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Save Region 14 Elementary |
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Reconsideration Not Reconfiguration |
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Our Position... |
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REFERENDUM REQUEST FROM RESIDENTS OF REGION 14 TO BOARD OF EDUCATION
Dear Region 14 Board of Education,
On March 26, 1968 the town meetings of both Bethlehem and Woodbury voted unanimously to form a temporary regional school study committee to study the advisability of establishing a regional school district. The committee released its report in April of 1968; the document was circulated throughout the two communities and subsequently voted on in the 1968 referendum vote that formed the Regional School District 14.
On page one of the plan, the 1968 Temporary Regional School Study Committee Report outlined a series of recommendations. Above all, the committee recommended that the towns of Woodbury and Bethlehem form a regional school district to include grades kindergarten through twelve. But perhaps just as significantly, they made a series of recommendations as to how the region should be configured. Recommendations two and three read as follows:
That grades kindergarten through twelve be divided into elementary schools (grades K through 5), a middle school (grades 6 through 8), and a high school (grades 9 through 12).
That grades K through 5 be housed in elementary school buildings in Bethlehem and Woodbury.
The Connecticut Supreme Court, in Mary Atwood, et al v. Regional School District No. 15, held that the terms of a regionalization plan consist of the recommendations found in the final report. In other words, the recommendations outlined above are part of the 1968 regionalization plan that formed Regional School District 14. The court has also held and state statute 10-47(c) provides that any fundamental amendment to such plan must be done via a referendum vote either brought by the regional school board itself or the “legislative body” of one of the two towns. Atwood appears to be the only Connecticut appellate law on point, and is particularly significant given the present circumstances in Region 14.
On October 16th, the Region 14 Board of Education voted to implement a reconfiguration plan for Woodbury and Bethlehem. This consolidation of our elementary schools mandates that grades K-2 from both towns will attend the Bethlehem ‘Primary’ School and grades 3-5 from both towns will attend Mitchell ‘Intermediate’ in Woodbury. This would seem to be in direct violation of the recommendations presented in the 1968 plan, and as such begs the question as to whether or not reconfiguration is a fundamental change to the 1968 regionalization plan thus requiring the board to seek approval from the two communities via a referendum vote.
Given the obvious legal questions, concerned citizens of both Bethlehem and Woodbury have forwarded this information to the Bethlehem and Woodbury Board of Selectmen. At the request of these same citizens, the town leaders of Bethlehem have sought the advice of their legal counsel. In his legal opinion regarding the question of reconfiguration, Attorney Rybak has stated that “It is unfortunate that the Region 14 Board of Education did not decide to submit the question to a district wide referendum.” He has further stated that “A realignment of grades and students within a single town district is certainly a board of education matter, but within the context of a multi-town regional school district, the question takes on greater significance . . . ”
Attorney Rybak also stated that “it is not clear whether the Region 14 school reconfiguration plan is indeed a ‘fundamental change’ to the original plan of regionalization and therefore subject to referendum . . . or whether the realignment is a matter exclusively within the authority and statutory obligation of the Regional 14 Board of Education, as maintained by its counsel.” The attorney’s conclusion is that “[i]t is a close question which only a court can ultimately answer.”
It is our position that any statutory powers granted to Regional 14 Board of Education must be viewed within the parameters of the original 1968 regionalization plan that formed and subsequently granted the board those same powers. As such, any major decisions/policy changes by this board must be executed within the broad parameters defined by the recommendations of that same plan. As for the question as to whether or not this is a fundamental change, it is quite clear that the reconfiguration plan directly violates both the second and third recommendations of the 1968 plan. Furthermore, in a recent letter to the editor, Theodore H. Martland, Superintendent of the Woodbury Public Schools in 1968 and one of the authors of the 1968 regionalization plan, has publicly stated that the committee’s intent was to have a K-5 school in both Woodbury and Bethlehem.
Given the legal ambiguity that surrounds the Board’s decision and the community outcry that has followed, we urge the Board of Education to take the reconfiguration plan to referendum. If the Board is concerned with the long term viability of the reconfiguration plan and the long term health of the region, they will submit the question to the people to decide. The citizens of Bethlehem and Woodbury have had ample time to consider this issue—both communities are well poised to make an educated decision as to whether or not this plan is in the long-term best interests of these two communities. If the people of Bethlehem and Woodbury support this plan, a referendum will give the Board the mandate it needs to fairly move forward with reconfiguration. If not, the Board will be better positioned to represent the interests of the communities they serve.
