Middlebury’s news - without the noise
Good Morning Middlebury! Today’s news relates to the classroom. Region 15 just announced it wants to borrow $224 million (big number) to tear down and replace two of the district's elementary schools. There's a public hearing coming up March 23th and Middlebury residents can and should be there. And CT is weighing a full ban on cell phones during the school day.
Today
Region 15 looking to build not one, but TWO new elementary schools.
(on the school note) CT weighing cell phone bans in schools across the state.
Region 15 Wants to Borrow $224 Million. A Public Hearing Is Coming.
The district is proposing to replace both Pomperaug and Gainfield elementary schools and residents have a chance to weigh in next week.
A legal notice published Sunday, March 15th in area newspapers announced that voters from Middlebury and Southbury are invited to a public meeting of Regional School District 15 on Monday, March 23th, at 6:30 p.m. in the media center at Pomperaug High School.
The purpose…a public hearing on a Board of Education proposal to bond $224 million for the planning, design, construction, furnishing, and equipping of two new elementary schools to replace Pomperaug Elementary in Southbury and Gainfield Elementary, also in Southbury.
That's the full project scope. New construction. Both schools, from the ground up.
The district says state grants are currently estimated to cover 64.2% of eligible project costs which sounds like good news, and it may well be. But the word "eligible" is doing a lot of work in that sentence. Not every dollar in a $224 million school construction project qualifies for state grant reimbursement. The actual local cost to Middlebury and Southbury taxpayers will depend on which pieces the state considers eligible, what the final grant figure turns out to be, and how the debt is ultimately structured over time.
The Board of Education would also appoint a building committee to help determine the final scope and the proposal does allow the board to reduce or modify that scope. So the $224 million should be thought of as a ceiling, not necessarily a final number.
What happens next? If the public hearing goes forward, a district-wide referendum vote would need to authorize the bond. Both Middlebury and Southbury residents would vote. There is no referendum date yet.
This is not a routine budget item. A $224 million bond, even with substantial state reimbursement, would show up in local property taxes for years. Anyone who owns a home or business in Middlebury has a direct stake in how this plays out.
On the School Note…CT Could Mandate a Full School Day Phone Ban. The Clock Is Ticking
Two bills in Hartford would require bell-to-bell cellphone bans across all Connecticut public schools and a key committee deadline hits March 23.
Connecticut lawmakers are closing in on a decision that could change what a school day looks like for every kid in the state, including Region 15 students. Two bills moving through the legislature (House Bills 5149 and 5035) would require all public school districts to implement bell-to-bell cellphone bans, with students' phones stored in lockers or secure pouches from the first bell to the last.
The Education Committee has until March 23 to act on both bills. If they pass the committee, they move to the full House, then the Senate, then to Governor Lamont's desk. Lamont has already signaled support (he called for a school phone ban in his State of the State address in February).
Right now, Connecticut's 202 school districts each set their own phone policies. Region 15 has restrictions in place, but no blanket ban. Under either bill, districts would keep the authority to decide how the policy is enforced, but would lose the option to do nothing.
The debate at the Capitol mirrors what parents argue about at kitchen tables. Supporters including the Connecticut Education Association, the state's largest teachers' union say a statewide mandate removes the inconsistency problem and protects kids from the documented downsides of constant phone access. Opponents argue the decision should stay with local boards, and raise a practical concern many parents share: what happens if a school goes into lockdown and kids can't reach their phones?
The Education Committee is divided largely along party lines, with Democrats largely supporting the ban and Republicans largely opposed.
If a bill passes and is signed this session, it could take effect as early as next school year.
Upcoming Events
Tuesday, March 17 — Water Pollution Control Authority meeting, 7:30 p.m. Town Hall.
Wednesday, March 18 — Board of Selectmen Special Meeting, 6:00 p.m. Town Hall. (Note: The regular March 16 BOS meeting was cancelled. Purpose of the special meeting has not been publicly posted.)
Monday, March 23 — Region 15 Public Hearing on $224M school bond, 6:30 p.m., Pomperaug High School Media Center, 234 Judd Road, Southbury. Open to all residents.
Monday, March 23 — Economic Development Commission, 6:30 p.m., Shepardson Community Center, Room 26.
Saturday, April 18 — Household Hazardous Waste & Paint Collection, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Free for Middlebury residents through the Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments. Bring your old paint, pesticides, cleaners, and chemicals. Proof of residency required.
Have a great day,
-Middlebury Morning
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