September 2009 Mini Reunion

On September 25, 2009, a year before the big 25th anniversary reunion being planned, some of us Newtown '85 got together at the Grandstand Bar & Restaurant in Elmhurst, NY, not too far from Newtown itself. Not all of us showed at once but in the end we had more than a dozen people. Facebook is nice but it cannot replace meeting the old friends face-to-face. Do you recognize anyone?

Finalized - Mini Reunion Drink for Newtow 85 Grads in NY Metro

It's finalized! We will meet at

Grandstand Bar & Restaurant

85-35 Grand Avenue

Elmhurst, NY 11373

718 478 9633

6 PM to 10 PM

Friday 25 September 2009

That's on Grand Avenue in Elmhurst, midway between Queens Boulevard and the LIRR. We will have a room to sit down and wax nostalgia or go over yearbook photos etc. You can run to the bar and grab a drink or bring food from the restaurant area. Thanks go to Newtown 85's own Marie C. (nee Maria B.) and Grandstand's owner Mark for arrangement of the room. It helps to have a personal relationship, that's why I chose Grandstand.

We already have 18 confirmed guests in Facebook plus 22 "maybe". Hope to see you there! If you are coming, leave some contact info in a comment (it won't be published, unless you ask it to be) or better yet just text me at 347 725 0649 or call

Mini Reunion Drink for Newtow 85 Grads in NY Metro

If you live in the New York metro area, please let me know if you are interested in a Mini Reunion Drink on Friday, September 25, 2009 - a year before the big 25-year anniversary in 2010. Time will be around 7 PM on, but no location has been selected yet. Your ideas are welcomed. I think we need a bar/restaurant big enough for 20 or more people, where we have a big table for people to come and go. Hopefully we'll be catching up on what happened in the past 24+ years so we prefer some place quiet enough for conversation.

If interested, please respond via the Comment section of this blog post or leave me a voice message through my Google Voice below.

A rare music video featuring Newtown High School seniors, Class of 1985. The technical person in me cannot help wonder how it was made. These days any digital camera can also record videos, why, even most cell phones can. But back in 1985, the camera must be one of those bulky things. Non-linear video editing was exorbitantly expensive for individuals. Whoever put together the video probably worked in the audio/video department at Newtown.

The result is in, Newtown 1985 folks. The reunion will be held on September 25, 2010. Thanks for voting!

RIP, Dorothy "Dot" Farley

Mrs. Dorothy "Dot" Farley, retiree from Newtown High School in Elmhurst, Queens, New York, passed away on July 20, 2009. She was the head of the Co-op program for many years. She was in the 1985 yearbook so some students in Class of 1985 should know her.

Wake will be held today (July 24, 2009) at Kennedy Roth Funeral Home, 41-45 58th Street, Woodside, NY, 2 PM - 4 PM and 7 PM - 9 PM. The funeral home's phone number is 718-424-5430. A guest book is located at http://7324.dignity.mem.com/Story.aspx?ID=3114357

Let Us Set A Date, Final Count

Newtown Brochure

A high school friend was looking for prom photos to share with the Newtown '85 Facebook group and came across this brochure instead. I did not even know that Newtown had a brochure. I suppose any school can use some talented student or to claim some bragging rights about its student body.

A few of the "models" are already identified. Some of them are even in Facebook. Do you recognize any of the people?

Alumni Association April Event

As part of my re-connecting with my high school days, I recently joined the Newtown High School Alumni Association, just in time to attend the luncheon on April 25. In terms of recruiting for next year's reunion, it wasn't a successful event for me as the one classmate I met I was already a "friend" of his on Facebook. The entire decade of 1980s only had a few people. Still, it was good to finally meet Jorge in person. I also got to meet the current principal, Mr. Ficalora, who was a math teacher way back in 1985. Mrs. Silverman, in pinkish clothes, had decided to retire - I had her for Biology. Thanks go to Mrs. Borromeo for arranging the event!



If you are interested in joining the Newtown Alumni Association, mail a $10 check or money order, payable to NEWTOWN HIGH SCHOOL, to

NEWTOWN HIGH SCHOOL – Alumni Association
48-01 90 Street
Elmhurst, NY 11373-4099
(718) 595-8542

with your check or money order include (in piece of paper):

Name _________________________________________________________

High School Name (where applicable) __________________________

Address ______________________________________________________

Telephone Number _____________________________________________

Occupation ___________________________________________________

Year and Month of Graduation _________________________________

The $10 is annual membership only. Events cost separately. Each year, there usually is an event in April, at a restaurant, then an event in October, in the morning, at the school, in the library or the cafeteria.

Let Us Set A Date!

Bulletin Board

I think an adjustment to this blog is in needed. If you want the reunion committee to contact you about the reunion, then use the form at

http://newtownhighschoolelmhurst1985.blogspot.com/2009/04/we-want-to-hear-from-you.html

If you don't mind having your email, phone number, etc. displayed publicly, by all means post a comment and include such info to re-connect with any lost friends. I had to delete a comment from a reader recently because it included a phone number, but going forward, such comments will be published, unless the reader explicitly states that the info should not be revealed.

We Want To Hear From You

Calling All Class of 1985 from Newtown High School, Elmhurst, NY

Hear ye! Hear ye! Calling all graduates or alumni of Newtown High School in Elmhurst, NY, Class of 1985. I am on a committee to put together the big 25-year reunion next year. If you are from that school and that year, please leave a comment and a way to get back to you. Comments will be moderated and email addresses will not be published. Please pass the word around.

http://NewtownHighSchoolElmhurst1985.blogspot.com

We also have a Facebook group at

http://www.facebook.com/n/?group.php&gid=56960529376&mid=2d09e3G2d99ce25G1e9dae1G6


In the end, ideally, everyone we found would be in the Facebook group, but as we start to reach out to people over the phone, or perhaps even via snail mail, a human-friendlier URL is better.