July 1, 2022
Dear Newtown Public Schools Community,
As your new Superintendent, it is with great excitement and enthusiasm that I write this letter of introduction. It is an honor and a privilege to lead a district in a community that values social, emotional and academic excellence. This collective effort comes in no small part from Newtown’s strong community and is a critical factor in positively impacting the success of our students.
I would like to take this opportunity to share a little insight into what drives me - my family. My wife, Diane is a literacy specialist working in the Hamden, CT school district. Diane and I have been blessed with two wonderful boys. Our older son completed his first year at Boston College and our younger son completed his sophomore year in high school. We have a black Labrador Retriever, Molly who we were lucky enough to get from Guiding Eyes for the Blind’s Public Adoption Program. I share this personal information publicly, because family has always been at the core of my values and belief system. Throughout my nearly three decades as an educator, a constant that I have always prioritized has been fostering family engagement. I am a firm believer that family comes first.
This mantra is transferable and has proven true in my professional life. I truly believe that developing a positive culture of “familial” engagement will generate an atmosphere that welcomes exploration and enhances student confidence. Part of this work includes my 100 Day Entry Plan for Newtown, which can be found (here). This plan outlines various goals and strategies that I have every intention of accomplishing during the first six months of my tenure as your Superintendent. The purpose of this plan is to create structures and processes that will foster a solid understanding of the traditions, relationships, operations, strengths and challenges that make up the fabric of Newtown Public Schools. The insights I gain will help me make informed decisions that will build on the accomplishments of the past and take Newtown Public Schools to new levels of success. Most importantly, this plan will chart a course which will allow me to build transparency and trust with community stakeholders, while remaining attentive to the teaching and learning needs of our classrooms.
Trust that I will make every effort to foster a culture of connection, collaboration and transparency to ensure the continued success of our students. In order to access information and develop a working relationship with the community, I plan to be accessible to all stakeholders by maintaining an open-door policy. I encourage and welcome any questions; comments or concerns you have. I can be reached directly at melilloc@newtown.k12.ct.us. Effective July 6th, in person office hours will be reserved every Wednesday from 7:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. Finally, I will have a presence on social media and will leverage it to provide important information and promote the amazing activities that occur in our schools every day. I encourage you to follow me on Twitter @SuperNewtown.
It is an exciting time for Newtown Public Schools, and I am honored and humbled to be leading the charge. I look forward to partnering with this very special community in the years ahead.
Please accept my best wishes for a happy and healthy summer. I look forward to meeting you and your family in the coming weeks and months....
Respectfully,
Christopher Melillo
Superintendent
Newtown Public Schools
Dear Newtown Public Schools Community,
As your new Superintendent, it is with great excitement and enthusiasm that I write this letter of introduction. It is an honor and a privilege to lead a district in a community that values social, emotional and academic excellence. This collective effort comes in no small part from Newtown’s strong community and is a critical factor in positively impacting the success of our students.
I would like to take this opportunity to share a little insight into what drives me - my family. My wife, Diane is a literacy specialist working in the Hamden, CT school district. Diane and I have been blessed with two wonderful boys. Our older son completed his first year at Boston College and our younger son completed his sophomore year in high school. We have a black Labrador Retriever, Molly who we were lucky enough to get from Guiding Eyes for the Blind’s Public Adoption Program. I share this personal information publicly, because family has always been at the core of my values and belief system. Throughout my nearly three decades as an educator, a constant that I have always prioritized has been fostering family engagement. I am a firm believer that family comes first.
This mantra is transferable and has proven true in my professional life. I truly believe that developing a positive culture of “familial” engagement will generate an atmosphere that welcomes exploration and enhances student confidence. Part of this work includes my 100 Day Entry Plan for Newtown, which can be found (here). This plan outlines various goals and strategies that I have every intention of accomplishing during the first six months of my tenure as your Superintendent. The purpose of this plan is to create structures and processes that will foster a solid understanding of the traditions, relationships, operations, strengths and challenges that make up the fabric of Newtown Public Schools. The insights I gain will help me make informed decisions that will build on the accomplishments of the past and take Newtown Public Schools to new levels of success. Most importantly, this plan will chart a course which will allow me to build transparency and trust with community stakeholders, while remaining attentive to the teaching and learning needs of our classrooms.
Trust that I will make every effort to foster a culture of connection, collaboration and transparency to ensure the continued success of our students. In order to access information and develop a working relationship with the community, I plan to be accessible to all stakeholders by maintaining an open-door policy. I encourage and welcome any questions; comments or concerns you have. I can be reached directly at melilloc@newtown.k12.ct.us. Effective July 6th, in person office hours will be reserved every Wednesday from 7:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. Finally, I will have a presence on social media and will leverage it to provide important information and promote the amazing activities that occur in our schools every day. I encourage you to follow me on Twitter @SuperNewtown.
It is an exciting time for Newtown Public Schools, and I am honored and humbled to be leading the charge. I look forward to partnering with this very special community in the years ahead.
Please accept my best wishes for a happy and healthy summer. I look forward to meeting you and your family in the coming weeks and months....
Respectfully,
Christopher Melillo
Superintendent
Newtown Public Schools