Submitted by Lisa Connelly, RSD 17 Board of Education
(August 15, 2025) — The following is a summary of the August 2025 meeting of the Regional School District 17 Board of Education:
CAPITAL PROJECTS UPDATE
Interim Superintendent Paul Smith provided the Board with an updated accounting of the District’s fiscal year 2026 projects. The report provided a listing of the approximate total project cost and project status. He also provided a completed list of capital improvements for FY25 for the district, including the budgeted amount and the actual project costs. The Board discussed a comprehensive capital project spreadsheet, which is currently being finalized.
SUMMER PROJECTS UPDATE
An updated status report on the projects that are scheduled for the Elementary Schools was discussed. The projects include flooring, painting, and ballistic window film.
HIGH SCHOOL DIVING BLOCKS
Superintendent Smith presented to the Board a proposal to replace the diving blocks at the Haddam-Killingworth High School pool and to provide the necessary grounding. The Board discussed the options for the timeline, vendors, and block conditions. The project will be charged to the fiscal year 2025 operating budget account Building Improvements to the extent that funds are available, and the balance as necessary, to be paid from the Educational Expenditures Reserve Fund.
HKHS BUILDING PROJECT
The Board voted to continue its work with Jack Butkus of Arcadis, who has been working as the owner’s representative through the planning phases. A referendum on the HKHS Building Project is scheduled for October 7, 2025 and voting will take place from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. in all regular voting locations. The Communications Subcommittee is working on various forms of communication to inform the public about the project. A Community Forum has been scheduled for September 8, 2025 at 6:30 p.m. in the HKHS auditorium. School tours will be available beginning at 5:30 p.m. that evening. Also, the Board is working with the District to provide childcare for students ages 4-10 beginning at 5:15 p.m.
SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH
Cooperative Education Services (CES) has been hired by the RSD 17 Board of Education to conduct the search for the next Superintendent of Schools. Candidate applications are due on August 21, 2025. The search consultants and our Board of Education will begin reviewing the candidates’ applications and supporting documents at the end of the month. As part of the process, CES previously conducted electronic surveys and focus groups to gain a sense of the school community’s opinion of the strengths and weaknesses of the school district, as well as key performance criteria for a successful Superintendent in RSD17. As a result, CES has released a document for the community and for candidates to review. The Stakeholder Feedback Report and Leader Profile is now completed and is available by clicking here.
ON OUR WEBSITE
RSD17 Board of Education information and past updates may be found at: https://www.rsd17.org/district/board-of-education.
