The following text is from a letter sent from The Board of Selectmen, Town of Haddam (Lizz Milardo, Larry Maggi, & Melissa Schlag) to the Regional School District #17 Board of Education Chair, Joanne Nesti on January 16, 2019:
The purpose of this letter is to communicate and request information from the Board of Education on the closing of Haddam Elementary School.
After the recent BOE Capital Planning Committee meeting, Friends of HES contacted the Selectman’s office, Economic Development and the Planning & Zoning Commission requesting town leadership vote and support to keep HES open. This was an action they communicated was necessary for a “re-vote” or reconsideration from the BOE per the last committee meeting.
Friends of HES presented to the Board of Selectman a Power Point presentation of the economics of the Center and there was an hour or more spent on public comment. The Board was asked to support them to keep the school open as the “town leadership” would be the catalyst for a revote of the BOE.
After discussion of the Board of Selectmen, the board voted unanimously in requesting information from the BOE and are asking the Board to pause the process until this information can be verified.
Therefore, we are requesting the following information:
- Copy of the study indicating current and future enrollment in the next 5 to 10 years
- Detailed or itemized cost savings on closing HES vs keeping HES open.
Sincerely,
Lizz Milardo, Larry Maggi & Melissa Schlag
The Board of Selectmen, Town of Haddam
cc: Howard Thiery, Superintendent
Suzanne Sack, Board Vice Chair
Follow this link to see the response from the RSD #17 Board of Education on Jan. 25, 2019.
