Two New Teachers

Restored To Budget

By Tanjua Damon

Thanks to unanticipated state funding, two new teachers will be restored to the Newtown School District’s budget that was forced to cut eight teachers during the budget process.

Superintendent of Schools John R. Reed announced to the school board Tuesday night that unanticipated additional funding from the state will be used to hired a two-teacher team for the Newtown Middle School.

The district has received $83,782 in new grant revenue from the state. Broken down, $10,782 was received from the class size reduction grant, which is a federal grant that flows through the state; $30,000 from IDEA, which is a special education grant, and $43,000 from a technology grant which is up from last year’s amount, according to Dr Reed.

In March, the board asked the superintendent to explore other alternatives to secure funding that would put back four new teachers into this budget year to help with overcrowding at several schools. Their wish was answered with the additional money from the state, but the district hopes to find another additional $100,000 to hire two new fifth grade teachers to cut the class sizes which are currently expected to reach between 27 and 29 students at some elementary schools next year.

“There are consequences for this too,” Dr Reed said. “I would have liked to put the technology grant into technology, but the priority was established by the board for the four positions so we do not take a step backwards.”

But with this extra money, the board has decided to go forth and look for two teachers who will act as a cluster at the middle school that would normally have four teachers. The two hires will each have to be certified in two subjects.

The board is pleased with the additional funding, but hopes that the legislative council will look at adding the money for the two needed teachers from money placed in the contingency fund that had yet to be earmarked.

“We certainly hope the council, especially since there is additional state funding, that they will help us find an extra $100,000 so we can have the two other teachers,” board chairman Elaine McClure said.