School District Office Begins Move To Canaan House

By Tanjua Damon

The relocation of the Newtown School District offices to Canaan House at Fairfield Hills has begun, just in time for the holidays.

On Thursday and Friday, Superintendent John R. Reed and Assistant Superintendent Robert Kuklis, along with their administrative assistants, took the plunge and moved their belongs to their new offices at Canaan House.

Although the outside appearance is not what Dr Reed would like new hires to view when they first come to the district office, the plan is that this will be a temporary move.

“I don’t feel this building represents the kind of vehicle we want to recruit and attract people to Newtown. We’re just being good team players. People will understand,” Dr Reed said. “So we think it’s a temporary solution. We’re personally happy with the room we have.”

The district office is moving to Canaan House in order to construct more classrooms at the overcrowded middle school. Currently 1,200 students are housed in a school built for 1,077. Once the district offices are moved completely, construction will begin on four more classrooms in the office space left behind.

“It will be very necessary for next year. We’re going to try to do that ourselves, as a general contractor,” Dr Reed said. “We have partial funding.”

Dr Reed also expects state aid to help with the construction of the project. Districts usually receive a 35 percent reimbursement from the state that is returned the same year it is spent.

The school district was planning to rent commercial space across from the high school last year, when they were approached by First Selectman Herb Rosenthal to join other town offices at Canaan House to help save thousands of dollars.

“This move saves $55,000 per year as long as the state maintains the rent,” Dr Reed said.

It is the first time in 19 years that Dr Reed will enjoy an office with windows. Plus adding the district office to Canaan House puts more personnel in the big building that already is home to the town’s Land Use Offices and the Alternative High School.

“Now that I have them, I realize how much I missed them,” he said. “They’re glad to have some company. It’s a pretty lonely big building. The kids don’t feel like they are in an empty building.”

How people view Canaan House remains to be seen, but Dr Reed assures the public that it will be a positive atmosphere where work will continue as usual.

“A lot depends on people’s attitudes of older buildings,” he said. “This will be a happy place and a productive place.”

Since the holidays are a bit slower for the district offices, Dr Reed feels this was the best time for the move to take place.

“It’s busy time with the end of the year with payroll and the budget process,” Dr Reed said. “I think we’re lucky we moved now. The pace changes around the holidays.”

Dr Reed thanked staff who helped pack and everyone who helped move things to Canaan House.

“I’m proud of the job everyone has done,” he said. “Packing was done in four days.”