Board approves one‑year intensive‑needs teacher at Riddle Brook after enrollment jump

The Bedford School Board voted Wednesday to approve a one‑year intensive‑needs teacher position for Riddle Brook Elementary, citing an unexpected increase in students eligible for the district's most intensive special‑education program. Riddle Brook principal Molly McCarthy told the board the intensive‑needs program — which serves students with multiple, significant disabilities and requires extensive one‑on‑one supports and heavy paraprofessional staffing — had 14 students last year but the roster rose to 18 with a nineteenth student possible. McCarthy said 5–6 of the newly enrolled students are kindergarteners and the workload for the two veteran teachers in the program had become “really, really tough.” District administration told the board there was budgeted personnel money the district could reassign to fund a one‑year teacher at Riddle Brook rather than fill a paraprofessional vacancy previously budgeted at $55,005.77. Administrators said they had posted the teacher position and expected candidate pay to vary by experience: a beginning teacher (step 1) plus benefits would likely cost about $80,000 total; a more experienced hire could be costlier (a master’s, step 5 example cited at roughly $130,000). A board member moved to approve a one‑year teacher position; the motion was seconded and carried by voice vote recorded as unanimous. The board directed administration to proceed with hiring and to present the position for consideration in the next budget cycle if ongoing funding is required. Administrators cautioned the position is being approved for one school year; if the board wishes to make it permanent it would need to be included in the next annual budget request. Principals and special‑education staff also warned the board that recruiting a qualified candidate for the specialized role could be difficult on short notice. The action is intended to reduce caseload pressure, improve student access to individualized programming and free time for case management and data‑collection needed in the intensive‑needs program.