New Portables On Their Way To NHS

By Laurie Borst

Newtown Superintendent of Schools Evan Pitkoff started his report to the Board of Education on the evening of January 10 with an update on the portables being used, or currently not used, at the high school.

Dr Pitkoff reported that after finding mold growth in the portable classrooms being leased from M Space Inc., the company has agreed to provide newly manufactured classrooms to the district. The units are under construction.

M Space has given the administration the date of January 15 as the planned removal of the mold-affected portables. Setup of the new units is slated for January 22 and 24. Electrical and plumbing systems will need to be worked on after that, bringing the move-in date to mid-February, about the time vacation starts.

School board member Paul Mangiafico asked if the district has incurred any additional expenses related to the portables. Dr Pitkoff replied that the district hired its own industrial hygienist and paid for environmental testing.

A mild winter has led to savings in oil consumption at the schools. Oil usage is down 17,640 gallons below last year’s usage at this time, which reflects $34,864 savings.

Dr Pitkoff reported that the high school administration has requested a third full-time, daytime security guard to be hired in February, working through June. Overcrowding issues at the school have a large number of students congregating in the main lobby, with students beginning to congregate on the second floor and in the cafeteria. Up to 350 students in the cafeteria in the morning has led to scuffles breaking out between students.

To provide more supervision, one of the two security guards who patrol the parking lot during morning arrival is being pulled into the building, leaving one guard to cover three parking areas.

The administration would like more coverage of the parking lots during dismissal to ease the flow, provide more supervision on both floors, and help with lunch waves.

Board member David Nanavaty pointed out that a third security guard had been considered last year at budget time, and it was decided then to put the money in other areas. He wondered what had changed that made a third guard necessary.

High school principal Arlene Gottesman explained that the overcrowding has reached the point where students are congregating unsupervised leading to problems, students are slipping out side doors and leaving campus.

Reference was made to students going off campus to purchase lunch, and concern was expressed about the liability issue associated with that.

Mr Nanavaty asked about the sign-in/out desk that is in the lobby, staffed by teachers. Teachers are assigned to the desk during a free period to monitor those entering and leaving the building. If one teacher has to rush off to class while his/her replacement is in a meeting that runs long, then the desk is vacant for some period of time.

While acknowledging the realities of the situation, board members expressed concern about such a request outside of the budget season.

Asking for more information on the true costs — salary and benefits — that would accompany this position and an explanation of the duties, routes, etc, for this new guard, the board chose to table the issue until its meeting this coming Tuesday, January 16.

Progress Reports

Assistant Principal Jason Hiruo addressed the board regarding a Special Progress Report requested by NEASC, an interim report. NEASC recommended 11 areas they felt were in need of change at NHS. Five of these have been completed, including adding computer stations in the library, steps underway to address facilities deficiencies in the short term, staffing increases, increases in elective offerings, and aligning curriculum and expectations.

Two recommendations, involving advanced placement courses, were rejected by the administration. One of those addressed changing prerequisites for taking AP courses. This was rejected because all students wishing to take these courses are able to.

The second called for elimination of fees as a condition of enrolling in AP courses. Newtown and every high school in the Southwest Conference of Connecticut requests exam fees for these courses. If there is a financial need, that can be communicated to the director of guidance and the fee can be waived.

Four other recommendations are in progress at this time. A full report by the school to NEASC is due in approximately one year.

The district’s Business Director Ron Bienkowski gave an update on the high school expansion project and the selection of an architect. A ten-member committee reviewed seven proposals sent by architectural firms through Quality Based Selection evaluation.

This committee whittled the proposals down to two. Those two firms will be invited for an interview and to present their proposals next Thursday, January 18. The two firms are Castle Boos and Fletcher Thompson.

The board had a brief discussion of recommendations that have been made by the Charter Revision Committee regarding the structure and term duration of the Board of Education members.

Mr Mangiafico summarized the committee’s recommendations: “Charter Revision recommends a 50 percent increase in the number of members to nine, a two-year term instead of four, and election of members by district. Board of Education members spoke against these changes as did several very knowledgeable people.”

Dr Pitkoff added, “There is a subarea of concern that is when members would be elected. There is the potential that the entire board could be replaced all at once and there goes all the institutional memory of the board in one vote.

“I have done some research into what are the best practices for Boards of Education as far as government structure. The goals really are to have continuity of board members. The research says you want to have members elected at large because you don’t want to set up the case where one section of town has their representatives who might show favoritism to one school in that area. Board members should be elected at large as there job is to represent all learners in schools.”