Anna Wiedemann Leaving

Guidance Dept. At NMS

By Laurie Borst

Anna Wiedemann, who has served as Newtown Middle School’s Guidance Department secretary for the past nine years, will be leaving her post on September 1.

 “I will miss the kids,” Mrs Wiedemann said. “And I love the staff. Everyone says I’ve given so much, but they have given back tenfold to me.”

Unfortunately, a disability with her arm has forced her to resign. The repetitive nature of computer work puts too much of a strain on her elbow.

Prior to her present position, Mrs Wiedemann worked in the guidance department doing clerical work for a year. Before that, she worked at Sandy Hook School in the PROBE program.

Asked about changes she has seen in the schools, Mrs Wiedemann responded, “There is less parental involvement because, it’s so expensive in this area, both parents have to work. Students have more freedom. It’s made the kids grow up too quick.

“Kids are overextended. Kids aren’t allowed to be kids anymore,” she continued. “They need to learn how to play.”

She also addressed the issue of computers. “On the Internet, things have gotten scary. Sometimes, parents want schools to take on more of a parental role. That’s sad. We teach about Internet dangers, but what the students do at home, we can’t control.”

Besides working for the schools, Mrs Wiedemann has been involved in PTA for 18 years. She is currently president of Newtown Middle School’s PTA. She continues to serve in that capacity, even though she has not had a child in the middle school for six years, because no one else has come forward. “PTA membership is down,” she stated.

“Parents today are so busy. They don’t have time left at the end of the day for one more commitment. They are overextended, just like the kids,” Mrs Wiedemann explained. “Parents are more permissive, I think, because of guilt over working. We need to go back to family values.”

Mrs Wiedemann decried the lack of involvement, and not just because civic groups need participants. “Being involved is a great way to meet people.”

Along with her many years in the PTA, she has belonged to Women Involved in Newtown (WIN) and the Newtown Junior Women’s Club. And she plans to stay involved in civic activities.

“I applied for the Charter Revision Committee, and ran for Legislative Council several years ago. I would like to run for a civic position,” she explained.

Anna and her husband, Dan, have lived in Newtown for 18 years. They have raised three children, Jennifer, 25, Stephanie, 21, and James, 18. Jennifer graduated from UConn, Stephanie lives in Vermont, and James leaves very soon to begin studying at UConn.

“It’ll be strange not having James at home,” Mrs Wiedemann said.

Susan Small will be replacing Mrs Wiedemann in the guidance office. Mrs Small has worked as a data entry clerk in the main office since September 2001. Prior to that, she worked as a bookkeeper in retail.

Susan and her husband, Steve, have lived in Newtown since October 1985. They have two children. Sharon is a junior at Villanova in Pennsylvania and Eddie is a freshman at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Penn.

“It’s good timing for the transition,” Mrs Small said. “A new job, a new challenge.”