It started with the Great Newtown Reunion in 2013, when Newtown High School classmates gathered on Fairfield Hills grounds to be together after the horrific events that took place in Sandy Hook on 12/14.

Alumni just wanted to be together and members of many classes of Newtown High School gathered to remember, honor, and celebrate the lives of those lost in this small close-knit town. In the following years, the tradition of an all-class reunion would continue, thanks to the foresight and graciousness of Leslie and Corky Ballard and their group Panacea, the beloved band from NHS years. Members of the band continued the tradition of showing up every year on the Sunday before Labor Day at Dickinson Town Park to play favorite tunes while classmates and some faculty gathered to continue to be in touch with the people they grew up with.

Carol Ault (NHS ‘75), although living in St Louis, Missouri, attended many of these all-class reunions because the date coincided with the annual celebration of the birthday of her mother, who still lived in Newtown.

While attending the annual all-class reunion this past summer, Carol talked with classmates Sherry Pitcher (‘75) and Jill Stilson (‘75) about their upcoming 50th Newtown High School reunion, remarking “How hard can this be to put a reunion together? We can just tell our classmates to show up at the annual all-class reunion and it’s done.”

Sherry and Jill agreed to help organize a 50th class reunion. Carol then contacted Matt Karpacz (‘75), whom she remembered had posted a question about a 50th class reunion on Facebook some time ago. Matt was onboard but wanted to explore more options and broaden the team.

Matt contacted Steve Matrullo (‘75) and he joined the committee. Then Matt called Karyl Kreizinger Evans (‘75), who was enthusiastic about the chance to see classmates after 50 years. She called Scott Warren (‘75), who did not hesitate to join the team.

The core reunion committee was formed and after a couple of Zoom meetings the group decided a road trip to Newtown was in order to actually see the possible event venues they had been researching on the internet as no one on the committee actually lives in Newtown. The mini reunion began at Blue Colony Diner, which was a mainstay for the classmates after sporting events while attending Newtown High School in the early 1970s.

Next stop was Marygold’s on Main, which was in operation as the Hawley Manor Inn when the group was in high school. After visiting four venues, Marygold’s on Main was chosen as the location for the 50 Year Newtown High School Reunion. The reunion date, over Labor Day Weekend 2025, was chosen after surveying class members on the Newtown High School Class of 1975 Facebook page.

The event will take place on Saturday, August 30, 2025, from 6-9 pm.

Additional Events, Sharing The News

Now the Reunion Committee is actively trying to get the word out about the 50-year reunion to their 300+ classmates who are spread out not only around the country, but around the world. For example, Vicki Goggin ‘75 is a casting director living in Los Angeles, Steve Gold ‘75 lives in Thailand, and Mary Beth Allen ‘75 lives in Australia.

The Reunion Committee is also working on organizing other activities for the reunion weekend including: finalizing a fun venue to meet classmates casually on Friday evening, August 29, as people arrive in town; confirming details about the annual all-class Newtown High School reunion at Dickinson Memorial Park Pavilion on Sunday afternoon, August 31; and letting classmates know about the location where everyone can meet on Main Street for the Labor Day Parade Monday, September 1, for those who are still in town.

All information about the 50th Newtown High School Class of 1975 Reunion will be communicated on the group’s Facebook page. Classmates who are not already part of that private group should search for Newtown High School Class of 1975 and click on the blue Join group button.