Date: Fri 10-Nov-1995

By Previous Employees

Published: Aug 11, 1999 12:00 am

Publication: Bee

Author: AMYD

Quick Words:

schools-enrollment-building

Full Text:

Study Will Help Assess Need For New Elementary School

B Y A MY D'O RIO

The school system has hired a consultant to conduct studies to help the

district determine if a fifth elementary school is needed.

The consultant, Focus Consulting Associates in Carmel, NY, will provide new

enrollment projections, an analysis of the real estate market and a school

capacity study.

The district is paying $9,100 for the firm's services.

The company plans to submit its report in late November or early December,

said School Superintendent John Reed.

He said the district needs to decide soon if it needs a fifth elementary

school because, if it does, planning would have to begin promptly in order to

get it built on time.

He said the district, by itself, can not do the necessary research and

analysis to determine how much enrollment will increase or how long such an

increase will be sustained.

If the enrollment is shown to rise sharply and then drop, a fifth elementary

school might not be needed.

If high numbers are sustained for years, then a new school might be in order,

he said.

The district receives enrollment projections from the state Department of

Education, but school officials have complained the projections have been

inaccurate, falling below actual enrollment each year.

Focus, run by a former New York superintendent, Bruce Bothwell, plans to

produce a report about how trends in private school education and special

education will affect Newtown schools.

It will also include in this report an analysis of district housing growth and

future housing potential.

The report will contain three separate enrollment forecasts that will extend

to the year 2004. One of the forecasts will be conservative, the other will be

middle-of-the-road, and the third forecast will project maximum enrollment.

An analysis of school building capacities will be included as well as

suggestions on how to maximize current space.

Lastly, the report will include an in-depth analysis of new housing sales and

housing turnover covering an 18 to 24 month period.

When the report is turned in, Dr Reed said he will review it and possibly make

recommendations by the end of the year.

Currently, Sandy Hook School has no classrooms to spare, and it has the

fastest growing enrollment in the district.

Dr Reed said he expects enrollment to continue to grow over the next few

years. He said the influx of students should be "manageable" with the existing

buildings.

He would not elaborate on what "manageable" means and if programs would be

compromised.

If the Hawley School addition is approved, it will be available for September

of 1997 with a few additional classrooms. If enrollment merits it, Dr Reed

said some students might be redistricted from Sandy Hook to Hawley.

A fifth elementary school takes a few years to plan and build, so it would not

be any help until at least the late 1990s.

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The editorial took no position on the budget going up or down so you're reading things into the editorial that simply aren't there. The turnout is tied to the lack of passage, in that people who came out to vote last time did not this time, indicating a lack of support on their part. Perhaps it wasn't spelled out clearly enough, but that's what the editorial was driving at, people showing lack of support by not casting a vote. The editorial did address likely concerns among voters that may have led to lack of support and lack of turnout. This lower turnout also follows increasing turnout over the past four referendums in three years (meaning it is an aberration from that), and increased turnout is something that I do push for regularly in editorials. Any disappointment you might be seeing is at the break in that trend, not at whether the budget passed or not. I'd rather see more people come out and vote "no" then not vote at all.

Lower Turnout Results In Two Budget Defeats

Clearly, property owners no longer want to bear the burden of expenses while the state does not meet it’s responsibilities. Rising costs must be addressed by actions that do not include yearly increases of property owners’ taxes. The state of CT must meet its share of the educational costs, and other costs.

Town And School Budgets Fail At Referendum

This feels like an oddly misleading headline and narrative, particularly coming from the Editorial Board. The headline "Lower Turnout Results in Two Budget Defeats" pushes a misleading narrative regarding voter turnout, and then seeks to tie the outcome of the referendum to that misleading narrative. Sure, voter turn out for this year's referendum, 18%, was lower than last year's. However, last year's turnout, 25.4%, represented the highest turnout in the most recent 10 budget referendums. If you take the time to examine turnout percentages between 2017 and 2026 (2017: 19.9, 2018: 15.7, 2019: 17, 2020: 0, 2021: 8.98, 2022: 7.7, 2023: 8.8, 2024: 15.1/17.49, 2025: 25.4, 2026: 18), this year's turnout was actually the third highest in the past 10 cycles. Perhaps the headline of this article should say "Lower Voter Turnout Than Last Year", which is more accurate, rather than creating an impression that this year's turnout is some type of aberration - a narrative that the turnout numbers, in all their binary glory, simply do not support. Further, the headline of this article appears to tie the "lower turnout" to the defeated budgets. Sure, that could be true. But, perhaps, its more likely that Newtown residents are feeling the squeeze of multiple economic influences. In Newtown, we've experienced property revaluations and increased municipal spending. Eversource continues to raise rates. The state legislature gives PURA the authority to impose Public Benefit charges that benefit a tiny percentage of the public (and subsequently burdening the rest of us). At the national level, inflation has run rampant for years and many of those costs remain high to this day. In short, the data tells a far less dramatic—and far more honest—story than the headline suggests. This wasn’t an electorate vanishing in apathy; it was a fairly typical turnout delivering an verdict that, perhaps, some at the Editorial Board didn't like. At some point, it’s worth considering that residents aren’t confused, disengaged, or misled by turnout; they’re simply doing math at their kitchen tables and concluding that “no” is the only responsible answer left.

Enjoyed the forum which only confirmed my support for Brandon Moore as the Democratic candidate to run for the state representative position. Brandon Moore did not waiver about his duty to all the people, if elected, when an issue presents itself that requires that he voice a difference of opinion for the wellbeing of Newtown residents. If Michelle Ku’s 16 years have led to her loyalty being to other elected officials, as she implied, then Newtown is going to continue to witness actions that do not protect its residents. She could not unseat republican, Mitch Bolinsky, during a Blue Wave, and once again, will not do it now. Winning that seat is critical for all. That explains why her previous campaign committee now campaigns for Brandon Moore. It explains all the endorsements he has received from local elected democratic officials. It’s why we need Brandon Moore to be the democratic candidate to run for state representative.

Second Newtown DTC, League Of Women Voters Candidates Event Planned

Appreciated the opportunity to hear from both candidates as we were present for the College Dems forum but only heard from Brandon Moore. It was an opportunity to see who can unseat the Republican incumbent and there is no doubt that Brandon Moore should be the Democratic candidate. One concerned parent posed a question about discrimination unaddressed by the school district and interestingly enough, Michelle Ku, who proudly speaks of her Board membership years, said little, while Brandon Moore passionately addressed the issue along with his experience as an Apache Helicopter Commander. This family is supporting Brandon Moore. We need change and someone who is not afraid to disagree, especially about the rising costs of living in Newtown.

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Date: Fri 10-Nov-1995

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