The Newtown Public School District academic year starts on Monday, and the back-to-class plan has been amended.  It now includes a masks-for-all policy for students and educators. 

The Superintendent said at a Board of Education meeting this month that the local school boards don't have a say in whether or not mandates should be put in place, unlike municipal leaders and their ability to require masks in indoor public places regardless of vaccine status.  The state is directing that all schools have mask rules in place. 

Despite Newtown being in the state's highest level for COVID-19 community spread, First Selectman Dan Rosenthal announced this month that he would not be following the lead of Danbury and other surrounding towns and putting in a mask mandate for public places. 

He notes that 75 percent of eligible Newtown residents over age 12 have been vaccinated and that the cases in Newtown are isolated, not from community spread.