Lillian Bittman Named Chair-School Board Hears About Freedom And Selects New Leaders
Lillian Bittman Named Chairâ
School Board Hears About Freedom And Selects New Leaders
By Eliza Hallabeck
New members joined the Board of Education Tuesday, December 1, and the board began its new term by listening to Reed Intermediate student Hunter James read from her recent award-winning essay, âA Crowded Subway.â
Hunter won this yearâs annual Constitutional Walking Tour of Philadelphiaâs essay contest for her age category, and along with the winning title, won a free trip for her cluster later this school year to Philadelphia. Hunter attended Tuesday nightâs meeting to present her article, which brings the reader through a scene in a crowded subway to show the importance of freedom.
âFreedom of Speech is one of our basic freedoms, yet it is very important,â Hunter read to the board. âWithout this freedom, no one wouldâve stood up for themselves and what they believed in. People like Martin Luther King, Jr, wouldnât be recognized for what they did, because they wouldnât have been able to do it. Those people wouldâve been arrested just for speaking out and attempting to change the world.â
Hunterâs older sister, Samantha, mother, teacher, and Reed Intermediate Principal Sharron Epple were all present in support of Hunterâs accomplishment. Her full essay was printed in the November 27 edition of The Newtown Bee, and to hear audio of Hunter reading her essay before the school board go to www.newtownbee.com.
Once Hunter had finished reading her essay, the school board went on to select its new leaders. Board member Lillian Bittman was voted into the position as chair, Kathryn Fetchick was voted vice chair, and newly seated board member Debbie Leidlein, who was the only member nominated for the position, became the school boardâs new secretary by a unanimous vote.
After the first round of nominations, Ms Bittman and Ms Fetchick were nominated as possible candidates for chairman, but the first round of votes tied with three each, with board member David Nanavaty voting against both nominees.
Ms Leidlein, who nominated Ms Fetchick for chair, said âI have seen her dedication for our schools.â
School board member William Hart spoke next regarding his nomination of Ms Bittman.
â[Ms Bittman] has shown her ability to be an extremely good diplomat,â said Mr Hart.
After both Ms Fetchick and Ms Bittman spoke in favor of themselves for the position, the school board voted again with the same locked outcome. Ms Fetchick, Christopher Lagana, and Ms Leidlein voted for Ms Fetchick, and Ms Bittman, Mr Hart, and Richard Gaines voted in favor of Ms Bittman for chair. Mr Nanavaty voted No to both.
The school board then broke for caucus, and, when it returned to public session, Mr Nanavaty changed his position, making Ms Bittman the school boardâs new chair.
The position for vice chair was then brought up, and both Ms Fetchick and Mr Nanavaty were nominated.
âIâve been on the board for a little over a year,â said board member Richard Gaines, before speaking in support of Mr Nanavaty. Mr Gaines said Mr Nanavaty would be a good liaison to other boards and committees. He continued, âIt is a legal mind that opens and closes, and sees some of the nuances that others of us have not. And I appreciate what he has to offer.â
Ms Leidlein, after acknowledging her new presence on the school board, spoke in favor of school board member Kathryn Fetchick for vice chair.
âShe has shown her dedication to the schools in all that she has done,â Ms Leidlein said. âWe really need to have her in a position where she can be effective.â
Mr Nanavaty, Mr Hart, and Mr Gaines voted in favor of Mr Nanavaty for vice chair, and Ms Fetchick, Mr Lagana, Ms Leidlein, and Ms Bittman voted in favor of Ms Fetchick.
Ms Leidlein was then voted into the position of secretary.
The school board also voted and passed an increase of $284 per student attending the AIS Magnet School in Danbury, for a total not to exceed, $11,363 in tuition. The increase represents a rise in tuition at the school. Both Ms Fetchick and Ms Leidlein voted No to the increase.
Other topics covered during the school boardâs meeting included a presentation by Newtown High School Principal Charles Dumais, continuing the school boardâs presentations on schools while the districtâs strategic plan is implemented. The slideshow presented to the school board can be found on Mr Dumaisâs blog at http://dumais.us/newtown/blog/?p=4416.
Full-Day Kindergarten?
Another topic during the meeting focused on the possibility of lengthening the kindergarten school day to a full day in the school district.
âEach of the principals have been asked to come in with a flat budget,â said Superintendent of Schools Janet Robinson, and, along with that discussion, frequent conversations between the superintendent, assistant superintendent, and the principals is increasing the CMT scores for third grade students. Dr Robinson said increasing the hours of instruction for students in kindergarten could help. Space and cost need to be considered, she said.
By eliminating the midday bus run for kindergarten, Dr Robinson reported to the board, $255,877, equal to 3.9 teaching positions, would be preserved.
âI would need five teachers districtwide,â said Dr Robinson, âand we have the classrooms. We have checked with every school. We have the classrooms to have full-day kindergarten. So I am just throwing this out to you so you are aware we are looking at this.â
Mr Gaines questioned whether there is a correlation between increasing instruction hours for kindergarteners and third grade CMT scores.