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A school year marked by COVID-19 quarantines, virtual learning and increased absenteeism has resulted in a jump in the number of students in need of support.
In response, some school districts have expanded their summer school offerings to keep students engaged and help them catch up.
New London
Starting in July, the school system will offer all its students the opportunity to attend programs both in-person and virtual. It’s something that has never been done before and as of June 22, registration was at an all-time high of 640 students and growing.
The list of options and programs in New London is exhaustive – half-day, full day, half-week or full week options; small group and one-on-one counseling, tutoring and mentoring; high school credit recovery courses; supports for students to complete community service projects or compose resumes ; wellness events for staff; and engagement events for families.
Preston About two dozen residents listened to presentations on the proposed $12.4 million 2021-22 school budget and $4 million town government budget during the first in-person meeting in more than a year, but residents were mostly silent when asked for questions or comments.
The finance board earlier this month had approved a $120,000 cut to the school budget, leaving it at a 1.97% increase, and cut $3,900 from the town government budget, which has a 4.21% increase. The board also voted to use $450,000 from the town’s healthy undesignated fund balance to bring the proposed tax rate to 26.67 mills, down by 0.27 mill, or 1%, from this year’s tax rate of 26.94 mills.
Preston The annual budget public hearing May 20 will be the first in-person meeting since the pandemic hit in March 2020, giving voters the chance to gather and comment on the $4 million town and $12.48 million school budgets.
Despite spending increases in both budgets, the proposed tax rate would drop by a quarter mill, after the Board of Finance voted to use $450,000 in town surplus funds to offset any tax increase.
The entire budget process was left to the Board of Finance last spring according to Gov. Ned Lamont’s pandemic executive order. But Lamont is lifting most pandemic restrictions on May 19, and Preston officials are planning to return to the usual process, starting with the public hearing at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 20, at Preston Plains Middle School.
Throughout the school year, students throughout the region have been able to grab school breakfast and lunch without needing to reach into their pockets for a dining card or punching in a code number into the school cafeteria register.
Free school meals, whether in person or take-out during remote learning, have been a key part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s COVID-19 recovery program. The federal agency will now extend that program through the 2021-22 school year as part of what the agency called a suite of waivers on school meal requirements. The waivers include allowing flexibility to schools for lunch times and locations and extending some pandemic safety protocols.