To the Editor:
This letter is in response to Pete Hope’s letter regarding the Bristol Consolidated School budget validation vote on June 8.
The School Board would like to clarify and correct some of his information.
At town meeting, the townspeople did in fact vote to increase the budget by $65,000. Our Superintendent made it quite clear after the vote to increase the budget that this did not mean a teacher’s position would automatically be added back in to the plan. He indicated the School Board would decide how, and even if, to use the money.
At our April school board meeting, Principal Jennifer Ribeiro presented us with several options for us to consider. At our May meeting we reviewed the options again and decided unanimously that the best and most beneficial plan at this time for our students would be to hire an intervention teacher half-time who will teach 5 and 6 grade math, as well as provide instruction for 6-8 grades as schedules allow.
A full-time ed tech will also be hired primarily for support in grade 6 but with flexibility to help in other grades as well. If the budget as proposed is validated on June 8, there will be one class with 23 students, divided into two groups for math only.
Please feel free to contact any of the board members below – we welcome your calls and want to make sure voters have the correct information. Our minutes are posted online at www.aos93.org or please come to a meeting held the first Wednesday of each month at 6 p.m. in the School Library (except for the month of July).
BCS board
David Howell, Chair
Julie Crider, Vice Chair
Darin Carlucci
David Kolodin
Bonnie Sablinsky
Bristol
