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District projects modest enrollment decline; kindergarten expected to grow
Summary
A district staffer presented enrollment projections and staffing recommendations ahead of the budget season, citing a projected small net decline in total students but a large increase in kindergarten enrollments at some schools.
District staff member Mr. Farisi presented the Newington Board of Education with an enrollment and staffing projection report intended to inform the upcoming budget. Farisi said the projections combine the district’s model (NESDAC) with local housing occupancy data and open‑choice seat declarations.
The nut graf: Farisi told the board the district expects a small net decline in total enrollment for next year but a notable jump in kindergarten enrollment that will drive staffing requests and require at least one additional kindergarten teacher at Elizabeth Green School.
Farisi walked the board through school‑by‑school numbers and recommended staffing changes. He said the district’s working projection, after accounting for potential open‑choice seats, brought total enrollment to roughly 3,810–3,813 students, about 25–28 students fewer than the current year. He attributed much of the projected variation to pending housing occupancies and the district’s kindergarten waiver process, which could change kindergarten counts.
Farisi highlighted a projected kindergarten increase at the district level from 92 students in the current reporting snapshot to a projected 231 next year and said the district would need to add a kindergarten teacher at Elizabeth Green School. He also said preschool at John Patterson Elementary would require an additional teacher because of program growth.
On staffing outside the classroom, Farisi proposed adjusting the instructional coaching roster from six coaches to five (restoring an earlier configuration) and adding psychological services support at the high school. He said a roughly $91,000 increase in psychologist costs could be offset by approximately $50,000 in grant funding, reducing the net local cost to about $41,000.
Farisi told the board he expects to update projections as housing occupancy and open‑choice declarations finalize. He also reported the district is aware of 12 retirements and one resignation that will factor into hiring plans for next year.
The board asked staff to continue monitoring the kindergarten waiver process and the Fen Road/New Britain Avenue housing projects the presenter named as examples of developments that could change enrollment. No formal staffing or budget actions were taken at the meeting; the report was presented to inform the forthcoming joint budget discussions with the town council.
