To the Editor:

The following message has been e-mailed to Dr Erardi and the Board of Education.

Jim Gaston’s paper has given you some compelling reasons why Hawley School should not be closed. He addressed multiple concerns but for me education is the main concern. Hawley School should not be closed but my reasons are primarily education. The prime concern should be what is best for our students at all levels. Save Our Schools is not about a building but about Save Our Students.

Having been an educator for over 50 years, my perspective is multilevel, not just elementary schooling. As a reading/language consultant, I have taught in a number of schools in Connecticut at various levels including graduate school. I feel compelled to speak up as I see undesirable educational consequences in what has been proposed. First, K-4 elementary schools are more educationally productive than K-3 schools. It has been my experience that K-3 schools do not prepare students adequately for intermediate academics. The mind-set is primary education rather than a transition to intermediate work by the end of third grade. Keeping the fourth grade with K-3 allows the students an opportunity to prepare for higher academics in a setting that is comfortable and reassuring to the students. They are more than ready by the latter part of third grade to make a deliberate but careful transition to intermediate academics without a quick jump to a 4-6 setting that they are not fully prepared for. K-4 schools ease that strain.

Secondly, we know that smaller classes provide the best opportunity to properly educate the multilevel children we must provide for. Higher class numbers mean less individual attention. We have an opportunity now to have a smaller class size to maximize learning.

Third, eighth graders should never be joined with 9-12. The peer culture is quite different. While a few students might benefit, most would face situations beyond their realm. Maturity cannot be rushed, and students should not be placed in an environment that they may not be emotionally ready for.

Fourth, portable classrooms must be avoided. When Sandy Hook School was a K-5 school, we had a number of portable classrooms. As the reading/language arts consultant there at that time, I can attest to the struggles we had to provide a proper education for the students so housed. It takes years to overcome the educational deficits that portable classrooms foster.

Your task is a difficult one in making a decision whether to close Hawley School or some other school. But in coming to your decision I urge you to consider the impact on students as your guiding principle. Keep in mind the closing of Hawley School would not only be a disservice to Hawley students but will affect all Newtown students as they try to integrate in different settings.

Jean Klein

3 Budd Drive, Newtown                                               June 17, 2015