Date: Fri 30-Aug-1996

Publication: Bee

Author: DOTTIE

Quick Words:

school-first-day

Full Text:

with cut: Back-To-School Gridlock

B Y D OROTHY E VANS

Thursday morning saw approximately 4,500 students returning to Newtown public

elementary, middle and high school classrooms for their first full day of

instruction.

Opening day also marked a new beginning for one new school principal and

several veteran administrators who were assuming new jobs within the system as

a result of a recent shuffling of positions.

Newly hired Sandy Hook School principal Donna Page greeted the children in

kindergarten through grade 5.

Robert Kuklis took off his assistant superintendent hat and donned his Middle

Gate School principal hat, as he welcomed students to the elementary school.

Bill Bircher, past principal of Middle Gate School, stepped into his new role

as principal of Head 'O Meadow Elementary School.

Les Weintraub began his third year as principal of Newtown Middle School, and

assistant principals Al Cashman and Virginia King were joined by Nancy

Onorato, who has moved over from her previous position as principal of Head 'O

Meadow.

Newtown High School's principal, William Manfredonia, might have breathed a

sigh of relief when the day was over.

It wasn't going to be easy to conduct a normal opening day, what with the

massive construction project. However, reports filtering in late Thursday

morning indicated things were normal along Berkshire Road.

Things were a bit snarled early on though, as traffic along Route 34 between

the high school and Toddy Hill Road was clogged, delaying travel for more than

20 minutes, typical for a first-day-of-school, but a bit worse due to the

construction and rearranged parking lot.

Once inside the high school, however, students and staff managed to get down

to the business of learning despite the fact that the interior of the school

is merely a shadow of its old self.

Floors previously carpeted had become concrete slabs. Overhead, the guts of

the school's infrastructure - wires, HVAC, pipes, and tubing were laid bare

for all to see.

One high school teacher likened the school's cavernous appearance to the

Costco warehouse.

Outside, parking, a concern in the days leading up to the start of school with

86 fewer spaces, went smoother than expected, according to security guard Rich

Novia. In fact, there were several spots in the school's back lot that

remained vacant all day, probably because very few juniors drove their cars to

school.

A limited number of spaces will be available to junior drivers this year. Mr

Novia said a student-run lottery will be held September 6 for junior parking.

One hundred spaces are expected to be available.