NHS

Expansion

Design

Costs

Approved

By Laurie Borst

On Tuesday, June 26, Newtown voters approved the spending of $2.75 million for the design phase of the high school expansion project. The vote was 1,372 in favor and 912 opposed. The total 2,284 votes represents 14.4 percent of the 15,886 registered voters in Newtown.

Superintendent of Schools Evan Pitkoff was pleased with the voting results.

“This enables us to move the project forward and address the high school space needs. It’s a good thing it passed because NEASC asked me to call them today,” Dr Pitkoff said. “This leads me to believe they are monitoring this closely and it’s a very good thing for the town that it passed.

“Still, I’m disappointed in the low voter turnout,” he added. “It’s a tough time of year. I hope in the future, more people will come out and vote.”

Board of Education Chair Elaine McClure echoed Dr Pitkoff’s sentiments.

“Obviously, I am very happy the architects fees passed,” said Mrs McClure. “ It’s a good sign that it passed by a 460-vote margin, although, I do wish more people had voted.

“I’m glad people realize the importance of the project. We’ll be keeping people informed as the architects proceed,” she added.

The New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) oversees accreditation of schools and colleges. Every ten years, schools are reviewed to be sure they meet NEASC standards. In its most recent review, Newtown High School was placed on warning status, the main concern of the NEASC inspectors being the overcrowded conditions.

Newtown High School opened its doors on Berkshire Road in 1970. By the early 1990s, Newtown’s population had grown to the point that an addition was needed. That addition was completed in 1998 and had a capacity of 1,600 students.

As Newtown has continued to grow, more than 1,700 students navigated the crowded hallways and cafeteria this past school year. Parking has become a point of contention. Courses that can be offered are limited due to inadequate classroom availability.

As school administrators and board members contemplated the needs of the high school, various plans evolved. One of those plans, which came to be known as Option F, was presented at a Board of Education meeting last September. This option came with an estimated price of $47.3 million.

The Board of Finance concluded the projected cost was too high. The Board of Education returned to the architects, who then scaled down the project.

Two new versions of the expansion plan came out of that process. The first, known as Option G-1, includes renovating the existing gymnasium, which has not had any work done to it since the school opened in 1970, and has a projected cost of $42.9 million. The second, Option G-2, includes building a new gym facility as suggested by the Buildings and Sites Commission, would cost $46.9 million.

With the town’s authorization for architectural designs and preliminary engineering work, the Board of Education will be able to return to the town with a more precise proposal and cost projections for the final phases of the expansion project.