Join The Process

To the Editor:

I have been evaluating all the relevant information regarding the needs of the schools and the ability of the town to fund these needs. I came to a conclusion that open space acquisition, economic development, and state funding initiative will not produce the funds required to fund the needs of our school system (and town needs) within the next five to ten years. At this point in time, the residents of this town need to decide the destiny of our educational system. If we value education and believe that investing in education will produce benefits of quality education, attaining the perception of a valuable community to live in, and increased home value, then residents of Newtown will need to make a decision which path we will choose. Residents of other towns with limited noncommercial revenue, such as Weston, have made a commitment for quality education. Their community has high property value and is well respected and highly desirable for raising children.

It seems that it would be appropriate for the educational and town leaders of Newtown to lead us through a process by which the residents can make that decision. I would encourage you to enable that process by first endorsing the need for this community to invest in education. We are ranked 37th for wealth yet ranked at 138th out of 169 towns for spending per student. We spend $941 less per student compared with our Educational Reference Group B (classification of districts whose students’ families are similar in education, income, occupation, and need, and that have roughly similar enrollment). We spend $1,082 less per student than the state average. We also spend $182 less per student for land, buildings, and debt service compared with the state average.

Newtown has been financially conservative funding education thus far. I do believe that we are at a critical point to make a decision about the future of Newtown. As parents, we should not have allowed the overcrowding at the high school to reach this magnitude. We are at risk of being put on probation by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), the organization that accredits our high school. Bethel was put on probation and they now have an action plan to address their high school space needs.

So far, there is no plan to borrow any money to address the high school space needs or any other school needs in the 2006-2007 Capital Improvement Plan. Our Legislative Council has not yet voted on this plan. While the debate continues regarding the best long-term solution to address the space needs, how will we manage the overcrowding that currently exists? What happens to the students that are currently enrolled? Due to limited space, many students have two or three study halls in an eight-period day, are turned away from many courses, and have four separate shifts of 21 minutes for lunch with some students not having any time to eat lunch. Are we willing to accept this?

Meanwhile, the Board of Education members suggested coordinating a public forum (with all town leaders present) to have a dialogue with the residents. I encourage you to allow all residents of Newtown to participate in the process of decisionmaking.

Po Murray

38 Charter Ridge Drive, Sandy Hook                     January 17, 2006