Parents and teachers urge South Country board to halt teacher cuts and clarify budget

A wave of public comment at the South Country Central School District board meeting focused on proposed personnel cuts and the district’s budget plan, with speakers urging the board to halt or rethink immediate actions that would reduce teaching staff.

A public commenter asked trustees to "hold your vote on this" and pressed them to "save one of these teacher positions tonight," saying the district has seen a 22.4% drop in teachers over 13 months and arguing that administration line items (including a superintendent car payment and a $60,000 consultant/mentor for the new assistant superintendent of finance) should be trimmed before staff positions are cut. The commenter said the budget changes amount to a choice not a necessity and called for shared sacrifice to preserve classroom positions.

"When we say we're sad to see these teachers go, actually, it's a choice," the speaker said, and urged the board to review the budget proposal’s impact now rather than waiting until after the budget vote.

Abina Assari, who identified herself from the audience, framed the budget cuts as traumatic for students and staff and asked the board to provide a clearer, less-flexible spending plan that centers students. "My two kids ask me whether what they are experiencing this year in this school district is true," Assari said, describing anxiety among children about program reductions such as band and orchestra and urging community input on difficult trade-offs.

During follow-up discussion, trustees asked the district treasurer about the cash position and the timing of state aid. Mr. Belmonte said the April 2026 appropriation reports show remaining cash on hand but explained that the district expects to use a $7 million general-aid advance and additional short-term borrowing (an $11 million influx referenced earlier) to manage cash flow through year end. He said the state controller will later certify a district deficit and that the district intends to sell bonds to fund that deficit once certified.

Trustees acknowledged the treasurer’s report and then proceeded with several omnibus personnel and administrative approvals on the agenda. During routine agenda business, trustees flagged a discrepancy in a donation item (I12) where the agenda listed $1,000 but the recommended action listed $7,000; trustees unanimously voted to resend I12 and asked administration to research and return with the correct figure at the next meeting.

What happened next: the board approved multiple blocks of recommendations as presented, accepted the treasurer’s April 2026 report, and rescheduled clarification of item I12. The meeting adjourned after approvals and follow-up instructions to staff.

Why it matters: Community members framed the debate as one between preserving instructional positions and maintaining administrative or nonclassroom expenditures at a time of constrained resources. The treasurer’s description of short-term aid and planned deficit financing indicates the district will continue operating under tight fiscal conditions in the coming months, meaning trustee decisions about the budget and personnel could affect programs and staffing for the 2026–27 year.