August 29, 2023
Dear Parents/Guardians,
Making budget reductions is one of the hardest things to do as Superintendent and School Committee, because we all want more services for students and families, not less. At the same time, the fiscal solvency of the District is one of our most important responsibilities, and as financial conditions change, it is important to be proactive and plan ahead. We have to make sure that we keep our expenses within our means and take the necessary steps to protect the future of our public schools and the students we serve.
If you are unfamiliar with the reasons we are making budget reductions this year, the recent school committee presentation gives a quick overview of several fiscal conditions that affect the Middletown Public Schools. In spite of the generosity of our Town Council, providing $31,995,274, our district still needs to make reductions. The loss of State Aid to our district is $579,133.
In weighing the trade-offs and impacts of budget cuts on our schools, our Administrative Team which includes our building principals prioritized what positions would be restored if dollars were available. The list was prioritized based on safety, curriculum access, social emotional supports and interventions for students. Thus far we have restored an:
An Art teacher at MHS (access to the curriculum)
A Guidance counselor at MHS (social/emotional support)
Dean at Gaudet School (safety).
Three Directors at MHS (access to curriculum)
One English Language teacher (intervention for students)
We continue to examine every budget line to find additional dollars with the hope to restore as many remaining positions as possible.
2 READING ELEM TEACHERS
1 DEAN AT MHS
1 GUIDANCE AT MHS
1 LIBRARIAN GLA/GMS
1 MHS STUDENT SUCCESS TEACHER
1 SOCIAL WORKER ELEM
1 ELL TEACHER
2 CUSTODIANS
1 FACILITIES CLERK
Planning for and finalizing the entire district budget is a multi-step process that begins in January with a joint meeting with our Town Council. The Governor’s proposed Budget was released in March, and the General Assembly’s final budget was enacted in June. Our Middletown Town Council finalized the Town budget which included School Department appropriations on August 21, 2023. The School Department now needs to reconcile the budget based on the known appropriations. Please know that we are working diligently to restore as many positions as possible to support our students' needs. This is all based on dollars available in the budget.
Thank you for your continued interest and advocacy for the children of Middletown.
Sincerely,
Rosemarie K. Kraeger
Superintendent of Schools