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Newington reviews staff allocation and class‑size changes; preschool and bilingual support expanded
Summary
District staff reported 53 positions filled since Nov. 2024 (40 certified, 13 non‑certified), reallocated staff to create a preschool line and added a district‑wide bilingual teacher to satisfy a legislative requirement; board members asked for 5‑year staffing trend data ahead of budget season.
District staff on Wednesday presented a staff‑allocation and class‑size report that the Newington Board of Education will use during budget deliberations.
The presenter said the district filled 53 positions between November 2024 and Sept. 1, 2025: 40 certified hires (38 contracted, 2 long‑term substitutes) and 13 non‑certified hires. The presenter attributed vacancies to resignations (11), retirements (13), transfers (7), leaves (2) and one death, and noted seven new positions were added, including:
- a full‑time math interventionist at Ruth Chaffee School; - a full‑time school psychologist at Newington High School; - a full‑time special‑education teacher at Newington High School; - a grant‑funded full‑time special‑education teacher at John Wallace School; and - a new district‑wide bilingual teacher (housed at John Wallace) described as required by state statute.
Staff also said the district consolidated K–4 extension special‑education staff into a labeled preschool line so preschool staffing is now visible on program reports. The presenter explained that some academy teachers’ time was reallocated to address higher demand in math and science courses; the Aerospace Academy’s sections were reduced while math and science sections increased.
Board members asked for historical context and trend data (suggested five years, including pre‑COVID where useful) to better evaluate changes during the budget cycle. A clarification from the presenter confirmed preschool positions include a mix of general and special‑education teachers and that preschool enrollments are included in the district’s enrollment reporting.
The report included position‑level shifts (for example, John Wallace saw an increase of approximately 1.2 FTEs through reallocation), and the presenter said some reassignments were made in part because paraeducator vacancies were difficult to fill; in some cases the district opted to hire a certified teacher instead of multiple vacant paraeducator positions for the same budgetary impact.
Board members agreed the staff‑allocation figures will be important for the forthcoming budget presentation to the town and asked staff to map recent years’ totals into the new reporting structure so year‑over‑year comparisons are clear.
