Education

Hawley Assembly Promotes Kindness

By Eliza Hallabeck

Published: January 06, 2017 12:00 am

Members of a Kindness Committee at Hawley Elementary School hosted an assembly on Friday, December 23, to celebrate kindness. The event featured the whole school singing along to songs, all rehearsed ...

NHS Junior/Senior Project Students Finish Efforts

By Eliza Hallabeck

Published: January 06, 2017 12:00 am

Ahead of the final presentations on January 4 and 5, students in this semester's Junior/Senior Project course shared information on the projects they completed.which is online on YouTube.The animation...

Erardi Presents 2017-18 Budget To Board Of Education

By Eliza Hallabeck

Published: January 05, 2017 12:00 am

Superintendent of Schools Joseph V. Erardi, Jr, shared with the Board of Education what he said is a responsible budget that allows the district to both maintain and "move forward" at its meeting on T...

Winners Of 2016 NMS Scarecrow Contest Announce Charity Donations

By Eliza Hallabeck

Published: January 04, 2017 12:00 am

Newtown Middle School's top three winning groups from this year's Scarecrow Contest recently announced which charities will receive their donations from contest earnings.aviellefoundation.org.theanima...

NHS Winter Sports Students Offered Social Media Presentation

By Eliza Hallabeck

Published: January 04, 2017 12:00 am

Newtown High School Athletic Director Matt Memoli welcomed all student athletes taking part in winter sports this semester to a special assembly and presentation on Tuesday, December 13. The event was...

Sandy Hook School Opens, NHS Auditorium Project Continues

By Eliza Hallabeck

Published: January 03, 2017 12:00 am

There were a number of building projects in the Newtown school district in 2016, and the completion of the new Sandy Hook Elementary School building was certainly the largest. As 2015 came to a close,...

Year In Review: What A Year For Newtown Public Schools

By Eliza Hallabeck

Published: January 03, 2017 12:00 am

For students in the Newtown Public Schools 2016 was a busy year, filled with projects and accomplishments. The year included many projects, lessons, and one special homecoming. In the final weeks of t...

Year In Review: Superintendent And Board Of Education Chair Reflect On Accomplishments And More

By Eliza Hallabeck

Published: January 02, 2017 12:00 am

Superintendent of Schools Joseph V. Erardi, Jr and Board of Education Chair Keith Alexander both offered a look back at 2016 in the final weeks of the year. With the completion and successful opening ...

Senator Tony Hwang Honors Dr Erardi At BOE Meeting

Published: December 24, 2016 12:00 am

By Eliza Hallabeck State Senator Tony Hwang delivered a citation at the Board of Education's meeting on Tuesday, December 20, to recognize Superintendent of Schools Joseph V. Erardi, Jr, for being nam...

BOE Hears Kind Words From 'The Mouths Of Babes'

Published: December 24, 2016 12:00 am

By Eliza Hallabeck Middle Gate Elementary School fourth grade teacher Linda Baron offered a surprise for the Board of Education at its meeting on Tuesday, December 20. She had a vase filled with hand-...

Next HRRA Household Hazardous Waste Drop-Off Event Scheduled In Newtown

Genealogy Club's Next Program To Dig Into 'Dissecting A Civil War Pension Record'

Choral Society Planning ‘Voices Of America’ Performance

Newtown Earth Day Festival Was A Success

Local Fourth Grader To Host ‘Gaming For Change’ On May 16

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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Hawley Assembly Promotes Kindness

NHS Junior/Senior Project Students Finish Efforts

Erardi Presents 2017-18 Budget To Board Of Education

Winners Of 2016 NMS Scarecrow Contest Announce Charity Donations

NHS Winter Sports Students Offered Social Media Presentation

Sandy Hook School Opens, NHS Auditorium Project Continues

Year In Review: What A Year For Newtown Public Schools

Year In Review: Superintendent And Board Of Education Chair Reflect On Accomplishments And More

Senator Tony Hwang Honors Dr Erardi At BOE Meeting

BOE Hears Kind Words From 'The Mouths Of Babes'