Lack of funds forces school office closure

WINSTED — Winchester Board of Education’s central office in Batcheller Elementary School will remained closed for a second week due to “limited funds†and a shortage of staff related to last month’s districtwide layoffs.

The district’s office, which is housed within the Early Education Center wing of the 201 Pratt St. school building, closed on Monday, Aug. 2. It will reopen Monday, Aug. 16.

Superintendent of Schools Blaise Salerno told The Journal Monday he was forced to close the office due to a lack of administrative staff available to man the office over the first two weeks of this month, due to employees’ regularly scheduled vacation time.

In a memo posted on the district’s website (winchesterschools.org) late last week, Salerno said “limited funds and the reduction of administrative and clerical staff that are a part of the budget for the 2010-11 school year require a change in the work schedule of district office employees located at the Batcheller Early Education Center.â€

The district laid off a total of 25 staff members for the 2010-11 school year, which began July 1. That number includes seven full-time and two part-time classroom teachers. Only one central office employee, secretary JoAnn Showl, was among those who had their position eliminated as part of the staffing cuts. Showl, a longtime Winsted resident, lost her job after working for the district for more than 35 years.

Former district business manager Edward Evanouskas resigned from his post on July 2. The position, which is also considered part of the central office staff, remains unfilled.

The central office closing has led the district to move next week’s regularly scheduled Aug. 10 Board of Education meeting to the following Tuesday, Aug. 17, beginning at 7 p.m., in the Pearson Middle School library.

At Monday’s Board of Selectmen’s meeting, some selectmen voiced their frustration at the central office closing at a time when the town is attempting to finalize the numbers of the school district’s 2009-10 budget shortfall. The selectmen currently are grappling with how to bridge that gap, which is estimated to be at least $343,961.

In the event of an emergency during the office’s closure, Salerno has asked residents to contact Pearson Middle School Principal Clay Krevolin 860-379-7588 or Hinsdale Elementary School Principal Matt O’Connell at 860-379- 5956.

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