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Ridgefield Board of Education approves paraeducator contract, 2026–27 calendar and Ridgeberry PTA gift; votes unanimous
Summary
At its Sept. 8 meeting the Ridgefield Board of Education approved a three‑year paraeducator contract, the 2026–27 school calendar, a $3,150 PTA gift for a grade‑5 workshop, and named the new site Prospect Ridge; the board also accepted the FY24–25 financial report and several routine transfers.
The Ridgefield Board of Education approved multiple administrative and contractual items during its Sept. 8 meeting, passing several motions unanimously among members present.
Key approvals and votes
- PARAeducator contract: The board approved a collective bargaining agreement with the Ridgefield paraeducators local covering July 1, 2025–June 30, 2028. The motion passed unanimously by the members present.
- 2026–27 school calendar: The board approved the 2026–27 Ridgefield Public Schools calendar in a second read and vote. Board members said there were only a few minor structural additions (e.g., new teacher orientation) noted in the memo.
- Ridgeberry PTA gift: The board accepted with gratitude a $3,150 gift from the Ridgeberry Elementary PTA to fund a grade‑5 team‑building ‘mountain workshop’ enrichment program.
- Naming of Prospect Ridge: The board approved naming the new site at 34 Halpen Lane as Prospect Ridge for the Ridgefield Alternative High School and the Ridgefield Transition Program upon completion of construction.
- Fiscal report and transfers: The board approved the 2024–25 year‑end financial report and a set of early‑year budget transfers, including a transfer to cover approximately $200,000 in cybersecurity remediation costs. Staff reported a final FY24–25 surplus figure presented during discussion.
Votes were recorded as unanimous among members present for the items that required board action. Several informational items also drew discussion but no vote, including an ice‑rink contract explained under a waiver of the competitive process, athletic admission fee proposals and ongoing work on the district master plan and auditorium studies.
What the approvals mean: The paraeducator contract sets labor terms for the next three years; the calendar establishes instructional and professional days through 2027; the small PTA gift funds a single‑school enrichment event; and the naming decision formalizes a label for the new alternative/transition site. The administration noted the FY24–25 surplus and recommended continued coordination with the town on whether to retain part of available funds under new non‑lapsing authority or return amounts to town finance as part of year‑end procedures.
Next steps: Several items will return to the board for future action or information: the bylaw change permitting ad‑hoc committee members (scheduled for second read on Sept. 29), a staff presentation on electronic‑device practices (Sept. 29), and follow‑up presentations on facilities (auditorium options and master‑plan capacity/utilization data) in October.
