Hawley Elementary School Principal Christopher Moretti told Board of Education members January 4, how the school’s community is planning to be housed at Sandy Hook Elementary School and Reed Intermediate School while the upcoming HVAC project is underway.

While the work of determining just how the school community will be housed between the two schools is still underway, Moretti said planning before the project starts this summer is allowing time to be thorough.

Reed Assistant Principal Jenna Connors, Hawley lead teacher Carla Tischio, and Sandy Hook School lead teacher Kelly MacLaren are working on a committee to oversee planning the relocation.

The Hawley HVAC project is expected to last the entire 2022-23 school year and begin this summer when the 2021-22 school year ends.

Moretti said the team began by looking at the projected enrollment for next school year. The group then looked at the available space at Reed and Sandy Hook School. The plan is for kindergarten and first grade Hawley students to be housed at Sandy Hook School and for second to fourth grade students to be housed at Reed Intermediate School.

The planning group has been looking at all aspects of relocating Hawley’s population, from communication with parents to how school events will be held, according to the presentation.

MacLaren said Hawley’s student population will fit “beautifully at SHS.” Since the district’s special needs preschool will not be housed at Sandy Hook School next year, Hawley’s youngest grades will have those classrooms and areas for use. While MacLaren said the school’s two identities will be maintained, she also said there will be opportunities to incorporate the communities together as well.

Connors said she wants to make sure everyone from Hawley feels welcome when they are at Reed. Hawley’s population at Reed will operate more independently than the group at SHS, and Connors believes all of Hawley’s schedules will be accommodated within Reed.

At Hawley, Tischio said conversations are being held between department groups and concerns are being gathered to hopefully address all possible issues.

District Director of Facilities Bob Gerbert, Jr, also spoke at the meeting, sharing that bids for the Hawley HVAC project recently went out. He is hopeful the project will be ready to “rock and roll” when schools are released for summer.

Board of Education members asked questions around how the transition will happen and aspects of how the Hawley population will function at the other two schools.

While many details of how the school year will roll out are still being deliberated, Moretti said he is excited for one idea: field trips between Sandy Hook School and Reed for Hawley students to visit with Hawley students.

Also at the meeting, the school board approved a new, but previously existing, position for a district coordinator of health and wellness to be added back to the district.

Education Reporter Eliza Hallabeck can be reached at eliza@thebee.com.