Sincerely,
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Save Region 14 Elementary |
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Reconsideration Not Reconfiguration |
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Jason Ambruso, Woodbury Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Aquilar, Woodbury Patricia Aquilar, Woodbury Holly Baider, Woodbury Scott Baider, Woodbury Helga Baker, Bethlehem Donald Baker, Bethlehem Lisa Bambino, Woodbury Anthony Bambino, Woodbury Erica Barber, Woodbury William J. Barber, Woodbury Mary Barkal, Bethlehem John Barkal, Bethlehem Joan Arlindo Barros, Woodbury Theresa Basile, Bethlehem Rich Basile, Bethlehem Shannon Bauer, Bethlehem George Bauer, Bethlehem Jen Berger, Woodbury Rich Berger, Woodbury Cecile Bernard, Bethlehem Jean Betteridge, Woodbury Paige Blackburn, Woodbury David Blackburn Jr., Woodbury Ellen Bleu, Woodbury Cynthia Boisits, Woodbury Edward Boisits, Woodbury Evelyn C. Boucher, Woodbury Rosie Brancato, Woodbury Vincent Brancato, Woodbury Carl Braun, Woodbury Ericka Brayton, Bethlehem Thomas L. Brayton III, Bethlehem Al Brazauskas, Woodbury Shirley Brazauskas, Woodbury Wendy Brazauskas, Woodbury Matt Brazauskas, Woodbury Melissa Brogna, Woodbury Rico Brogna, Woodbury Amanda Brooks, Woodbury Doreen Brooks, Bethlehem Jim Brooks, Bethlehem Carol Ann Brown, Bethlehem Eileen Budrewicz, Woodbury Kimberly Burns, Woodbury Richard Burns, Woodbury Donna Bushka, Woodbury Eric Bushka, Woodbury Rita Calvano, Woodbury Kathryn Campbell, Bethlehem Shawn Campbell, Bethlehem Alexis Chacchia, Woodbury Marchello Chacchia, Woodbury James Chappuis, Woodbury Suzanne Charette, Woodbury Donald Charette, Woodbury Cassandra Cheatham, Woodbury Matthew Cheatham, Woodbury Dawn Ciappetta, Bethlehem John Ciappetta, Bethlehem Marion Ciarlo, Woodbury Brett Ciarlo, Woodbury Lynne Classey, Woodbury Tim Classey, Woodbury Isabel Clemens, Woodbury Michael Clemens, Woodbury Mary Clifford, Woodbury Sean Clifford, Woodbury Lisa Codianna, Bethlehem Louis Codianna, Jr., Bethlehem Carol Cole, Bethlehem Tom Cole, Bethlehem Judy Coniglio, Woodbury Joe Coniglio, Woodbury Bill Conroy, Woodbury Francine Contento, Woodbury Anthony Contento, Woodbury Jim Conway, Woodbury Connie Conway, Woodbury Elizabeth L. Crocco, Bethlehem Joseph R. Crocco, Bethlehem Michael Culkin, Woodbury Stephen C. Cunningham, Woodbury Linda Dabkowski, Bethlehem Ted Dabkowski, Bethlehem Melissa M. Danaher, Woodbury John R. Danaher, Woodbury Sylvia Davidowitz, Woodbury Jay Davidowitz, Woodbury Christine DeCicco, Woodbury Anthony DeCicco, Woodbury Nick Deltorto, Bethlehem Jennifer DeRosa, Bethlehem Vincent DeRosa, Bethlehem Valerie DiLorenzo, Bethlehem Steve DiLorenzo, Bethlehem Ann DiSarro, Woodbury Patrick DiSarro, Woodbury Edith D’Occhio, Bethlehem William D’Occhio, Bethlehem Erin Doohan-Fortuna, Bethlehem Mark Drost, Bethlehem Andrea Duggan, Woodbury Marc Duncan, Woodbury Maria Duncan, Woodbury Lucia Dunham, Woodbury Glen Dunham, Woodbury John Eastwood, Woodbury Debbie Eschmann, Woodbury Steve Eschmann, Woodbury Cornelia Field, Woodbury Jeff Field, Woodbury Brandi Fitzgerald, Bethlehem Mike Fitzgerald, Bethlehem Lynn Frederick, Woodbury Nathalie Gaggini, Woodbury Lorenzo Gaggini, Woodbury Kim Galiette, Woodbury Richard Galiette, Woodbury Janice Ganetsky, Bethlehem Glenn Ganetsky, Bethlehem Patrice Gans, Woodbury Amy