Willington board wrestles with $100,000 cut that could trim aides, world language and shift sports to pay-to-play

Willington''s Board of Education spent much of its June 12 meeting trying to work through the local fallout from an extra $100,000 reduction the town''s finance board has asked it to absorb.

Administrators presented multiple budget scenarios showing that, after the mandated cut, the district would likely have to eliminate three staff-support specialist positions, move extracurricular athletics to a pay-to-play model and cut the elementary world-language teacher unless the board uses existing non-lapsing reserves. If the board applied additional non-lapsing funds to protect programs, it would rapidly drain the district''s savings and leave little cushion for unforeseen costs next year.

''Our non-lapsing balance is roughly $161,000,'' the business manager said in the meeting, laying out how different combinations of reserve use and program rescues would shift which positions survive. In one scenario, applying roughly $130,674 in reserves would preserve the world-language program and athletics; that would leave only about $30,000 available as a buffer for next year.

Board members and residents reacted strongly. Some urged the board to ask the Board of Selectmen and Board of Finance to reassign the reduction from the operating budget to town capital-repair funds so the district would not be forced to cut classroom or student-facing services. Others warned that using the district''s reserves to cover recurring operating costs simply postpones the same problem into next year.

Public commenters said the choices are painful. One parent said families and older voters did not fully understand the consequences of a failed referendum and urged wider outreach. Another town official, who chairs the CIP and School Building Committee, said taking money from capital reserves would imperil a future school project and risk losing state reimbursement and public support.

Board members described two parallel steps they planned to take immediately: (1) ask the Board of Selectmen to request that the Board of Finance reconsider the allocation (and, if necessary, to shift $100,000 from the town''s capital repair account instead of the school operating budget), and (2) prepare a public communication explaining which programs and positions would be cut if the reduction stands. The board voted to ask the selectmen to call a town meeting to consider up to $50,000 in reimbursements for repairs the district paid for this year; that move aims to reimburse recent operational repair spending and partially replenish district funds.

The superintendent and business office cautioned that solutions that draw down reserves will leave the district vulnerable to contract-mandated costs such as outplacement tuition and health insurance increases.

The meeting ended with residents urging everyone to turn out for the next referendum and with board members acknowledging the need for clearer messages to families about what specific cuts would mean for students.

If the proposed reallocation from town repair funds is denied, board leaders said they will return with a more detailed set of possible program reductions and a timeline for decisions. The board adjourned after voting to ask the Board of Selectmen for the repair-fund reimbursement and pledging to craft and share a plain-language notice to families about the likely cuts.