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Superintendent Pushes for State Preschool Center Grant; Board Debates Outside Technical Assistance
Summary
Superintendent Dr. Schwartz asked the board to approve steps to apply for a state preschool center priority grant and establish a building committee for a proposed Waterbury Preschool Center; members debated a companion proposal to engage Harlem Children's Zone for no-cost technical assistance to coordinate cross-sector neighborhood supports.
Superintendent Dr. Schwartz asked the Waterbury Board of Education to authorize preparatory steps for a Waterbury Preschool Center grant application and to form a building committee to design schematic drawings and plan for a dedicated preschool facility.
Dr. Schwartz described Bucks Hill Preschool'currently housed in portable classrooms'as inadequate and said the district is seeking to consolidate early childhood services and expand access. He explained the fiscal rationale: recent changes in state reimbursement mean major school projects can receive high state reimbursement (Dr. Schwartz cited a typical 79% reimbursement and a temporary 15% additional state incentive), making it a potentially advantageous time to apply for priority funding. "We think it now is the right time," he said, urging a July 1 application timeline to be eligible for priority consideration.
Board members broadly supported the proposal's goals but asked operational questions about site selection and long-term costs. The superintendent and facilities staff said location and detailed square footage remain to be decided, and that any purchased site would be factored into state reimbursement calculations.
Separately, the board discussed a proposed memorandum of agreement and fellowship with the William Julius Wilson Institute/Harlem Children's Zone to provide no-cost technical assistance organizing cross-sector community supports. Jackie Davis and other staff explained the fellowship is intended to help the district and community coordinate services at a neighborhood level. Some commissioners questioned whether existing community nonprofits and city departments could accomplish the work without an outside consultant, asked about potential long-term costs and sustainability, and urged clear outcomes before committing district resources. Supporters argued the Harlem model brings community organizing experience and national networks the district could leverage.
The superintendent said the MOA and preschool grant steps are preparatory and would be followed by further board actions; several commissioners asked staff to provide additional cost and timeline details before any final approvals. The board planned a vote on the preschool items at the next regular meeting.
