Get Involved In Newtown’s Future

To the Editor:

My husband and I moved from Norwalk to Newtown after doing some extensive research of the school system in this region. We thought we made an excellent choice for our children moving to Newtown. After 4½ years, with 657 more students in the school system, my fourth grade daughter not having orchestra, my second grade daughter with 23 other students in her class (a teaching position was cut last year), I am having extreme doubts about the quality of education my children will receive in Newtown now and in the future. My doubts were enhanced as I witnessed on March 8 how easy it was for our Board of Finance members to cut the education budget that has already been deeply cut by Mr Pitkoff and the Board of Education.

I am disappointed that the Board of Finance did not make a stronger stance for the children of Newtown despite many parents’ and teachers’ plea that no further cuts be made. It will be extremely difficult to attain board recommended class sizes with the cuts made. This trend of cost containment via education budget cuts worries me immensely. It is getting more and more difficult for our dedicated teachers to provide quality education to our children when the class sizes are as high as 26. The Strategic School Profile shows Newtown class sizes are higher than the state average.

The cuts (which reduced many of our programs and services) made last year were unacceptable to me and the cuts already made for the 2004-2005 budget will be detrimental. When will we improve our status above 139th out of 169 Connecticut towns for per pupil expenditure? It will be an easy slide down to 169th if we continue to allow the cuts to be made year after year.

I strongly encourage all parents to learn more about the budget process and show your support by talking to the political leaders of this town. Please attend the Legislative Council public hearing on March 24 at 7:30 at Reed Intermediate School and encourage your elected officials to avoid further cuts or, better yet, reverse the cuts that have already been made. We need to demonstrate to the leaders of this town that we have a strong voice in how we want our children to be educated. We cannot put the future of our children in the hands of the silent majority.

We also need more parents to be interested and involved in the strategic plan of Newtown. We need to encourage our elected officials to speed up the process of increasing nonresidential tax-based revenues for this town via economic development and open space acquisition. Unless the town revenues increase, we will struggle year after year to fight for an education budget that barely sustains the level of excellence for our children. Please remember to vote on April 27. Please encourage and educate everyone you know of the consequences of not voting for the budget this year and every year.

Po Murray

38 Charter Ridge Drive, Sandy Hook                        March 17, 2004