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Seymour board urges voters to back education budget; superintendent stresses nurse, board outlines staffing safeguards
Summary
Ahead of a referendum, the Seymour Board of Education discussed the district's 2026-27 budget and staffing plans. Superintendent Dr. Compton urged support for a floating nurse and described a plan to reinstate five of seven staff affected by preliminary layoffs pending referendum results.
With the district's budget referendum scheduled for the next day, Superintendent Dr. Compton said the Seymour School District needs to plan now for student health and staffing needs and encouraged residents to vote in favor of the education budget.
"One of the things we need to look at closely...is to make sure that we do have the floating nurse," Dr. Compton said, citing increased medical needs among students and the liability that can fall on administrators when substitutes are unavailable. He said the district is monitoring state funding decisions and that final allocations depend on the governor's signature and implementing guidance.
Board Chair Kristen Bruno encouraged community members to support both the school and town budgets at the ballot box, emphasizing that any failure would require additional reductions next year under the municipal budget rules discussed during the meeting.
During public discussion of staffing, the superintendent described a contingency plan for recent layoff notices. He said two of seven recommended non-returning positions remained in question but that five of the seven would be reinstated if funding allowed and that the administration hoped to call a special meeting to reinstate staff quickly if the referendum passes. "We want to bring those teachers back," Dr. Compton said.
Board members asked clarifying questions about the timing and the legal and contractual steps involved in reinstating positions. One member explained that the district may call a Board of Finance meeting if voters reject the referendum to consider further reductions. Another board member noted uncertainty about how newly announced state ECS funds will be distributed and whether they will affect next year's Minimum Budget Requirement (MBR).
Public commenters connected the referendum to program continuity. A longtime resident and alumni backer urged voters to "vote YES tomorrow to stop the lowering the budget" and to preserve ECS funding benefits for Seymour schools.
What happens next: the referendum is scheduled for the next day. The superintendent said the board will reconvene with the Board of Finance as needed to act on reinstatements and to revise the budget based on final state allocations.
