[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6427466,"mediaKeyId","5900625-ebbbb2a8509326f0f15127de5751e1d6","parentId",5900625,"title","Board chair lays out why Bristol schools ran a deficit and flags high-school roof repairs","audioSeconds",1258,"startMs",3267000,"endMs",4525000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5900625-ebbbb2a8509326f0f15127de5751e1d6&start=3267&end=4525","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5900625-ebbbb2a8509326f0f15127de5751e1d6/thumbnail_3267000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6427466/Connecticut/Board-chair-lays-out-why-Bristol-schools-ran-a-deficit-and-flags-high-school-roof-repairs","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6427466-21a4ace40d9dc15ed3213309f6bbe41a/orig.mp4?Expires=1775453509&Signature=fr995fCTuCbYgyTHy6gwuCA8zzxJDK4fwYAKaqi243GnL8GoSdk7r91G8gpBJFQGKUXG1BfK0WMVaI8rfgcUssmveTRAhSrVxpMaahnSY3PFUdhKDPE~syJCT8v6yqHRyzPJ13x0x7GYzGB5XhSf7oCR5nbp~jYkqCMrdQUkj4~F9UvhvKOTA9lBRVYOxVUwk-5i8cErs7J~L4as~bVTHs2z576GVbIN-aMYpJe5i~Vv2KGAczuxoD9p95XwNUDvEtJW~vAZjyL8wYqGbkr4pqWcggPaOdpC-j92MdsHeeZDeNW3OL16XZvVanMF8xnDJgbN-allQaaDRja~AOnYtg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Bristol School District","date","2025-10-06T17:07:59Z","article","Shelby Ponds, chair of the Bristol Board of Education, told the board on Oct. 1 that the district ran a deficit after the city reduced its annual appropriation in prior years and used the board's non-lapsing reserve to cover municipal funding shortfalls.

Ponds said Connecticut General Statutes S 10-262j (the minimum budget requirement) prevents municipalities from reducing local education funding year over year and that the state notified Bristol on Sept. 23 that the city had not met that requirement in the prior year. The state required the city to provide $1,372,811 to cure the shortfall or face a penalty amounting to double that sum in a subsequent year, she said.

The chair said the district's apparent funding growth over the past four years masks two facts: about $10.75 million of the increase arrived as late, state-mandated payments to cover shortfalls, and roughly $3.9 million came from the district's own non-lapsing reserve. Those two items, she said, mean the district was not funded upfront at the levels the Board of Education requested.

\"If we were funded appropriately to begin with, then it wouldn't have required intervention or a state mandate,\" Ponds said, adding that using the reserve to replace city funding is effectively supplanting and leaves the district with no rainy-day balance.

Ponds cited Connecticut General Statutes 10-248a, which allows boards to keep up to 2% of unspent funds in a non-lapsing account for one-time uses. She said the city used roughly $3.9 million from that reserve across several years to reduce its appropriation to the school district; the reserve had been intended for one-time purchases such as Chromebooks.

The chair described a pattern of rising expenses: a 12% increase in overall costs this past year, a roughly $3.4 million insurance increase, a $2.74 million transportation cost rise, and about $2.6 million higher special-education costs. She said special-education tuition and outplacement costs rose faster than planned and helped drive the shortfall.

Ponds also updated the board on building repairs. The Board of Finance approved a roof replacement for Bristol Central High School at roughly $8.8 million; the board previously funded a temporary patch of about $168,670 that will be replaced by the full project. Bristol Eastern High School, she said, has only a patch and no approval for replacement at this time; both high schools serve roughly 1,000 students and would require relocation plans if a major roof failure occurred.

The chair appealed to the city and voters to treat education funding as a priority and warned that piecemeal repairs can raise overall costs when work is done out of sequence.

The board's discussion did not produce a formal vote on funding beyond reporting the status of Board of Finance decisions. Superintendent Iris White and other administrators said they would continue to brief the board as projects and funding decisions move through the Board of Finance and city processes.

