Thomaston cuts school guards in budget reductions
THOMASTON CT
June 18 2023 – The town’s three public schools will not have an armed security guard at each building in 2023-24.
The budget proposal had included $200,000 for three security guards, but to make the overall package and tax rate more palatable with voters, the Board of Finance ordered the Board of Education to reduce spending by $450,000.
Asked whether she felt confident about the safety of staff and students by going another year without security guards, Superintendent Francine Coss said the district’s safety coordinator has developed additional protocols that “will add a layer of security” to what already exists.
But with the recent hiring of a new high school principal at a salary of $143,442 and the reinstatement of a teacher’s position at Black Rock School at $88,354 that originally was eliminated in the proposed budget, the district in a sense had to reduce spending by $681,796. Former High School Principal John Perrucci is on a paid leave of absence. His base salary is $152,887.
Other reductions approved Monday included four teacher resignations at a total of $232,968. Three full-time positions were filled internally and the three classes taught by a part-time teacher were reassigned to other high school teachers.
In addition, two daily bus routes were eliminated, saving $93,396; the purchase of new Chromebooks were delayed by one year, saving $85,000; $41,781 in unanticipated revenue for an out-of-town student in the PATHS program, which is for students with aggression and behavior problems, was added; stipends for vacant athletic coaching positions were reduced by $13,585; $8,958 in health benefits were adjusted because of staffing changes; and $6,108 was reduced in athletic transportation.
The Board of Education budget now totals $16,886,874, a 6% spending increase over the current $15,931,434.
