Superintendent Plans For ‘A Good Year,’ Hopes For ‘A Great Year’

By Eliza hallaBEck

After the “challenging” school year that was 2020-21, Newtown Superintendent of Schools Dr Lorrie Rodrigue is hopeful the coming academic year will be a “good” one.

Looking back on the prior school year, Rodrigue said, “I think everybody did learn a lot of lessons along the way, and we made it work.”

As of late July, Rodrigue was looking toward students returning full time for the fall.

“We hope to come back and make this as positive of a year as we have [had] in the past,” said Rodrigue, adding she hopes it will be “a good year” for everyone.

Dr Rodrigue said there will be a focus on supporting everyone’s needs in the fall. Summer is always a time to shape goals for the new school year, and a recent administrators’ retreat focused on how to support climate and culture in the school district.

Last year, new forms of partnerships grew between staff, students, and district parents, she observed, adding that those partnerships formed out of necessity. This year, she wants to utilize those partnerships to continue moving in a positive direction overall.

The 2020-21 school year propelled the use of technology to expand, Dr Rodrigue observed, and technology will continue to be utilized to support instruction.

Dr Rodrigue also noted that the district is waiting for further direction from the state and the Department of Health (DPH) regarding guidance on pandemic procedures while noting that the Board of Education approved a Return To School Plan in June. The school board authorized Dr Rodrigue to make changes as needed to the plan at a special virtual meeting on August 11, and updates are expected to be announced and posted to the district's website, newtown.k12.ct.us, if made.

When the board approved the plan, at a June 22 meeting, it was announced that things could change as state infection rates of COVID-19 evolve. As long as health metrics at the local level continue improving and there are no new state mandates or executive orders, pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade education will resume in-person, “with continuity of all services beginning August 2021,” the plan reads in part.

Dr Rodrigue said as of late July, the plan was still in effect unless further direction is announced by the state and DPH.

There are many parts of the plan. Top plan points include “Cohort D” no longer being an option for families to have students learn at home; Newtown Middle School and Newtown High School no longer requiring daily early dismissal; and all elementary schools and Reed Intermediate School no longer requiring early dismissal on Wednesdays, as previously reported by The Newtown Bee.

Regarding masks, the plan originally read, “It is our on-going interest and intent to create and maintain an environment that is conducive to students’ health and wellbeing. Newtown Public Schools will only mandate masks, for both students and adults, in schools when required by Executive Orders or requirements by the State.” But an August 5 executive order from the governor extended masks being worn in schools through September 30.

According to the original plan, Newtown Public Schools will encourage social distancing in accordance with DPH and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines; desk shields will no longer be used; digital and blended learning will remain when appropriate; and at the kindergarten to sixth grade levels, classroom groups will travel between school activities as they had prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Also, seventh to 12th grade students will be in non-cohorted classes and lunch as health metrics permit; meals will continue to be provided to students at no cost until June 30, 2022; and shared use of playground and physical education equipment will be allowed and equipment will be periodically cleaned and disinfected.

Following guidelines, music groups and ensembles will be permitted to practice and perform with materials and equipment periodically cleaned and disinfected; middle and high school sports will continue to follow Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference guidelines; and all clubs and activities will resume in the fall.

The plan continues to highlight that parents and caregivers will need to keep students home when sick; staff and students will need to inform the school nurse if students are out ill or had contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19; all facilities will be cleaned and disinfected according to DPH and CDC guidelines; existing ventilation and air purifying enhancements will remain in place; and transportation will resume at capacity.

The plan also specifies DPH and CDC guidance regarding quarantining will continue to be followed.

The plan finally highlights, “We will continue to support the vaccination of staff and eligible students through our local Newtown Heath Department and other community partners.”

Overall, for the 2021-22 school year, Dr Rodrigue said she hopes “we all come back — staff, students, and leaders — with a real positive attitude that we are all back together and our students, teaching, and learning, is the most important [priority]. We want to make sure the students and staff have all the supports they need so this is not just a good year but a great year.”

Education Reporter Eliza Hallabeck can be reached at eliza@thebee.com.

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