WEATHERSFIELD School board tells crowd of busing cuts, layoffs

The state has already recommended closing the middle school.
By MARY SMITH
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
MINERAL RIDGE -- The high school cafeteria was filled with more than 150 parents and pupils as the Weathersfield Board of Education took the first step Wednesday to ward off fiscal emergency and a state takeover.
As if to bring the board's dilemma into clearer focus, a tall girl with long blonde hair was the first to break the silence of the crowd. As the public comment portion of the meeting began, she went to the podium and said in a trembling voice: "I am a freshman here and came here from Niles. I made the honor roll for the first time this year. I was so happy."
She told the board she worries that class size will increase and pupils won't get individual attention.
What was done
To avoid a predicted deficit of $150,000 as of June 30, 2004, the board cut busing for all but kindergarten through eighth-grade pupils who live more than two miles from their schools, which means only 166 pupils in grades K-8 will be bused starting Jan. 5.
On the heels of the defeat of a 9.5-mill, five-year emergency levy Nov. 4, the board also laid off six bus drivers -- Bob Whittaker, Chuck Kucera, Bill Depp, Shelly Rummel, Connie Maiorana and Michelle White.
The busing cuts are expected to save an estimated $160,000, although the cost of diesel fuel, insurance and unemployment benefits have not yet been figured in.
The board also instructed the superintendent to discuss further reductions with the nonteaching staff.
The board accepted the retirement of Pat Baird as cafeteria supervisor, effective June 1. Superintendent Rocco Adduci noted that employees who leave the district will not be replaced.
That includes five to eight teachers who are expected to retire or take other jobs.
The cost savings will be around $50,000 per teacher, Adduci said.
"I'm sorry it takes this kind of extreme measures to get this kind of group out here," Adduci told the crowd, explaining that up till now, eight buses have carried any pupils who wanted to ride to school.
Eliminated
Busing vocational students to the Trumbull County Career and Technical Center also was eliminated and no open-enrollment pupils will be bused. The district derives about $1 million annually in state revenue for its open-enrollment pupils.
Adduci said the district hopes to work out financial arrangements with the parents of pupils attending Niles parochial schools to have the parents drive them.
Board member Douglas Darnall pointed out that if the state takes control of district finances, it has already done a study of the district and has recommended elimination of the middle school.
Board president Debbie Maust said she did not want to make the cuts, but, "I don't want the state to take over. I've heard it said that Weathersfield is a blue-collar community where kids go to school and then get jobs. There are no jobs. Our kids want more. They want to get a higher degree. We are not going to risk any academic downfall."
Newly elected board member Fred McCandless, who will join the board in January, said he thinks the levy should have been for only 5 mills and maybe some higher-level classes could be cut.
He noted that to place another levy on the ballot, the board would have to act by Dec. 18 to seek a March 2 issue. He said he is against cutting busing, citing there are many dark and dangerous township roads.
The board will meet in regular session at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the high school library.