Background: Ponds said the state had required supplemental funding in three recent years because of mandates, totaling about $10,748,513; that, combined with use of the district's reserve, created the appearance of higher funding even as operational cashflow remained strained.

Next steps: Ponds said Edgewood renovations were recommended as a \u00153renovate-to-new\u00152 approach at the special meeting last week and will be on the Board of Finance agenda on Oct. 28; she urged commissioners to support that request so younger learners have a long-term, safe learning environment.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","10 01 2025 Regular Board of Education Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Shelby Ponds, chair of the Bristol Board of Education, told the board on Oct. 1 that the district ran a deficit after the city reduced its annual appropriation in prior years and used the board's non-lapsing reserve to cover municipal funding shortfalls.","taxTitle","Bristol School District, School Districts, Connecticut","taxId",38310,"location","Connecticut","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6427452,"Votes at a glance: Board approves IT MOU, theater trip and policy updates",3751,2519000,6270000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5900625-ebbbb2a8509326f0f15127de5751e1d6&start=2519&end=6270","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5900625-ebbbb2a8509326f0f15127de5751e1d6/thumbnail_2519000.jpg","/articles/6427452/Connecticut/Votes-at-a-glance-Board-approves-IT-MOU-theater-trip-and-policy-updates","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6427452-79666f46aacd5d48b8a0e3851dc5f06a/orig.mp4?Expires=1775453509&Signature=Fh4-VuzCXqQufZp0OJipfdjjCNcXgy7RjMPq3BRDWUyc5IiU2gHBlgXj6UJQR5VXSzvOZXC9Fvf11m7k9BpFa1EedRQQrkCT4M4E~bhbFIfjrTqAP1h6mwp2-Y7VA0BPGpt9k4M45GWYeyOEERurl4LHbiXM8Cn7CDyFZqATf6OS1Go2g7A9Tad3HtPE6G6Xc-BHtt8o-QcI5T60kGZumms7hMVzpXgM0fzeSx~dLbDr3NB2EHBWjIZuBd0Ab5133jH0l6XbLPx~-m0mxe35gsZ2JTFtEG1dlh1kg2wCLfpDaHJ9mcLttOkdxqiAOpp6IxOdMMXqa2xjF50c3pFPFA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At its Oct. 1 meeting the Bristol Board of Education recorded several formal motions and approvals. The board did not vote on the budget presentation but took action on the items below.

Votes at a glance

- Approval of 09/18/2025 special meeting minutes: Motion to accept made, seconded, and approved (recorded as passing unanimously).

- Approval of consent agenda (items 8.1b through 8.1b as published): Motion made and seconded; approved unanimously.

- Information Technology task-force memorandum of understanding (MOU): Motion to approve the IT task force MOU was moved and seconded; the motion passed unanimously. District technology staff described a collaborative relationship with city IT leaders and said they would brief the board on major projects.

- Baines (Ames) theater trip to London, England (April 2027): Motion to approve the trip was moved by Commissioner Pagriello and seconded by Commissioner Carlson. The motion passed unanimously. The proposed cost to families is $3,999 per student (includes a $95 enrollment fee); fundraising options and EF Tours protections were described.

- Policy/regulation updates:
- Regulation 1324 (fundraising regulation): Motion made and seconded; passed unanimously. The regulation clarifies that student fundraising must be tied to student-sponsored projects and approved in writing by the student's supervisor.
- Policy 6140 (curriculum design, development and revision): Motion made and seconded; passed unanimously. The revision lets the Student Achievement Committee approve minor curriculum revisions on an annual or as-needed basis while reserving major-course changes for full board approval.

- Teacher retirement (item 8.5): Motion to approve the retirement on the personnel section was moved by Commissioner D'Antonio and seconded by Commissioner Tagriello; the motion passed unanimously.

Procedural notes: Several motions were recorded as \"moved and seconded\" without the transcript naming the mover or seconder; where names were recorded, they are listed above. No roll-call tallies were published in the transcript; votes were recorded orally as \"aye,\" \"opposed,\" or \"motion passes.\" The meeting did not record any failed motions.

Outcomes above reflect actions announced on the meeting record. Detailed minutes and the official roll-call (if required) will be posted with the district's official minutes.","The Bristol Board of Education approved the information-technology task-force memorandum, a theater trip to London, fundraising and curriculum policy updates, and several consent items. Where recorded, movers and seconders are noted; most motions passed unanimously.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6427458,"Bristol Board recognizes teacher-author, student leaders and veteran educator credited with saving lives",646,427000,1073000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5900625-ebbbb2a8509326f0f15127de5751e1d6&start=427&end=1073","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5900625-ebbbb2a8509326f0f15127de5751e1d6/thumbnail_427000.jpg","/articles/6427458/Connecticut/Bristol-Board-recognizes-teacher-author-student-leaders-and-veteran-educator-credited-with-saving-lives","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6427458-bd12ca60632e80b7407d69db246fcbe6/orig.mp4?Expires=1775453509&Signature=NrKyPRM9yB3mIY2D3TRDTIrMC4HrLpFFJ75xpFK8FKy8IlpXpxNyxyBtuRDrbAhywCgoaexDnbTLegBhHKRRYCUA~m9Tn~xA~ULUKuwV7HnYu2Wrvoqd1C3-Ctg5fiRA1UJZST5mnWBsYZoThhk-TD8SHlEo5OfsjH-akYmS7PJWZ-0bidY6bvH10wkCAhuB9jkXiSCT4~Eivit9GZwTb05azknfP7fAep714EAz9mcERKJwBcQsk~OZ2nWw2nlit6pOsG8XTH1afEJ9ZWh9mGs3R50awyjVezPVWQDRWMTOj9zTZOOW9PH0R4FNiKoQzkgQ8bMVg3Kv4miMZY17zQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At the Oct. 1 meeting, Bristol Public Schools recognized several staff and students for recent achievements and long-term service.

Dr. Carlene Richardson, a health occupations teacher at Bristol Central and Bristol Eastern high schools, was recognized after publishing Bridging the Gap: Jaw-Dropping Approaches and Maintaining Engagement, a book that chronicles her transition from college professor to high-school teacher and strategies for student engagement. \"I'm doctor Carlene Richardson, and I am the health occupations teacher at both Bristol Central and Bristol Eastern High Schools,\" Richardson told the board as she thanked students, family and colleagues for support.

The board also recognized Jacoby Frey, a Bristol Central student selected to serve on the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) Student Athlete Advisory Board and assigned to the CIAC sportsmanship committee. Frey said he attended his first advisory meeting in Cheshire and would represent Bristol at statewide sessions and take suggestions back to the district.

The meeting included an extended recognition for Ed Mongeon, a longtime leader of the district's alternative programming (formerly Westwood's Academy, later Bristol Prep). Multiple former students and colleagues told the board that Mongeon's work over about 40 years changed their lives. One former student said a 10-year absence of formal recognition prompted a social campaign that gathered more than 400 signatures and stories urging the board to honor Mongeon. Speakers described Westwood's as a place that \"saved lives\" and credited Mongeon with persistent advocacy, individualized support and steady leadership across decades. Mongeon, who said he was not ready to retire, reflected on starting the alternative program in 1986 and called teaching \"the best experience of my life.\"

The recognitions concluded without formal board action beyond the acknowledgments. The board chair and superintendent praised the honorees and invited them to brief the district or participate in future community outreach efforts.

Quotations in this article are drawn from remarks offered at the meeting and attributed to the speakers identified in the board transcript.","The board honored Dr. Carlene Richardson for a new book, student Jacoby Frey for statewide CIAC appointments, and longtime alternative program leader Ed Mongeon with multiple alumni tributes describing his four-decade impact.","actionData","errors"]

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Board chair lays out why Bristol schools ran a deficit and flags high-school roof repairs

Votes at a glance: Board approves IT MOU, theater trip and policy updates

Bristol Board recognizes teacher-author, student leaders and veteran educator credited with saving lives