Elementary school in Naugatuck faces closure

Naugatuck, Conn. (WTNH) - A Naugatuck elementary school is on the chopping block as the town tries to balance their education budget.

Parents, students, and teachers all showed up at a meeting Monday night, in an attempt to prevent Central Avenue School from closing.

Second grader Evan Jang loves coming to Central Avenue School every day.

Evan said his favorite part of school is "probably like in class with all my friends."

However, he's afraid they'll all end up going to different schools next year.

"It just seems the Naugatuck school system's really in dire straight with managing their budgets," said Becky Rutrough, parent.

The district has lost $1.4 million in federal funding. They're also looking at contractual increases and health costs going up, so Central Avenue may be closing down.

"We're hoping that we don't have to close the school," said David Heller, Board of Education, "but this is one option that has been proposed by the school administration."

In response, teacher and parents packed in the cafeteria to hear the details.

The superintendent says this is all in the preliminary stages, but he's trying to keep everybody informed.

"We're being as transparent as we possibly can be, sharing with them the discussion," said Superintendent John Tindall-Gibson, "there are members of the Board who haven't even seen this presentation so they're getting the information as soon as it's available."

News 8 heard nothing but good things about the K-4 school. Some classrooms are as small as 12 students and parents fear if their kids are sent somewhere else they'll end up in a mega-class. And there are about 30 teachers, administrators and staff members at the school who could lose their jobs.

"My daughter is doing fantastic here and I think the teachers are phenomenal," said Christine Borucki, "and I just think it's ridiculous to close a school that's fully function-able."

Now the Central Avenue school is not one of the higher performing schools in Naugatuck, but the Superintendent says that does not play into this decision and it is primarily financial. No final decision has been made.