M. Garceau, Bethlehem Mark Garceau, Bethlehem Rita Gaudioso, Woodbury Pamela Gengenbach, Woodbury Kurt Gengenbach, Woodbury Bette Geraci, Woodbury Joe Louis Geraci, Woodbury Joseph R. Geraci, Woodbury Earl and Cindy Gillette, Woodbury Stephanie Gonillo, Bethlehem Arthur Graff, Woodbury Lori Grant, Woodbury Shane Grant, Woodbury Mr. and Mrs. Sawyer Grayson, Woodbury Jeffrey S. Greene, Woodbury Elizabeth Griswold, Bethlehem Scott Griswold, Bethlehem Cathleen Guldan, Woodbury John Guldan, Woodbury Barbara Hamilton, Woodbury Patrice A. Hamilton, Esq., Woodbury Lisa Hanggi, Woodbury Joseph Hanggi Jr., Woodbury Katheryn Hansel, Woodbury Diane Hardt, Bethlehem Jeanette Hassinger, Woodbury Ken Hatstat, Woodbury Suzanne Hess, Woodbury John Hess, Woodbury Jennifer Higgins, Woodbury Ky Higgins, Woodbury Diane Hill, Bethlehem Patrick Hill, Bethlehem George Hoffman, Bethlehem Tamara Hoffman, Bethlehem Audra Hokunson, Woodbury F.W. Holzbaur, Woodbury Kathleen DeLuca Hoyt, Woodbury Ron Hoyt, Woodbury Christine T. Huhn, Woodbury Gregory F. Huhn, Woodbury Darlene Everitt-Jacovino, Bethlehem Michael S. Jacovino, Bethlehem Bill Joyce and Mary Paul, Bethlehem Mariclare DeFazio-Keenan, Woodbury William P. Keenan Jr., Woodbury Leigh Kachur, Bethlehem Bryan Kachur, Bethlehem Jennifer Kern, Bethlehem William Kern, Bethlehem Aimee Kent, Woodbury Bob Kent, Woodbury Joann King, Woodbury David Kirk, Woodbury Erik Kitik, Woodbury Janice Kolesnik, Woodbury Robert Kolesnik Sr., Woodbury Mary Kolesnik, Woodbury Robert Kolesnik, Jr. Woodbury Denise Kolitsas, Woodbury Kostandinos Kolitsas, Woodbury Lynne Kozak, Bethlehem Scott Kozak, Bethlehem Mary Ellen Kunz, Woodbury Greg Kunz, Woodbury Sadie Kunz, Woodbury David Lamanna, Woodbury Jennifer Landry, Woodbury
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Michael Landry, Woodbury Elizabeth Norton Lasley, Woodbury William Lasley Jr., Woodbury Agatha Lassauze, Bethlehem Liz Lavorgna, Woodbury Cheryl Leveille, Bethlehem Joe Leveille, Bethlehem Marcy Levesque, Bethlehem Jeff Levesque, Bethlehem Amy Levy, Woodbury Steven Levy, Woodbury Ben Levy, Woodbury Adrian Lewis, Woodbury Debra J. Lewis, Woodbury Geoffrey D. Lewis, Woodbury Guy Lewis, Woodbury Debra Lindberg, Woodbury John Lindberg, Woodbury Stephanie Lo, Bethlehem Denny Lo, Bethlehem Brenda Longo, Woodbury Ed Longo, Woodbury Suzanne Lovig, Woodbury Gretchen Lucera, Woodbury John Lucera, Woodbury Liane Maeder, Woodbury Ann Mandelbaum, Woodbury Wayne Mattox and Kathleen Dowd, Woodbury Liz May, Bethlehem Richard May, Bethlehem Ted Martland, Woodbury Ingrid Martland, Woodbury Caroline Maschio, Woodbury Laurent Maschio, Woodbury Candace Meyer, Woodbury Karl A. Meyer, Woodbury Richard H. Michaels, Woodbury Laurie J. Michaels, Woodbury Paul D. Miller, Bethlehem Judith Miller, Bethlehem Carina Booker, 9th grade NHS Jacqueline Miller, 10th grade NHS Joseph Miller, Kindergarten BES Dinesh Mistry, Woodbury Andrea B. Moran, Woodbury Sean P. Moran, Woodbury Sarah Moran, Woodbury Thomas Moran, Woodbury David W. Mott, Woodbury Elsie E. Mott, Woodbury Jack Nelson, Woodbury Pam Nole, Bethlehem Robert Nole, Bethlehem Kenneth Notti, Woodbury Tracy Olmsted, Woodbury Lynn O’Neil, Bethlehem Mickey O’Neil, Bethlehem Donna Ouellette, Woodbury Paul Ouellette, Woodbury Scott O’Keefe, Woodbury Robin Oldakowski, Bethlehem Stephen Oldakowski, Bethlehem Brandie