The High School

Solution

To the Editor:

Before the previous superintendent of schools retired, he left a clear plan for addressing the impending overcrowding at Newtown High. His plan had two parts:

1. Establish a 400–500-pupil school with an outstanding program to attract students who wished to participate. As I remember his comments, he offered suggestions like a school for the “arts” or foreign languages. Personally, I have advocated a high school of science and technology to offer students interested in those fields a special opportunity to meet the challenge rising from their Asian and European counterparts who excel in these areas.

Fairfield Hills was the obvious choice for location by reducing busing expenses and using an existing building such as Bridgeport Hall with its large open areas to serve as a cafeteria and gym or Plymouth Hall with its auditorium and gym. The major expense would be to construct a building for classrooms if these two buildings lacked sufficient space or a nearby building could not be utilized. Renovations would be eligible for state reimbursements if the renovations were not more costly than new construction.

2. Set aside 75–80 acres for a new high school when enrollment exceeded the capacity of the present 1,600-pupil school and the 500-pupil academy.  We don’t know when that will occur, but with open land in Newtown still available, the future indicates growth.

No action was taken to implement the retiring superintendent’s plan. Why not? Were the educators, the parents, the finance board, the Legislative Council, the selectmen all opposed? The academy plan can work (think Bronx High School of Science).

The FFH Authority would be eliminated. Instead of implementing the selectmen’s FFH Master Plan that requires parking spaces for 1,500 (p. 6 Executive Summary — Sand Hill plaza holds 1,000 cars), FFH would now be designated for schools, recreation, and municipal offices. Town departments already exist to manage these programs. Outside developers would be directed to the development of the large parcel in Commerce Park that has been given to the town by the state for economic development. In this location, collected real estate taxes would flow directly to the town.

The Board of Finance continues to grapple with the town’s growing bonded indebtedness. The lawsuit, filed in federal court, against the town, by Matt DeAngelis, seeks a master plan for FFH approved by the voters in a machine vote. In the meantime, I urge the Board of Education to take a second look at FFH as an answer to overcrowding at Newtown High and the use of state reimbursement to achieve recreation facilities and senior space.

The former superintendent’s plan is educationally sound, affordable, and the site is expandable when more space is needed. It’s the real solution.

Ruby K. Johnson

16 Chestnut Hill, Sandy Hook                              November 29, 2006