Superintendent of Schools Joseph V. Erardi, Jr, and members of the Board of Education's Future Forecast Committee hosted a community forum on Monday, June 6, to hear input from attendees.available here through June 24.

The Board of Education's Future Forecast Committee is also continuing to seek community input through an online School Facility Survey,

"We encourage community members to take the survey," Dr Erardi wrote in a letter released to the community.

Due to declining enrollment, the school board voted at a February 4 meeting to charge the committee to "research the use of school facilities in light of projected enrollment changes in Newtown." The February charge also asked for the committee's report to include details from the 2015 district facilities study, discussion on "why numbers from peak enrollment are not comparable to numbers now," and next steps for school facilities usage.

The Future Forecast Committee is charged by the school board to prepare its report by the end of June and have the full substance of the committee's work presented to the school board in July, according to Dr Erardi.

The committee began meeting in March. It is divided into three groups to look at three options: to look at possible uses for district space if no school is closed, closing an elementary school and closing Newtown Middle School.

Board of Education members were also present at the community forum.

"The intent of tonight is your voice, not our voice," said Dr Erardi at the forum. "We want to be able to leave this evening with additional information for us that you may have."

The committee, Dr Erardi said, believes it is on the right path.

"Our enrollment study that was done two-and-a-half years ago continues to be an enrollment study of fidelity," Dr Erardi said. "We continue to believe the medium enrollment projection is accurate, reliable, and offers the school board the best information moving forward."

Committee member Karyn Holden reminded those present at the meeting the community forum and the survey are "your opportunity to share your comments, your input."