Date: Fri 18-Apr-1997

By DOROTHY EVANS

Published: Aug 11, 1999 12:00 am

Publication: Bee

Author: DOTTIE

Quick Words:

schools-childhood-early

Full Text:

Middle Gate School Hosts

Early Childhood Conference

Assistant Superintendent of Schools Robert Kuklis (left) and Middle Gate

math/science specialist Pam Fagan spent Wednesday afternoon getting ready to

-Bee Photo, Evans

School social worker DeEtta Breitwieser (left), food service helper Marge

Ouellette and school lunch supervisor Donna Consolini set up the Middle Gate

cafeteria for box suppers.

B Y D OROTHY E VANS

"Growing Together" was the theme as area professionals in early childhood

education gathered at Middle Gate School Wednesday, April 9, for the 27th

annual Early Childhood Conference.

The Middle Gate event was only one of many similar sessions in schools

throughout the state that day, sponsored by the Connecticut Early Childhood

Education Council (CECEC).

More than 4,000 participants were expected at all conference program sites;

more than 140 were registered to visit the Middle Gate site alone, according

to school math/science specialist Pam Fagan. Mrs Fagan served as local event

co-chair with Newtown Schools Assistant Superintendent Robert Kuklis.

"Half those coming will be school teachers and the other half are pre-school

teachers, parents and school nurses," Mrs Fagan said.

The conference was scheduled from 4 to 8 pm, after Middle Gate school children

had been dismissed at 1 pm to enable CECEC conference staff and Middle Gate

teachers to prepare for the 140 guests.

A box picnic dinner and refreshments were available in the school cafeteria,

which parent volunteers and food service workers had decorated with balloons,

centerpieces and fancy place mats made by Middle Gate students in Elaine

Fairchild's and Calla Sellner's fourth grades.

Between 20 and 25 workshops were scheduled on various topics of interest to

anyone dealing with children from birth to 8 years of age, Mrs Fagan said.

The CECEC workshops taught by Newtown teachers, administrators and early

childhood educators were the following: "Literature Based Mathematics," taught

by third grade teacher Maura Drabik and math/science specialist Gail Maletz;

"What A Mixture!" presented by Wendy Foreman, math/science specialist;

"Integrated Curriculum" presented by Debbie Cowden, Hawley School math/science

specialist and Lil Martenson, third grade teacher; and "Reading, Writing and

Puppetry!" taught by Hawley School Principal Linda Siciliano.

Joanne Taber, resource teacher at Middle Gate, led a workshop on "Learning

Styles," and second grade teachers Karen Martin and Ann Burke led a workshop

titled, "Growing Together and Harvesting a Garden."

Storytelling techniques were introduced by Head O' Meadow fourth grade teacher

Pat Aschauer and HOM media specialist Pat McLear.

"Adding Chocolate to the Curriculum" was taught by first grade teachers Jacky

McMahon and Tiffany Lotko and "'Til Help Arrives" was taught by HOM school

nurse Barbara Reilly.

Newtown Schools Special Education Director Robert Chiappetta, Mrs Siciliano

and Catherine Tucker Honycomb, a Newtown parent, led a workshop titled

"Choices in Special Education."

Silver Alert For Blue McGrath Ended

Top Of The Mountain

Cargo Van Driver Taken To Hospital Following Collision With Gas Tanker

Knotweed Initiative Program Planned

Newtown Cultural Arts Commission Grant Application Deadline Approaching

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 18-Apr-1997

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