School Board Elects Officers

By Larissa Lytwyn

The school board unanimously reelected Chairman Elaine McClure and selected long-term member Lisa Schwartz to serve as vice chairman.

Andrew Buzzi, recently elected to the board after being appointed to replace Sheila Stickles in March, was unanimously chosen as secretary.

The board also unanimously approved a proposal by newly elected board member Paul Mangiafico to move meetings from the first and second Tuesday of the month to the first and third Tuesday beginning in January. The exception would be during February and April vacations. The school board is mandated by its own bylaws to have bi-monthly meetings during the school year and monthly when school is not in session.

The more widely spaced meetings, noted Ms McClure, could alleviate the pressure to add last-minute agenda items and also allow the board more time to gain background information on agenda issues.

The board also decided to allow motions to vote in all meetings instead of separating issues into discussion-based “workshop” and ensuing vote-centered “business” meetings.

In addition, the board approved an ongoing anonymous $10,000 annual donation toward special education services, Weller Foundation donations to school libraries and the establishment of the High School Academy Expansion Study Committee, designed to address the needs of Newtown’s 1600-and-growing high school population.

“Just about all of you have named about two people who you think would be good candidates to serve on the committee,” Ms McClure told board members. “We have also asked members of the Public Building & Sites Committee and Board of Finance, among others, to consider serving.”

Superintendent of Schools Evan Pitkoff said that the committee’s recommendations could include the establishment of “Fairfield Academy,” a separate academic facility for high-school aged students located on the still state-owned Fairfield Hills property.