Vote Yes

For Architect Fees

To the Editor:

For the past few years, the Board of Education and school administration have been working to develop a cost-effective proposal to address the space needs of Newtown High School. The building’s capacity is 1,600 students; the current enrollment is in excess of 1,700 students. The high school enrollment has grown by more than 500 students over the past eight years and according to projections may exceed 2,000 students by the year 2014.

After much analysis and discussion, the Board of Education approved a conceptual plan to expand the existing high school building to address these space needs. In January, the Legislative Council voted to place a funding request in the Town’s Capital Improvement Plan to expand the high school based on the projected enrollment of 2,022 students for the 2014-2015 school year.

The town has hired the Fletcher-Thompson architectural firm to design the expansion and addition. The Public Building and Site Commission has recommended a construction manager for the project.

While the district has coped with the school in its present size and condition for years, the enrollment increases have exacerbated overcrowding in almost every space of the building. Moreover, it has limited participation of many students in a number of overenrolled classes. The condition will only get worse as the student population rises.

Last year, the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) placed Newtown High School’s accreditation on “warning status” in large part due to the need for additional space and resources. In their report they cited the inadequate number of classrooms, an inadequate library-media center, an inadequately sized cafeteria, inadequate office and conference space, and a run-down auditorium as building concerns that deprive students of learning opportunities. NEASC has required the district to present a “clear plan, timeline and explanation of the funding sources to resolve fully all identified deficiencies in the building.”

It is essential that we address our space needs at the high school at this time in order to ensure that we maintain the quality of education that Newtown expects and deserves and to prevent our school from being placed on “probation” by NEASC.

Vote Yes on Tuesday’s referendum to provide funding for architect fees so we may finally address our high school space needs.

Dr Evan Pitkoff

Superintendent of Schools

31 Peck’s Lane, Newtown                                                June 19, 2007