In place of the typical annual convocation ceremony to welcome teachers and staff to the new school year, a video featuring administrators, educators, students, and other district members was shared on the school district’s website ahead of the 2020-21 school year.

Educators returned to school for August 26, and the first day of the 2020-21 school year for students is set for September 3.

First Selectman Dan Rosenthal opened the convocation video saying, “Well, this is an interesting take on a convocation, but nothing surprises me anymore.”

He went on to thank the teachers and staff for their efforts last year, “in very difficult times.

“And, of course, here we are with what I would call another unique year beginning,” Rosenthal said. The first selectman said he knows the educators’ efforts are appreciated by the community.

“I wish you all the best of luck as you begin this year,” said Rosenthal, “and I’ll be there cheering you on.”

Some students were featured in the video, along with local leaders, parents, and PTA presidents.

Khadijah Noori, a sixth grade student at Reed Intermediate School, said, “You teachers dealt with us students last year and the years before that. So I know that you guys can deal with the students again this year, too.” And NMS eighth grader Jacob Petrini said he is excited to be back in school and to see old friends, teachers, and staff.

Newtown Director of Health Donna Culbert shared that she knows the world has changed, “and, as challenging as that may seem, I always come back to being reassured and confident because I know where we are and I know what kind of people we are: We are caring, we are dedicated, and I know we are invested in the health and wellness of our community, our environment, our present, and our future.”

Life is Good Kids Foundation Founder and Chief Playmaker Steve Gross, who was the keynote speaker for the Newtown convocation in 2017, was also featured in the video.

“Thank you for doing what you do, for educating, and loving, and for caring for our children,” Gross said. “And for going above and beyond the call of duty to put yourself in harm’s way, to take risks, so our children can be safe, can feel love, can feel joyful, and grow up strong and educated.”

Newtown Police Department School Resource Officer William Chapman said the educators are a gift to the “kids of this town, to the community, and to me,” and the word he can best use to describe what that means is “priceless.”

“When something is priceless, it has a value that defies explanation and understanding. Something that is priceless maintains its value in times of sickness, times of war, and times of trouble. Something that is priceless remains so, simply because it is,” said Officer Chapman. Later he said, “So let’s go into this fall and be priceless, no matter how that has to look from day to day, no matter what that has to mean from day to day. You are priceless. Be priceless.”

Newtown Director of Teaching & Learning Frank Purcaro recognized the Board of Education members for their dedication to Newtown Public Schools and he said Superintendent of School’s Dr Lorrie Rodrigue’s inspirational leadership and tireless efforts have set a great example for everyone.

“To teachers and staff, as we return it is without question that schools and classrooms will look different this year,” said Purcaro.

Things like masks and social distancing were previously “unheard of, but are all common terms now in our conversations,” he said. Technology is now indispensable and the classroom environment may change. Yet the mission of educators, he said, remains the same: To be an inspiring force in students’ lives.

Purcaro then read the names of educators who have been teaching in Newtown for 25 years. Those educators are Hawley Elementary School paraeducator Deborah Berte, Newtown Middle School social studies teacher Phil Cruz, Head O’ Meadow Elementary School physical education teacher Steven “Coach” Dreger, Newtown High School social studies teacher Jason Edwards, Middle Gate Elementary School paraeducator Nancy Fazekas, Hawley third grade teacher Samuel Haber, Head O’ Meadow first grade teacher Carol Howard, Hawley first grade teacher Katherine Leja, Reed Intermediate School executive secretary Betty McFadden, Reed music teacher Mardi Smith, and Reed fifth grade teacher Carla Tischio.

‘Forge On And Resume’

Later in the video, Assistant Superintendent of Schools Anne Uberti said everyone in the district has the strength to “forge on and resume, to greatest degree possible, our personal and professional lives.”

She also welcomed new teachers and staff hired this year, sharing that they are entering a community “of people who believe in what they do and who strive to always do what is best for children.

“It’s a community of people who care about each other, support each other, and push each other to learn and grow,” said Uberti.

Speaking from her backyard, Board of Education Chair Michelle Embree Ku said there tends to be a celebratory energy that permeates the start of any school year, “but I know that this school year feels a little bit different.”

Ku said summer can be a time of renewal and reflection for those in education. This summer had some of the typical educational endeavors, but there was also “an intense seriousness to what we were doing.” She spoke to national divisions and topics, along with concerns over school funding. Then there was the storm “that took us out for a week,” she said.

