NHS PTSA’s First Meeting Highlighted By Discussion With Principal Charles Dumais

By Eliza Hallabeck

During Newtown High School PTSA’s first meeting of the 2010-11 school year, Principal Charles Dumais answered questions posed by members and spoke regarding the NHS expansion and renovation project.

Starting the discussion, Mr Dumais said the school year is off to a relatively good start. With the exception of limited parking and the gym renovation over the locker rooms, Mr Dumais said most students are probably unaware the NHS expansion and renovation project is underway.

The expansion is expected to be ready for staff to move in by November 2, and by Thanksgiving, he said, work on the school’s gymnasium is expected to be complete.

“The stadium should be ready to be open by the second week in October,” he also reported.

When the November 2 move-in date comes, Mr Dumais said staff members will move into new classrooms, and before classes are held in the new expansion, students will receive their schedules and know where to go. Once the move is complete, work on the renovation of the older portion of the building will begin. Art and video production courses will be moved to the portable classrooms on the property at that point.

 Mr Dumais also said he hopes to invite students, parents, and community members in to visit the new space at the high school about one week before classes are held there.

“We’ll see how it works out with construction,” he said.

PTSA President Carla Kron said the group will work to have adult volunteers to help move teachers from their old rooms into the expansion.

One PTSA member then asked Mr Dumais what the one hold up on the expansion was that pushed the completion date back from September 1 to November 2.

“The hundreds of cubic yards of organic material that was behind the building,” said Mr Dumais, echoing what he and Superintendent of Schools Janet Robinson have said at Board of Education meetings. The organic material was buried trees, most likely from past construction work on the property. Mr Dumais said the project could not make up the extra time needed to clear the area of the organic material.

Mr Dumais also spoke with the PTSA about parking and security. He did not give an expected time, but said at some point in the future there will be parking again for juniors at NHS. When work on the driveway is complete, Mr Dumais also said, the security booth at the main entrance will be returned to place.

Other topics during the meeting included the upcoming deadlines at the high school for the PTA’s Reflections contest. The Reflections program is a state PTA contest that highlights student work in multiple fields of art. Each school in the district participates, and each school has different deadlines for project submissions. Interested students can check their school’s website for more information on the program.

Membership was also discussed briefly during the meeting. Ms Kron said membership will be approached differently this year. Meetings will be kept open all year, and new members will be encouraged to participate with the PTSA throughout the school year, according to Ms Kron.