The Board of Education has officially scrapped the plan to move 8th graders into the high school building. They folded under the pressure we built together and agreed to look for better alternatives. Keep an eye on the upcoming board meetings to make sure they follow through on this new …
January 12, 2017
Final supporters
We the undersigned feel strongly that the 8th graders of Newtown Middle School should not be housed at Newtown High School. We ask that the Newtown BOE come up with other alternatives and or another grade configuration plan. It is important for our children to be with peers of their own age group, especially with the onset of adolscence during the middle school years. The middle school years are pressure enough, to have our children in high school is just an added pressure they do not need. Will our children even be able to enjoy all that high school has to offer at such a young age? Will they even be considered a high schooler? How fun will it be for our children to go to a school and not be able to participate in any of the sports programs and all other activities? Will they even be accepted ? We are talking about children who for some are on the cusp of adolescence in a school with kids who are getting ready for college. To take our children out of their comfort zone and put them where they are cleary not developmentally ready all for saving a few dollars seems trivial as when all is said and done in a few years we will have to re-open up NMS anyway. We urge you to please look at other grade configuration options and keep our 8th graders out of the high school. They grow up so fast as it is, let them be kids just a little longer.
Updates
Reached 500 supporters
November 30, 2016
November 29, 2016
We are approaching 500 signatures and need to maintain this momentum to prove that our community rejects this proposal. Text the link to three neighbors right now and tell them why our 8th graders belong in middle school. Post this petition on your Facebook page today so the board knows we are watching.
November 15, 2016
The Board of Education is ignoring our concerns about the developmental impact of mixing eighth graders with high school students. Call your board representative today and demand they explore alternative grade configurations before the next meeting. Post this link on your neighborhood Facebook page to ensure other parents understand exactly what is at stake.
Reached 100 supporters
November 13, 2016
185 Comments
As an educator in a neighboring town and a resident of Newtown, I must say that this is the worst decision. 8th graders are NOT ready for the HS environment. It can not always be about money, sometimes it needs to be about the kids.
As a parent of a child with ADHD, the transition to 7th grade has been difficult enough - there is no way that Reed would have the space capabilities to prepare those kids to move directly to the high school. This is not a good option.
As an educator who taught in middle schools for the last decade I want to say that there is a reason we call it "MIDDLE SCHOOL", Do your research people and, by the way, I don't care about saving $50.00 per household to close this school.
In 7th grade, my sons had Vape smoke blown in their faces while sharing the bus with high schoolers. That was enough. Even at 8th grade, they don't need to be in school with them!! Development-wise, it's two different worlds and they should be kept as such!!
I would prefer 6, 7 and 8th grades together rather than 8th grade starting in high school. We already have a horrible problem with drugs at the high school, why subject developmentally younger children to this?
No to getting rid of middle school!!!! Ridiculous not only will we need the building later - - what self respecting town that wants property sales up and new families in it go and close their middle school!!
Do not move 8th grade to highschool. NOT a good decision for our children
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The Board of Education has officially scrapped the plan to move 8th graders into the high school building. They folded under the pressure we built together and agreed to look for better alternatives. Keep an eye on the upcoming board meetings to make sure they follow through on this new …
January 12, 2017
Final supporters
We the undersigned feel strongly that the 8th graders of Newtown Middle School should not be housed at Newtown High School. We ask that the Newtown BOE come up with other alternatives and or another grade configuration plan. It is important for our children to be with peers of their own age group, especially with the onset of adolscence during the middle school years. The middle school years are pressure enough, to have our children in high school is just an added pressure they do not need. Will our children even be able to enjoy all that high school has to offer at such a young age? Will they even be considered a high schooler? How fun will it be for our children to go to a school and not be able to participate in any of the sports programs and all other activities? Will they even be accepted ? We are talking about children who for some are on the cusp of adolescence in a school with kids who are getting ready for college. To take our children out of their comfort zone and put them where they are cleary not developmentally ready all for saving a few dollars seems trivial as when all is said and done in a few years we will have to re-open up NMS anyway. We urge you to please look at other grade configuration options and keep our 8th graders out of the high school. They grow up so fast as it is, let them be kids just a little longer.
Updates
Reached 500 supporters
November 30, 2016
November 29, 2016
We are approaching 500 signatures and need to maintain this momentum to prove that our community rejects this proposal. Text the link to three neighbors right now and tell them why our 8th graders belong in middle school. Post this petition on your Facebook page today so the board knows we are watching.
November 15, 2016
The Board of Education is ignoring our concerns about the developmental impact of mixing eighth graders with high school students. Call your board representative today and demand they explore alternative grade configurations before the next meeting. Post this link on your neighborhood Facebook page to ensure other parents understand exactly what is at stake.
Reached 100 supporters
November 13, 2016
185 Comments
I am a Newtown parent and taxpayer. I cannot see any benefits for our children in the proposal to close NMS. The short term cost savings do not justify the harm that will be done to our children, or the reputation of our town and our property values.
As an educator in a neighboring town and a resident of Newtown, I must say that this is the worst decision. 8th graders are NOT ready for the HS environment. It can not always be about money, sometimes it needs to be about the kids.
As a parent of a child with ADHD, the transition to 7th grade has been difficult enough - there is no way that Reed would have the space capabilities to prepare those kids to move directly to the high school. This is not a good option.
As an educator who taught in middle schools for the last decade I want to say that there is a reason we call it "MIDDLE SCHOOL", Do your research people and, by the way, I don't care about saving $50.00 per household to close this school.
In 7th grade, my sons had Vape smoke blown in their faces while sharing the bus with high schoolers. That was enough. Even at 8th grade, they don't need to be in school with them!! Development-wise, it's two different worlds and they should be kept as such!!
I would prefer 6, 7 and 8th grades together rather than 8th grade starting in high school. We already have a horrible problem with drugs at the high school, why subject developmentally younger children to this?
No to getting rid of middle school!!!! Ridiculous not only will we need the building later - - what self respecting town that wants property sales up and new families in it go and close their middle school!!
Do not move 8th grade to highschool. NOT a good decision for our children
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I am a Newtown parent and taxpayer. I cannot see any benefits for our children in the proposal to close NMS. The short term cost savings do not justify the harm that will be done to our children, or the reputation of our town and our property values.