Region Plan for New K-5 School at Spepaug- Referendum

 We understand some people did not receive.  Please see below....  Thank you!

The Region is proceeding with a referendum to decide whether or not to build a new PreK-5 school in Washington and including Shepaug repairs.  Assuming the wording of the referendum is approved at the early March Board of Ed meetings, they will stay on their timeline for an      April 8th Referendum. This will be your opportunity and all three towns to decide whether to close our hometown schools forever.

You may have received the flyer from the Region in the mail that listed 4 informational sessions.  We continue to voice opposition and we would encourage our supporters to attend in force.  We are suspecting they are going to present 3 conceptual ideas on three separate spaces and ask the public to weigh in. Don't be fooled, this is to get your interest and buy-in.  The dates are: 2/4 Washington Town Hall, 2/5 Roxbury Town Hall, 2/6 Burnham School--all at 7pm then 2/8 SVMHS at 10a.

After this, there will be a second set of meetings in March. 30 days prior to the referendum, the administration enters a quiet period and they are no longer able to promote their plan.  SOS, however, as a PAC (political action committee) can continue our efforts.  Our goal right now is to be certain we protect our hometown schools by voting against a new Washington school that will cost taxpayers upwards of $30M.

In our upcoming mailers, we will begin to pitch the idea of the K-2, 3-5 merge between Booth and Burnham as an easy, next step option.  This will address our declining enrollment and keep costs in check.  There are other longer term options proposed and being researched as well.  

As you are all aware, our school budget comprises, 70% of the towns budgets.  Bottom line, it is not a good idea to take out a bond, and increase taxes on everyone to build a 30+M school when our enrollment is declining.  

We will continue to keep you informed.  Look for organizational emails from us in the coming weeks.

Burnham School Named School of Distinction

1/21/14 For immediate release 

The State Department of Education recently announced its Connecticut Schools of Distinction, and the Burnham School in Bridgewater has earned this coveted title. 

For the last three years the Connecticut Department of Education has calculated school performance indexes for each public school.  This index is based on each school's performance on the Connecticut Mastery Tests (CMT), which are administered in the spring each year for grades 3 through 8.  The CMT tests students in mathematics, reading comprehension, writing, and science.  

This year (2012-13) Burnham is again first in it’s District Resource Group and it was selected as a school of distinction based on high CMT scores.  The distinctive school list contains the 45 highest scoring elementary and middle schools in the state.  

Burnham is ranked 7^th based on its performance index of 95.5.  Considering that 820 schools were tested last spring, Burnham is in the top 1% of all schools in Connecticut.  Only a few elementary schools in New Canaan, Greenwich and West Hartford have higher performance indexes.

Burnham School is one of the elementary schools that comprise Region 12.  Last year Burnham celebrated a “Blue Ribbon Day” for it’s top ranking in the District Resource Group.  This year, their performance exceeded last year’s, bucking the overall trend within the state.

Friday, January 24, 2014

To the Editor:

Region 12 elementary schools are excelling.

For the last four years, the Connecticut Department of Education has calculated school performance indexes for each public school. This index is based on each school's performance on the Connecticut Mastery Tests (CMT), which are administered in the spring each year for grades 3 through 8.

In 2011-12, the three-year performance average was used to identify Burnham School in Bridgewater as first in our District Resource Group (similar school districts).

This finding placed Burnham in the top 5 percent of all elementary and middle schools in Connecticut.

For 2012-13, Burnham again was first in our District Resource Group and was selected as a school of distinction based on high CMT scores.

The distinctive school list contains the 45 highest-scoring elementary and middle schools in the state.

Burnham was ranked seventh based on a performance index of 95.5.

Considering 820 schools were tested last spring, Burnham was in the top 1 percent of all schools in Connecticut.

Only a few elementary schools in New Canaan, Greenwich and West Hartford had higher performance indexes.

The fine work of our students and the teaching staff at Burnham should be commended for consistent high performances, year after year.

Looking further into the performance of Region 12 elementary schools, all our primary schools are exceeding the state expectations.

The state has an objective of every school scoring 88 or better by 2024.

For 2012-13, Booth Free School in Roxbury was second in our district resource group with a score of 93.7 and Washington Primary School with a score of 90.0 was ranked 10th.

By mapping the Region 12 elementary scores against the 45 schools of distinction, Burnham was in the top 1 percent of all 820 schools tested in the 2012-13 CMTs, Booth was in the top 3 percent and WPS was in the top 6 percent.

Voters in Region 12 should be aware of the accomplishments of our current elementary schools.

Common sense dictates that you don't need to fix something that is not broken.

Spending money to build a new elementary school is a bad idea.

Ed Wainwright

Bridgewater