend meetings if you are unable. Please see the flyer below for details. If you have interest, please reach out to Donna Monteleone for more information. Thank you in advance!

Wait Until 8th Pledge

Newtown Public Schools encourages parents to consider taking the pledge Waiting Until 8th. The Wait Until 8th pledge empowers parents to rally together to delay giving children a smartphone until at least the end of 8th grade. By taking the Wait Until 8th pledge, you are committing to protecting our children from the distractions and the dangers of having a smartphone in the elementary and middle school years. Banding together helps decrease the pressure to have a smartphone at an early age. Ten years old is the average age children get their first smartphone. You can change this!

Through the pledge, parents gain support in resisting societal pressures and expectations surrounding early smartphone ownership. Instead, they can opt for basic phones or watches for communication purposes while avoiding the pitfalls associated with smartphones.

More than 75,000 parents have said yes to waiting on the smartphone for their families. This is making a tremendous difference in communities across the country!

For more information or to take the pledge:

Website: https://www.waituntil8th.org/

Instagram: Waituntil8th_Newtown

All-Star

WE NEED YOUR HELP!!!

If you are interested in driving a bus, please reach out to All-Star for more information on how to become a driver.

October Calendar

November Calendar

The full district calendar can be found here.

18th Annual HRRA Recycling Billboard Contest!

Newtown students are invited to participate in a local and regional art contest sponsored by the Housatonic Resources Recovery Authority.

The theme this year is:

“Batteries Can Cause Fires!”

Student’s artwork should teach residents that batteries do not belong in your trash or household recycling. Their artwork should promote how to properly dispose of batteries. Regional winners could win $500, $75, $50 or $25 prizes for their artwork!

Students can visit https://hrra.org/annual-billboard-contest/ for a complete list of rules and to read information on why this theme is so important!

Original artwork should be submitted by Friday, November 15, 2024 - in the collection box at Newtown Town Hall, at Public Works, or any of the schools.

We are excited to see the inspiring messages students create this year!

Questions? Email Newtown Town Coordinator Arlene Miles at arlene.miles@newtown-ct.gov

NHS Athletics

NHS Dance Team

Newtown High School Varsity dance team recently held a kids clinic for grades K-8. They had 55 excited future Nighthawks show up with the promise of a fun day of friendship and plenty of dancing. They were also given the opportunity to perform with the Varsity team at halftime of the Football game on Friday night 10/18. They did not disappoint! What a fun night for the students and fans!

NHS Dance can be found at all home Football games wowing the crowd at halftime and showing their spirit on the sidelines with the band. NHS Dance is well known in the SWC and State. They have been the SWC Champs 9xs, and State Champs 5xs.

They are really something special!

Fun Fact: NHS Dance is coached by Sisters, Emily Brestovansky Marks & Lindsey Brestovansky. Both former NHS Dancers.

NPS Unified Tournament

Calling all Super Fans of Unified Sports!

Soccer season is coming to a close for these amazing students. They are hosting a tournament on Wednesday October 23rd - 3:15pm, at Newtown Youth Academy. There will be several teams showing up and showing off their skills. If you are in the area, you don't want to miss this. Come on down and cheer these kids on.

Go Nighthawks!

SWC Championships

It's beginning to look a lot like SWC Championship time at NHS!

Boys Varsity Golf started us off on Wednesday October 16th. They teed off at Fairchild Wheeler Golf Course in Fairfield. For second straight year the Nighthawks are the SWC Boys Golf Champions!

Great job boys!

Next up, Boys and Girls Cross Country! They competed at Bethel High School trails on October 16th.

The Boys finished the day in 3rd place and the Girls coming in 4th.

Newtown's own, Soheib Dissa, won the boys championship in a time of 16:00.1 !

Congratulations!

New Pool Record!

Congratulations Senior Alexa Kwarcinski on setting a new pool record in the 200m with a time of 2:12.00!!

The previous record was from 1998! You go Girl!

The Voice of Newtown High School

Congratulations & Thank you to J. Edwards as he called his 2000th game for Newtown High School!

Mr. Edwards is the best in the business! We are so lucky to have him.

J can be found almost every night of the week calling a game. Football, Soccer, Volleyball - you name it, he's there! His professionalism and attention to detail are not to be outmatched.

We look forward to another 2000!

Join Our Team!

Love working with kids? Join us!

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.

More Photos from the Week

Join the PTA

More than just fundraising!

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!

Jessica Kenney and Heymi Colon from the Middle School PTA board attended the CT PTA symposium today. They had great lessons on team leadership, got detailed lists of board member responsibilities and recommendations on how to celebrate our PTA's successes to encourage membership and community engagement.

Click here for more information