Budget cuts impact Norwich schools

Norwich (WTNH) - Fewer teachers will be walking the halls of some Norwich schools. For the first time  in six years classroom cuts have come.

"They are extraordinary times across the country," said Superintendent of Schools Pamela Aubin.

There are seven teachers eliminated and seven others retiring. The superintendent hopes state stimulus money, and an early retirement incentive, will save some jobs.

"Everytime we have a retirement, we're reinstating a teacher immediately," Aubin said. "That happened yesterday afternoon."

It's tough cuts in a tough economy.

"It's a very difficult year in that there aren't any positions," Aubin said. "Every other district in the state is in the same predicament."

Just south, in Montville, three teaching positions are being eliminated in English, Math, and Art.

And, in Bozrah, residents came to town hall on Monday to vote for the school budget. They voted for about $5 million to fund education; most folks voted "no."

"I think people didn't want our taxes to be raised," said parent Diana Santo.

Because the budget failed, three and a half teaching positions will be cut. If the budget had passed, the town said a couple of those positions may have been saved.

"We're gonna be losing some really good teachers that we were hoping to be able to keep which is a shame," said Santo.

Only when the school budget is passed will the extent of the cuts really be known in Bozrah.

"I think that it's a fear of everybody that they're gonna lose teachers or lose programs that they've already lost," said parent Kim Burgess.

The finance board in Bozrah is meeting on Monday to figure out what to do next with the school budget. The first one failed by about 40 votes with less than 500 people actually voting.