From the Superintendent
It’s spring! The spring equinox, or the first day of spring, was March 20 at 5:01 a.m., the moment the sun crossed the celestial equator. Although robins may be around all winter, my first sighting of a robin and the tiny yellow and purple crocuses pushing their way up through the dark winter landscape, signal that spring, the season of rebirth and renewal, is near.
In schools, spring is the time not only for planning a positive ending for the current school year but for beginning to plan for the next school year.
At Eastford Elementary:
- Students in grades 3-8 will begin SBAC testing toward the end of April and through the month of May. Students in grades 5 and 8 will also take the NGSS assessment during this testing window.
- With the support of our school counselor Stephanie Schleicher, students in grade 8 have selected the high school they will attend: Woodstock Academy (12); E.O. Smith (6); Ellis Tech (3); and Killingly Agricultural Program (1).
- Grade 8 students are preparing for their trip to Washington D.C. on June 3-6 with Jennifer Barlow, Catherine DePercio and four parent volunteers.
- We are accepting both kindergarten and preschool registrations. Please check our school website for the proper registration forms. All registrations should be submitted to the school office by the end of April.
At its February meeting our BOE approved:
- The 2025-26 school calendar
- The 2025-26 school budget of $4,932,677, a 6.99-percent increase over the 2024-25 school budget.
- The updated 2025-26 Capital Plan
- The submission of the Mckinney Vento Homeless Assistance Grant
At its March meeting, the BOE reviewed the request from the Board of Selectmen to reduce the BOE budget in response to the town starting the 2025-26 budget process by almost 8 percent in the red due to state cuts in funding and mandates for motor vehicle and veteran abetments. Being a BOE member carries with it the dual responsibility of supporting the best educational programming for the students of Eastford while maintaining a trusted collaborative relationship with the Board of Selectmen and the taxpayers of Eastford. Our town has always responded positively to the requests of the BOE, and it is in that spirt of collaboration that our BOE voted to submit a revised 2025-2026 Board of Education budget of $4,794,179, an increase of 3.99 percent over the 2024-2025 budget, to the Board of Selectmen.
Our BOE takes their responsibilities to the community of Eastford and the education of our students seriously. Given March is the month officially set aside to recognize the volunteer spirit and dedicated efforts of BOE members, I would like to recognize our BOE members and the 47 years of collected service that our current BOE members have dedicated to supporting the Eastford Community of Learners — Robert Ellsworth (13), Steven Bowen (11), Terry Cote (7), Adam Minor (5), Jessica Perry (5), Lauren Barlow (3), and Michael Bilica (3).
All notices of scholarships we receive, including those for high school students, are posted on our website. We recently posted the New England Service Scholarships, offered by the Red Sox Foundation. This program recognizes 100 high school seniors who have demonstrated a commitment to community service and academic excellence. Details are available on their website.
Since 1983, the Community Foundation has awarded over $11.9 million in scholarships from 136 funds established by generous individuals, families, businesses and nonprofit to help area students pursue an education and rewarding careers. [Details are available on their website]https://cfect.org/.
It is my hope that all members of the Eastford community take advantage of the opportunity to embrace the spring spirit of rebirth and renewal. As always please do not hesitate to contact me to share ideas, questions or concerns about the programs, protocols and processes of the Eastford School district, they do not hesitate to contact me at [email protected].