CAPT Tests Next Year Require

April Vacation To Be Changed

By Tanjua Damon

Newtown Board of Education members were informed this week that the 2003–2004 April vacation will need to be changed because the State Department of Education has changed the time Connecticut Academic Performance Tests (CAPT) for tenth graders will be given.

The board voted in March 2002 on a two-year calendar that incorporated April break the week of April 12 through April 16. But now that CAPT tests will be administered April 1 through April 16, the school district has to change the April vacation dates.

Superintendent of Schools Evan Pitkoff proposed April vacation to be April 19 through April 23, as well as providing April 9 off for Good Friday.

In other board business, Policy 7-406.1 Camera Surveillance on School Grounds continues to be discussed by the board. Numerous revisions have been made to the draft since it was first brought to the board in March. Board members requested that high school administrators be consulted with about the policy since it relates to the high school camera system. The board could vote on the policy at its next meeting April 8 beginning at 7:30 pm.

In other board business, Tim Alix of Strategic Building Solutions gave an update on Reed Intermediate School. He explained to the board that a sign for the school has been placed on the building outside the cafeteria. Mr Alix explained that work continues at the school, but at a slower pace.

“There is work continuing over there. We hope Haynes [Construction] can get to the fields soon,” Mr Alix said. “The interior work is ongoing, but it has really slowed down. They have gotten to issues that are more involved than touching up.”

Mr Alix explained to the board that a meeting would take place later in the week to figure out a strategy with Haynes Construction to get a timeline in place to closeout the projects. Mr Alix told the board he did not have a dollar value yet for what it will cost to replace the outside and lobby canopy that does not meet fire codes. Also a gas relief value constructed in the mechanical room at the school needs to be moved outside at the request of the gas company. Mr Alix reported that the design team is looking into it.

The board was also presented with several textbook adoption requests including social studies supplementary tests for seventh and eight graders entitled History of Us; and the World Language Department is requesting books for French V and Spanish V –– Entretiens, Cours de Conversation, Ouvertures, Mundo 21, Tertulia, Advanced Oral Skills in Spanish –– to support the curriculum revision that was completed last fall. Revised curriculums for United States History were presented as well as a new title for the American Ethnic Heritage Studies to be changed to Multicultural Perspectives.