Board Of Ed To Work With Town On NHS Space Needs

By Susan Coney

Acknowledging the need for a more comprehensive plan to help alleviate the overcrowded conditions at the high school, members of the Board of Education vowed to work with other town organizations in an effort to integrate the school’s needs with those of the town at its December 6 meeting.

Responding to a question raised at a previous meeting by board member Paul Mangiafico regarding the viability of making a school for grades seven, eight, and nine to help ease the population at the high school, Superintendent Evan Pitkoff argued that it was not a good model for Newtown.

Dr Pitkoff said that except for the enrollment issue there was no other valid reason to do it. Dr Pitkoff said that the days of the old junior high model have been gone for more than 25 years and that only one district in the state operates a seven-eight-nine junior high. He explained that Amity Regional Junior High School, with an enrollment of 598 students, was operating out of necessity because it is a blend of a few small towns pooling resources together to best meet student needs. He did not feel it was a viable option for Newtown.

The superintendent went on to point out the importance of having the ninth graders present in the high school setting because it exposes the students to greater course offerings. Having a junior high setting would cause major shifting in staff, affecting many teachers who only have the required state certification to teach at the high school level. The change would most certainly cause the need to hire additional part-time teachers.

Dr Pitkoff added that it is crucial that ninth graders get the required credits for graduation and that colleges look at the student record for the entire four years of high school.

Board member Tom Gissen was concerned that a freshman house, as proposed by the High School Space Needs Committee, would isolate the ninth graders. Dr Pitkoff responded saying that ninth graders have the most difficulty due to the transition to the high school level and that grouping them in a freshman house would enable the staff to help and monitor them more closely.

Assistant Superintendent Alice Jackson commented, “It has to do with flow.” She noted that putting the ninth graders in a freshman house for their core classes eliminates the need for them to tote heavy backpacks, lessens overcrowding of the halls by reducing movement by about 50 percent, and makes for smoother traffic flow.

Mr Mangiafico said he appreciated the clarification, adding, “I can see the benefits of the segregation educationally and with the traffic flow.”

Additionally Dr Pitkoff said that the board plans to meet with officials of the Planning and Zoning Commission to review the Option C addition to the high school as recommended by the High School Space Needs Committee. The purpose for the meeting is to ensure that if Option C is chosen, the project can move forward with no interference from planning and zoning. Two possible items to be reviewed by the commission would be if rock material would be allowed to be moved from one portion of the site to another and if the height of the addition would be acceptable under local regulations.

The superintendent also reported that he and Chairman Elaine McClure have met in a closed meeting with First Selectman Herb Rosenthal and representatives from the Board of Finance and Legislative Council to discuss in a more broad sense the school space needs and how they may be integrated with town needs. Representatives from each group will continue to meet periodically to increase communication and clarification of the needs of the town as a whole.

Mr Mangiafico raised concerns about accepting Option C as a solution to the high school overcrowding situation. He stated unequivocally that he would not endorse any expansion plan that would be outgrown within a year of being completed. “I feel very uneasy with the proposals given by Judge Lavery [chairman of the space needs committee] and the architects. The committee’s charge was somewhat limited,” he added.

School board member Lisa Schwartz said the board needed to be cognizant of the timeframe for the high school project. Mr Mangiafico agreed, saying, “We need to get some feedback from the Board of Finance of the impact the high school expansion, as well as other CIP [capital improvement projects] will have on our budget. There is a clock that’s ticking and the months have a way of going by really fast.”

Ms McClure said, “The high school expansion is something the board takes very seriously. It is a major undertaking for the town. It is not something we plan to do in a vacuum. Our intention is to let the town know our plans and get their input.”

At the close of the discussion Dr Pitkoff stressed that the high school expansion project needs to remain as an on going agenda item.