Palumbo, Woodbury John Palumbo, Woodbury Heather Palmer, Woodbury Bob Palmer, Woodbury Hailey Palmer, Woodbury Alyssa Palmer, Woodbury Jessie Palmer, Woodbury Karen Pape, Woodbury Jack Pape, Woodbury Chris Pearce, Woodbury Carl Pearce, Woodbury Xavier Pedroza, Woodbury Jacob Pedroza, 6th grade WMS Alexandra Pedroza, 6th grade WMS Ian Pedroza, 5th grade WMS Jasper Pedroza, 1st grade MES Abby Peklo, Woodbury Andrew Peklo, Woodbury Karen Petillo, Woodbury Anthony Petillo, Woodbury Laura Porcelli, Woodbury Doug Porcelli, Woodbury Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Porcelli, Woodbury Charlotte Pratt, Bethlehem John Pratt, Bethlehem Diane Przbyloski, Woodbury Walter Przbyloski, Woodbury Pamela Racevicius, Woodbury Peter Racevicicus, Woodbury Marie Racevicius, Woodbury Harold Racevicius, Woodbury Dana Reelick, Woodbury Robert Reelick, Woodbury Maureen Renkun, Woodbury Cass Renkun, Woodbury Cliff Ritter, Woodbury Deborah Rising, Woodbury Benjamin Rising, Woodbury Paul Rodai, Woodbury Kit Rogers, Woodbury Sarah Rudzavice, Bethlehem Jim Rudzavice, Bethlehem Michele Rupe, Bethlehem Steve Rupe, Bethlehem Barbara Salerno, Bethlehem Lewis Salerno, Bethlehem Joy Savulak, Woodbury Stephen Savulak, Woodbury Melissa Scalzo, Woodbury Jonathan Scalzo, Woodbury Sue Scherff, Bethlehem Gerry Schuster, Bethlehem Ralph Schuster, Bethlehem Kelly Shamansky, Woodbury John Shamansky, Woodbury John A. Sherer, Woodbury Katy Sherer, Woodbury Frank A. Sherer, Jr., Woodbury Kim Sibilia, Bethlehem Peter Sibilia, Bethlehem Larry J. Smotroff, Woodbury Judi Sordi, Bethlehem Frank Sordi, Bethlehem Steve Sordi, Bethlehem Barbara Sorosiak, Woodbury Mark Sorosiak, Woodbury Sandra Spezzano, Woodbury John Spezzano, Woodbury Sharisse Steiner, Bethlehem Lee Steiner, Bethlehem Molly Stevens, Woodbury Burton Stevens, Woodbury Mrs. Faith K. Stewart, Woodbury Rhonda Stokes, Woodbury Joan K. Stomski, Woodbury Gerald D. Stomski, Woodbury Kirsten H. Stone, Woodbury Thomas L. Stone, Woodbury Susan Suhr, Woodbury Coleen Sullivan, Woodbury Kurt Sullivan, Woodbury Deb Szymanski, Woodbury Jessica Thomas, Woodbury Dolores Thorne, Woodbury Ann Thurlow, Woodbury Steve Thurlow, Woodbury Debbie Tietz and Mark Leonard, Woodbury Jodie Timm, Bethlehem Jason Timm, Bethlehem Douglas B. Tolles - Bethlehem Lisa Torres, Woodbury Victor Torres, Woodbury Gayle Torto, Woodbury Bonnie Vail, Bethlehem John Vail, Bethlehem Marina Vale, Woodbury Vicki Valente, Bethlehem Jeff Valente, Bethlehem Martha Varnum, Woodbury Randy Varnum, Woodbury Betty Jane Vitigliano, Woodbury Tom Vitigliano, Woodbury Laurie Wagner, Bethlehem David R. Wagner, Woodbury Arlene Wilkas, Woodbury Toni Wilkas, Woodbury Jared Wilkas, Woodbury Mitzi Wilkes, Bethlehem Mark Wilkes, Bethlehem Kelli Willis, Woodbury Bob Willis, Woodbury Kathi Winegard, Woodbury Derek Winegard, Woodbury Howard Winston, Woodbury Richard Winus, Woodbury Jane Witherwax, Woodbury Jeffrey Witherwax, Woodbury Renee Wojtczak, Woodbury Joe Wojtczak, Woodbury Karen Woodward, Woodbury Todd Woodward, Woodbury Linda Woodward, Woodbury Thomas Woodward, Woodbury Karen Wolff, Woodbury Ron Wolff, Woodbury Suzanne Yanielli, Bethlehem Michael Yanielli, Bethlehem Justyn Zitnay, Bethlehem |
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NO ON FEBRUARY 17, 2011 TO RECLAIM OUR K THROUGH 5 ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS |
