Date: Fri 15-Aug-1997

By STEVE BIGHAM

Published: Aug 11, 1999 12:00 am

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

schools-NHS-first-day

Full Text:

High School Braces For A Confusing First Day

BY STEVE BIGHAM

Newtown High School is going to seem like a foreign place to students when

they arrive for the first day of school September 3.

Administrators, however, have set up a plan to ensure that students are

quickly oriented to their new surroundings. The school, in the final stages of

a $30 million renovation and addition project, is expected to be ready for

occupancy by the first day of school, but it will still be a long way from

completion. (See related story in this week's back-to-school issue.)

At Tuesday's meeting of the Board of Education, NHS Principal Bill Manfredonia

said he plans to send out a letter to students and parents next week,

explaining the current status of the school, and what they can anticipate when

they arrive. On the first day, students in all classes will head straight into

assemblies to learn the layout of the school. Students will then be allowed to

walk freely throughout the building to find their classes.

Guidance honor students are expected to meet with administrators a few days

before the opening. They will be available to help students when they arrive.

According to Mr Manfredonia, there will be a new numbering system to the

school, as well as a new lunch schedule. The cafeteria is now located in the

new wing of the building.

There are several areas of the school that will not be ready, including the

library, culinary arts program, art and music rooms, guidance and

administrative offices, as well as the nurses station. Nevertheless, education

at the high school will continue, according to Mr Manfredonia, as several

makeshift classrooms and offices will be set up throughout the completed parts

of the school.

The school project is expected to be completed by November.

The high school's new cafeteria is larger and has the ability to serve

students much more efficiently. For the first two weeks, however, the school

will only be serving cold lunches. According to George Graikowski of O&G

Industries, stoves and other appliances will not yet be hooked up, although

coolers and serving areas will be ready.

Because the school has been enlarged by 80,000 square feet, the school has

scheduled a five-minute passing time between periods. This will give students

more time to get to their classes. The move has extended the day by six

minutes from 7:30 am to 1:52 pm.

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Well that is some spin. The Democrats have a super majority on the LC and passed the Education Budget without serious consideration of if the voters could afford the multi million dollar increase. "Was the request justified?" rather than "is this needed?" and "can the voters shoulder yet another large increase?" The voters rightly sent it back. Then for some reason all the discussion around reductions to the increase seemed to be coming from the classroom, rather than administration and overhead costs. Is this a coercive tactic to manipulate parents into supporting the budget like tacit threat of cutting freshman sports was two years ago? Who believes the Democrats did not caucus privately before the meeting and came in with a number already worked out? This is the Dems budget, they own it.

Education Cuts: Who Voted For What

I think it is important that we do not villainize every black box seen around a home, business, farm, or municipal property. A black exterior station does not always mean rat poison is being used. These stations can hold a number of different products, including monitoring blocks, snap traps, non-toxic bait, anti-tick bait stations, organic salt- or cornmeal-based control products, and newer fertility-control approaches intended to reduce rodent populations without traditional poisons. The better conversation, in my opinion, is not simply “black boxes are bad,” but rather: what is inside them, who is maintaining them, and whether the rodent issue is being managed responsibly. Exclusion, sanitation, trapping, habitat reduction, and careful monitoring should all be part of a responsible IPM strategy. To be fair, on my own property I do use rodenticides, including Bromethalin and Bromadiolone, in secured bait stations. But that is a choice I make for my property, based on my circumstances and the risk I am trying to manage. I also believe property owners should understand the tradeoffs and be encouraged to use the least harmful effective method whenever possible. I support protecting Newtown’s wildlife. I also support giving residents accurate information and not assuming that every black box represents reckless or unsafe pest control. The goal should be responsible rodent management, not fear of the box itself.

Discusses Policy Against Rodenticides

Debora, thank you! I accidentally doubled the project prices by adding the bond to the appropriation. Thank you so much for catching that and pointing it out. With the corrected numbers, the voters approved a combined $1.32 million for a salt shed ($600k) and library pavement ($720k), while rejecting the $1.12 million replacement turf. Regarding the 80s, I truly respect the hurdle of 14% mortgage rates. My point is simply that the math has shifted: in 1980, while the rates were higher, the price of a home relative to earnings was significantly lower. We are facing a different, but equally crushing, financial wall. Ultimately, it is disheartening that voters who recognized safe sidewalks and parking lots as essential, dismissed a playing field in the exact same condition. The turf has passed its life cycle and is just as much of a liability as the library’s pavement, the only difference is that this safety concern affects thousands of children who, coincidentally, cannot vote. These are apples-to-apples needs. I was hopeful our community would agree that all Newtown residents deserve safe conditions, regardless of which facility they utilize. Again, I would be remiss not to mention that when 82% of residents don’t show up, we have to deal with the interests of those who did. Hopefully, the next referendum will have a bigger turnout.

The ‘Me’ Generation

Thanks for the reply. I meant the numbers you presented in your letter. I found one place where other numbers were listed: https://www.newtownbee.com/04232026/get-out-and-vote-on-the-2026-27-proposed-municipal-and-school-budgets/?q=\\\%22advisory%20questions\\\%22. In that article, the numbers were cited as: Treadwell field: $1,125,000 Library: $720,000 Salt Storage: $600,000 As one who started out in the early 80's when inflation was double digits, my 1985 mortgage rate was 14%, and child care costs were comparable (in present value), I shared your grief but never considered the voters ironic or shameful. PS. I agree college tuition is ridiculous. Thankfully, universities are offering (or considering) waiving all or most tuition for middle class families (upwards of $200,000 incomes). Hopefully, they'll also reconsider their need for those funds in the first place.

Sure! Child care costs: https://www.ffyf.org/2022/10/13/data-child-care-prices-continue-to-rise-ahead-of-midterm-elections-outpacing-inflation/ (also from 2021-2025 we had 2 children in a local daycare in Newtown and it cost us $3200 a month, so that's a number I am very familiar with) Home price / median price vs income source: https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/home-price-income-ratios Tuition increase vs inflation: https://feed.georgetown.edu/access-affordability/noting-a-decline-in-middle-class-students-colleges-provide-more-aid/ Hope this helps :)

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Date: Fri 15-Aug-1997

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