News

Letter: BOF Should Support Saxe Project

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Three-quarters of the Town Council is in favor of the Saxe Building Project as proposed. It’s up to the Board of Finance now to vote. Funding approval must be completed by end of November in order for construction to begin on time. There has been much stalling and hemming and hawing that not enough time or due diligence has been done to make sure this project is the right one for our town. Most of our town officials have accepted that the auditorium and music rooms must be done now, but they are not in agreement that the 12 extra classrooms (net extra cost of $6.2 million) must be done as well.

News

Letter: Saxe Expansion a Necessity, Not a ‘Nice-To-Have’

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As a parent with two girls at Saxe and one boy in 1st Grade at West, I am very interested in the current plan to effect the renovation of the Saxe auditorium and, at the same time, expand the building to add 12 more classrooms. I understand that there is some hesitation, on the part of some members of town government, to proceed on the full project. I have heard some of the objections and, while earnestly expressed, they do not appear to be sufficient for delaying a vote to approve the project. As we consider this issue, reviewing all the relevant facts and considerations from all sides, it is important to keep certain basic principles in mind. First, all of the citizens of the town owe our kids an education in an adequate facility. There is a compact among the generations of New Canaanites that should be held sacrosanct: Those who received a top quality education in a quality facility, and those parents of kids who received such an education, are bound, by the strength of the community, to assure that the current and future generations of New Canaan kids receive the same.

Government

Finance Board Will Hear Public Comments on Saxe at Nov. 10 Meeting

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The Board of Finance will hear comments from the public at its regular meeting on Nov. 10—a widely anticipated date, as officials are expected to decide on funding for a capital project at Saxe Middle School. The finance board does not automatically or regularly include a public comments period on its agenda. Its chairman, First Selectman Rob Mallozzi, said he “absolutely” supports hearing from residents on such important matters. Mallozzi in emails over the weekend to parents who are advocating for a full, estimated $18.6 million building project at Saxe, proposed a public comment period where speakers would be allotted three minutes instead of the usual two.

News

‘Let’s All Pull Together As a Community’: Town Council Public Hearing on Saxe

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One seventh-grader and two grandparents on Wednesday night joined dozens of fellow New Canaanites, most of whom identified themselves as tax-paying parents, in voicing support for a proposed renovation and expansion of Saxe Middle School during a public hearing at Town Hall. More than 200 residents packed into a standing-room-only meeting room to address the Town Council, applauding fellow supporters who took to the podium (see a list of sound bites below) to urge the legislative body to approve a proposed $18.6 million project. During a regular meeting that followed the hearing, the Town Council received an updated presentation from the Saxe Building Committee—including enrollment projections that are driving a space crunch at the middle school, and reasons for doing the full project now rather than in pieces—and four councilmen came out publicly in favor of it. Councilmen asked just how much the full project would cost individual taxpayers annually (a $148-per-taxable-account figure, based on a bond issuance at 3 percent interest over 20 years, is different from figures released earlier this year), whether the proposed build-out addresses future Special Ed space needs (yes, though a compromise will need to be found elsewhere within Saxe), whether long-term enrollment is expected to dip again (enrollment in grades 5 to 8 is expected to exceed 1,300 even 10 years from now) and how a request for plans on phased-in building project would affect the agreement with the architects (there will be additional costs) as well as the overall project’s cost. Building Committee Chairman Penny Rashin said if just the auditorium was renovated now, it would cost $2.1 million more in the short term to finish the other pieces, and $3.5 million more if the town waited three years (though the second figure could qualify New Canaan for higher state reimbursement).

News

Letter: Full Saxe Building Project—Do It Once, Right and Now

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To the Board of Selectmen, Town Council and Board of Finance:

What has made our school district so successful is that our community has supported the education of the whole child. It was an understanding that our children find their own paths to personal growth by excelling in academics, sports, theater, art, music, foreign language, STEM programming, etc. This concept of the whole child is especially important in the middle school years, which tend to be challenging. All these efforts have allowed New Canaan Public Schools to be recognized as shining examples of best practices. Families continue to move to New Canaan because of the excellent schools and our wonderful community.