Board votes to reinstate HoneySpot building as a public alternative instructional placement school

The Stratford Board of Education voted unanimously to request that the town reinstate the HoneySpot facility as a public school classified as an alternative instructional placement (AIP), enabling the district to apply for state seed and construction grants scheduled to open in November.

Board members said reinstatement is a procedural step: the board votes to request the school designation, then the town conducts building inspections (including fire marshal review) and decides whether to fund required renovations. The superintendent and board members said past capital planning already includes funds for HoneySpot improvements and that the district would likely ask for boiler replacement, roof work and, ultimately, the demolition and replacement of an aging portable section.

District leaders described the purpose of seeking grant funding as expanding services for students with emotional and behavioral needs, lessening expensive out‑of‑district placements, and supporting regional collaboration so other towns could tuition students into targeted programs. The superintendent said the district would continue existing programs that use the HoneySpot site — including Project Uplift and placements for suspended or expelled students — and that such programs can operate in separate portions of the building.

The board’s roll call showed unanimous approval; the chair cast the final affirmative vote. The district will forward the board’s request to the town so state grant applications may proceed if the town approves the school designation and necessary building work.