Date: Fri 22-May-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: MICHEL

Quick Words:

school-space-needs

Full Text:

Panel Proposes New School For Grades 5 & 6

BY MICHELE HOGAN

Newtown's school age population continues to grow by leaps and bounds, and

shows no sign of letting up. This week, the talk among school officials turned

serious about building a new school.

Newtown Middle School will reach full capacity in the next school year, and

the elementary schools will be at full capacity within three years, according

to a report prepared by the Space Needs Committee and presented to the Board

of Education last Tuesday.

The solution recommended by the committee is a fifth/sixth-grade school,

serving 900-1,000 students in a central location, as well as various stop-gap

measures to relieve overcrowding while the building is in progress.

Typically it takes two to three years to build a school, so the panel

recommended that the school board act expeditiously.

During her presentation to the Board of Education, committee member Linda Sobo

said "time is of the essence here."

The Space Needs Committee set up subcommittees which researched various

aspects of the committee's charge (to accommodate projected enrollment while

maintaining existing school programs).

To assess population and enrollment trends they studied enrollment projections

made by Dr Bruce Bothwell of Focus Consulting (who also acted as a consultant)

as well as state projections. They conducted realtor surveys to get

demographic information on typical families moving into Newtown. They analyzed

housing and development trends and spoke with the directors of each local

preschool.

Another sub-committee drew up school floor plans and researched ways to use

existing space to the maximum extent possible. They found: "The Newtown Middle

School is currently close to capacity, will reach capacity in 1998-99, and

will begin to exceed capacity in the school year 1999-2000. The elementary

schools will reach capacity in the school year 2000-01 and exceed capacity in

the year 2001-02."

Facing the burgeoning school-aged population and insufficient space in current

buildings, the committee studied various options for accommodating the

projected student enrollment.

The three possible school configurations reviewed by the committee were: add a

new fifth/sixth-grade school; add a new fifth- to eighth-grade school; or add

a new elementary school and have all elementary schools go from kindergarten

to sixth grade.

Each option was analyzed from an educational, social, and economic

perspective. The committee unanimously selected a district-wide

fifth/sixth-grade school as the best option.

Not only would this option relieve crowding at all elementary schools as well

as and the middle school, but educationally and developmentally,

fifth/sixth-grade students make a good combination.

Unlike the options of an additional elementary school or an additional middle

school, an additional fifth/sixth-grade school would not require any

redistricting of students.

The committee further recommended that one principal oversee both the

fifth/sixth-grade school and the seventh/eighth-grade school to promote

instructional continuity between grade levels.

The committee suggested Fairfield Hills as an excellent site for the

fifth/sixth-grade school.

Short-Term Solutions

The report also recommended that "short-term solutions need to be implemented

as soon as possible."

The report lists eleven possible options for increasing the number of

classrooms on a short-term basis.

The list included converting Watertown Hall at Fairfield Hills for classroom

use, moving the Back Door Cafe from the middle school to the high school,

putting language teachers "on wheels," converting cafeterias at Newtown Middle

School and Middle Gate Elementary School into classrooms, moving the PROBE

program from Sandy Hook School to the high school, renting space at the Sandy

Hook Firehouse, increasing class sizes in all elementary schools and the

middle school, extending the school day at the middle school, redistricting

grades K-5, and constructing portable classrooms.

The committee also urged the Board of Education to move quickly to get the

construction underway on a new school.

The construction of a new school would require the approval of the Legislative

Council.

Amy Dent, chairman of the Board of Education, is requesting that the issue be

put on the agenda for the June 17 Legislative Council meeting.

Dr Reed said that in addition to the pressing need for additional school

space, there are strong financial reasons why Newtown should meet the June 30

deadline for filing with the state for reimbursement on school construction.

He said that although there is a general movement toward lower state

reimbursements for school building this year, there is an increase in

available building aid.

He said that he would like to see Newtown in line for state reimbursement now.

State reimbursement levels have been increased for the upcoming year, from a

range of 20 percent to 80 percent to a range of 30 percent to 90 percent.

Dr Reed said that specifications on the exact configuration of a new school

would not be required until sometime near December, but it is important to get

a general proposal in to the state by Tuesday, June 30.