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Parents and advocates urge New London BOE to provide full nursing at St. Joseph’s
Summary
Parents, teachers and advocates told the New London Board of Education that St. Joseph’s School has only three hours of nursing coverage and urged the district to provide full, six-hour on-site nursing, citing legal obligations and student safety concerns.
Parents, teachers and advocates urged the New London Board of Education on March 2 to restore full nursing coverage at St. Joseph’s School, saying the district’s current three-hour allocation is insufficient for student safety and may violate state requirements.
"We are not asking for something extra, but what is required and that kids deserve more than 3 hours of care," said Samantha Cacciatore, a parent of a student at St. Joseph’s. Several speakers said students with chronic conditions and seizure disorders need medically trained staff on-site for the full school day.
Elizabeth Anderson, who identified herself as a member of the St. Joseph’s school board, told the board that "the Statute states that the Board shall provide the same services for health services, not equivalent, equitable or per capita," and said prior legal opinions prompted the district to correct similar issues in the past.
Multiple parents and advocates raised practical and liability concerns. "Someone with clinical judgement can recognize when something becomes serious before it becomes life threatening," said Nicole O’Connor, a St. Joseph’s parent. T.J. Londregan, another parent, said covering the additional nursing time would cost roughly $65,000, and argued the district benefits fiscally when private schools operate in the city.
Board President Elaine Maynard-Adams closed the hearing by noting no final budget decision would be made at the meeting and reiterating that the Board is not a taxing authority. The record shows community members pressing the Board to either change the budget allocation or otherwise ensure consistent six-hour nursing coverage at St. Joseph’s.
The Board did not take a formal vote on nursing coverage during the March 2 meeting; comments were part of the public hearing on the proposed FY2026–27 budget. The Board indicated further budget decisions are likely to be made in May.
