The Board of Selectmen learned that the Newtown Parks & Recreation Department and the Newtown Community Center both qualified for the maximum amount of grants to fund a summer enrichment program that will also welcome youths from neighboring towns to participate.

Parks & Recreation Director Amy Mangold joined Community Center Director Matt Ariniello during the selectmen’s regular June 7 meeting to share the news.

“We both applied for the State Department of Education Summer Enrichment Program grants separately,” Mangold said, adding that separate applications were required for each site that is able to offer a venue for applicable programs. “There were 210 applicants, and Dickinson Park and the Community Center were both awarded a $25,000 grant each — so we were both awarded the full amount.”

Mangold said the grants will not only facilitate expansion of available programs, especially to those unable to afford such activities, but in view of other neighboring communities, including Danbury, not offering or curtailing aspects of their summer programs, Newtown may be able to host youths from those underserved municipalities.

“I’m trying to reach out and coordinate with other communities’ students who may need enrichment,” she said. “There are 40,000 students across the region being affected by the grants, so we’re really happy to be a part of that.”

Mangold said hands-on learning experiences that are fun and engaging for young people are always a part of Newtown’s summer programming. She circulated a document with proposed activities and related expenses that include Hobby Quest days entitled “Airplane Engineers,” where handmade aircraft are designed and built, reinforcing STEM skills, as well as a literary program partnering with the C.H. Booth Library for those in grades K-6.

There is also a planned “Day Rock Workshop” where attendees experiment with and learn to play various musical instruments; an introduction to rocketry; and workshops on how to create and perform magic with attendees presenting their skills at a live showcase.

Groups of attendees will also be able to attend day trips to Quassy Amusement Park and beach in neighboring Middlebury.

“They often don’t realize they are learning while they are participating,” Mangold said. “I’m really excited to partner with the library.”

She said library staff will come in one day a week with a teacher-led interactive reading program, a comprehension-building response to the text through movement or drawing, independent reading time, and a writing response opportunity for the student to reflect on their reading experience.

Mangold said she will allocate $3,000 to bring in a social worker skilled in providing emotional support to attendees who may need it.

NCC Summer Plan

Ariniello said the NCC grant will allow greater partnership with the school district and Newtown Continuing Education to provide a full realm of support in view of all the in-school time that was lost.

The NCC will also be able to offer a full-day option of enrichment and activities, as well as extended before and after care.

He said 45 youths are currently registered for the summer school supplemental program and 12 are on a waiting list — and the program will be offering more than two dozen scholarships.

Ariniello said the NCC also just learned of three additional grants: $7,500 to provide the “Race for Chase” program; $5,000 from the United Way for after-school programming; and $5,000 from the Stew Leonard philanthropic foundation for swimming lessons at the center.

Selectmen added that approval to their agenda and swiftly approved accepting those added funds. Ariniello said the United Way may also be providing added funds for further COVID-related expenses, and he would update the board if and when those funds are awarded.

Reporting on other matters, Ariniello proclaimed, “We have weathered the storm of COVID-19, I’m happy to say,” adding that 2021 will be the first full summer of activities since the center opened in July of 2019.

He thanked and recognized his staff for all their hard work. “We learned a lot about virtual learning, and we’ve continued expanding after-school learning.”

Recovering Lost Revenues

He then ran through a list of other activities responding to or related to the pandemic, including hosting vaccine clinics. On the down side, the pandemic caused the NCC to lose more than 35% of its overall membership in 2020.

“Membership is now continuing to increase,” he said, with the continuation of an “all access pass” program to both the NCC and the pool and beach facilities maintained by Parks & Rec. “The largest increases you will see are in monthly family memberships.”

Ariniello said program numbers continue to rise, with more than 796 applicants for summer programs versus 256 last summer, bringing more than $400,000 in added revenue for the 2020-21 fiscal cycle. That membership response is putting the NCC on track for reporting over $1 million in revenue for its first full year of operations.

He said the allowance for members to freeze their memberships for up to four months was a big help in sustaining standing members’ participation.

The NCC director also touted a new cross-platform reservation system that will work for both Apple and Android users, permitting those making reservations to secure them before the facility opens, if needed. He is also researching how to successfully administer a guest and day pass system, and wants to have it up and running by July 1.

He said a membership survey is in the works, so members and residents can look out for that and participate to help the center plan for next year. Additionally, a $200,000 patio project is already on the drawing board, and he expects once completed it will greatly enhance revenues.

Capital improvements included a rubberized splash pad service and plans for exterior improvements on and adjacent to the rear deck area. Ariniello said solar panels that have been installed are beginning to offset energy costs, and a three-day shutdown is planned in late summer for preventative maintenance.

In closing, Ariniello said some virtual programming will continue for those more comfortable participating from home.

First Selectman Dan Rosenthal expressed gratitude to both Ariniello and Mangold for persevering and continuing to be as creative as possible in serving the community through the pandemic.

“I’m happy to see it’s off to the races for everybody,” the first selectman said.

Associate Editor John Voket can be reached at john@thebee.com.