“I remind myself that I find assurance in knowing that Connecticut has taken this health crisis very seriously, bringing our numbers down, and that our superintendent Dr Rodrigue and all superintendents around the state made the decision to close schools when they did,” Ku said. “It is their judgement that helped us in Connecticut.”

While noting her recent family hobby of paddle boarding, Ku said the new normal may feel “off balance.” She likened that feeling to the first few minutes of adjusting to stand on a paddle board, reacting to the wake of a boat, kneeling for a minute, maybe falling, and finding the courage to stand again.

“I think this right here, right now, may be a little like the anxiety one feels before standing up on that paddle board,” said Ku, “and, I don’t want to minimize the challenges and the hurdles with my analogy, but it is the anticipation of not knowing what to expect, the fear of the unknown, and wondering if we are up for the challenge that is sometimes the hardest.”

The Board of Education appreciates the enormity of what the educators are doing, she shared.

“For all of your dedication, we thank you,” said Ku, “and we wish you the most productive and rewarding school year possible.”

Both Newtown’s Paraeducator of the Year, Sandy Hook Elementary School paraeducator Dawn Eagleson, and Newtown’s Teacher of the Year, NHS Theatre Arts/English Language Arts teacher Janice Gabriel, were highlighted in the video. Speaking about Eagleson, Sandy Hook Elementary School Principal Dr Kathy Gombos said she exemplifies what it means to be caring and compassionate.

“Congratulations Dawn. You are one of the best. Thank you for all you do for our kids at Sandy Hook and for the entire Newtown community,” Gombos said.

Newtown High School Principal Dr Kimberly Longobucco said Gabriel’s dedication is “second to none.”

“She always finds a way, she always gets it done, and she always puts everyone else before herself,” said Longobucco about Gabriel. “Newtown High School is a better place because [Gabriel] works here.”

Gabriel then spoke for the video, in a pre-recorded message from the NHS auditorium. In the last six months educators have banded together to provide their best in a difficult situation, she said.

She asked the educators watching to think back and remember what inspired them to go into the field of education.

“We are going to need to hold on to that inspiration more than ever,” Gabriel said.

Many of her own teachers took the time to support and inspire her, she said, sharing that her kindergarten teacher took the time nightly to answer her phone so Gabriel could say good night.

Speaking to the Unified Theater class she runs with Alysia Caffrey, Gabriel said the tagline is “putting the spotlight on ability,” and she plans to make that her motto for the 2020-21 school year. Instead of focusing on limitations, the class focuses on what students can do and on finding creative solutions to obstacles.

“Every performance is perfectly imperfect,” said Gabriel. “This year is definitely going to be perfectly imperfect. There will be moments when the technology does not work, when you have to say to a student ten times ‘put your mask on,’ where we have to remind students to social distance, and where we have to put aside our own anxiety for the betterment of our students.

“However,” Gabriel continued, “in the end, if we put the spotlight on ability and do what we do best... we will continue to change the lives of our students.”

‘A Rich Foundation Of Teaching And Learning’

Superintendent of Schools Dr Lorrie Rodrigue was the final person to speak in the video. She recognized members of the community who have stepped up to offer support to the school district and parents and those who worked throughout the summer to prepare for this “unique year.”

In the midst of a pandemic, a world of isolation and fear, Rodrigue said she made the decision to close Newtown’s public school buildings in March.

“As educators you did the absolute best you could do, and I know the community, our students, and caregivers... recognize your efforts to support them while taking care of your own families,” said Rodrigue. “That’s courage.”

Along with the pandemic, the superintendent said the political and social situations are evident to students and add to their anxiety.

“While all of this is challenging, we know one thing: Students need us,” said Rodrigue, adding that teachers bring positivity, even on dark days.

Newtown educators share a strong history of nurturing, caring, support, positive relationships, and “a rich foundation of teaching and learning that we must never lose sight on no matter what.”

Transitioning safely back to school is manageable with the precautions in place, Rodrigue shared.

“But there will be challenges ahead no doubt, and no one really knows what tomorrow will bring. But I do hope everyone recognizes that our collective and collaborative efforts are going to be called upon now more than ever,” said Rodrigue, calling for respectful dialogue to resolve concerns and confront situations with a “high degree of integrity.”

Later Rodrigue concluded, saying, “I wish you all a safe and productive school year.”

The full video is available to watch on the school’s district’s website newtown.k12.ct.us.