Please find a letter from Berlin CSD Interim Superintendent Dr. Long below regarding last evening’s Board of Education meeting and the 2024-2025 Budget Development. This letter was also emailed home to all BCSD families this evening.
March 20, 2024
Dear families and staff,
As has been previously shared, the news around the Governor’s proposed budget has been less than positive for public schools, and Berlin CSD in particular. The recently proposed one-house budgets from both the Senate and Assembly are more favorable, and reject the Governor’s proposed reductions to Foundation Aid. While this is positive news, the current fiscal status of the district, even with restoration of Foundation Aid, will require significant reductions in spending for the 2024 – 2025 school year.
During last evening’s Board of Education Meeting and Budget Presentation, initial proposed reductions were shared. In advance of last evening, I met personally with each of the staff members impacted. Our current situation, those conversions and any reductions, will undoubtedly have an impact on all of you. While I cannot suggest how you might respond or react to our current reality, and recognize that everyone will do so differently and in their own way, I would compel you to be sensitive to and supportive of one another.
The comments shared last evening by members of our staff and community, especially our students, were heartfelt and appreciated; please know they were heard. A comment from one of our students was incredibly wise, and something we could all reflect on: “I am not mad at anybody at all, I’m just upset about the situation; I just feel like we all just need to support each other.”
While there are a number of things contributing to this situation, some of which we cannot change, and others which we have no control over, how we choose to treat one another is not one of those things. There is no doubt that the coming days and weeks will continue to be difficult, as we continue through the development process, and things could get worse before they get better. I welcome your involvement in the process; consider attending board meetings if you have not already, follow the budget development process on our webpage, and continue to take advantage of opportunities to advocate on our behalf.
I am truly sorry we find ourselves in this situation, and for the impact it will have on our students, our staff, our schools and our community. I will continue to provide you with updated information as it becomes available.
Sincerely,
Dr. Maureen A. Long
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