Parents urge restoration of two teachers as Waterford board approves $359,000 in cuts

At a regularly scheduled meeting, Waterford parents urged the Board of Education to restore two teaching positions that were cut in recent budget moves, saying higher class sizes will harm students and increase teacher burnout. The board later approved $359,000 in line-item reductions in response to actions by the town’s board of finance.

A parent who identified himself as Jimmy Nicholas said he and others launched a petition (savetheteers.com) with more than 110 signatures asking the board to find approximately $144,000 to restore two teachers. "Two teachers cost 144 grand. That's not even a quarter% of this budget," Nicholas said, adding that the board should treat classroom teachers as the last reduction and monitor budget lines over the summer with the goal of restoring positions before September.

Another parent, Jennifer Nicholas, told the board she is worried about a proposed 37% increase in classroom size at Great Neck Elementary. Reading from prepared remarks, she cited research showing smaller classes improve test scores, participation and behavior and warned that larger classes contribute to teacher burnout. "This is the wrong time to cut teachers and increase classroom sizes," she said, noting local workforce growth tied to Electric Boat.

Board members described the budget-reduction vote as a response to the board of finance’s March 25 action and said the process will continue through the summer. The board approved the reductions — described in the motion as totaling $359,000 — which included a family outreach worker ($45,000), one teacher at Quaker Hill ($78,810), a computer engineer position ($75,000), FICA employer contributions ($10,323), TAG testing ($4,000) and adjustments to health insurance funding. Board members emphasized the decision is part of ongoing adjustments and that administrators will continue to monitor enrollment and funding needs.

A board member noted that administrators maintain a live enrollment spreadsheet and that principals update it weekly; the board said it may move funds later in the year to address localized class-size "hotspots" should circumstances change.

The board did not formally commit to restoring the two positions this evening; members said they expect to revisit budget lines and enrollment projections through the summer ahead of the new school year.

What’s next: the board’s budget reductions take effect administratively; any restoration of positions would require future budget decisions and possible reallocation of funds or additional town-level approvals.