To the Editor:

The recommendation to close Hawley Elementary School has created great debate in Newtown for the past several weeks, but the issue at hand is much broader than the iconic schoolhouse in the center of town. Newtown has a reputation for maintaining high standards in education, and this attracts home buyers to the community. In fact, it was the primary reason I bought a home and settled in Newtown with my family two and a half years ago. Today as I look at the options presented to us, I am convinced that closing Hawley is not in the best interest of our town, or any of our town’s school children. Why? For many reasons, at the forefront of which is this: doing so at this time requires restructuring Newtown Public Schools to a K-3, 4-6, 7-8, 9-12 configuration.

I understand that such restructuring allows for “early assembly of cohort grade-levels” and “optimization of resources”… but at what cost? Children are not “learning units” and their experience are unique, multi-faceted, and have bearing on social, emotional and academic achievement.

Transitions are challenging for children, and it has been well documented that learning dips after a move between schools, even within a district. Fourth grade is a formative year for young learners: for reading and comprehension, and for math and analytics. From a pedagogical standpoint, fourth grade is a completely inopportune time to transition students. Most districts in Fairfield County and the majority state-wide that share Newtown’s DRG B classification are K-5. Forcing our children to “move up” not one – but two! – years earlier than the average puts them at a grave disadvantage.

I don’t want to see declining enrollment projections become a self-fulfilling prophecy and drive down the desirability of this town for incoming families. More importantly, I don’t want the quality of education, or the educational experiences of our children, to suffer. If we are forced to make changes, let’s make them in the direction of best educational practices. Children who are age 9 and 10 belong in an elementary school setting, with other elementary aged children. Our kids are growing up fast enough… let’s not rob them of another year in elementary school.

Judit DeStefano

12 Horseshoe Ridge Road, Newtown June 23, 2015