The Wethersfield Board of Education heard from building principals that the 2022-23 school year ended on a positive note at their June meeting Thursday.
Junior/Senior High School Principal Tyler Nichols thanked seventh-graders for spending a portion of the last day of school moving desks from the junior high to the adjacent Blish Building, which will house seventh and eighth grade classes this fall while high school classes previously held there will move to the rooms in the main building. Nichols said their assistance gave maintenance staff a jump start on other summer projects.
Elementary principal Gus Elliott spent the last day of school getting silly stringed by students, who won a drawing to raise funds for PATT. Winning tickets to “silly string” Mr. Elliott at the end-of-school field day event were held by Isaac Grajeda, Mason Dooley and Cale Ryan.
Elliott, who is leaving after four years as principal, said elementary students had a busy last few weeks of school with a craft market, wax museum, and field trips including one to the Challenger Learning Center, in Normal, where sixth graders successfully discovered a new comet. Elliott said he had enjoyed his time at Wethersfield and had been “blessed with a good staff.” His last day will be Friday, June 30. He will be replaced by Kyle Dennison who begins his duties on Monday, July 3.
During a brief business session, the board approved the amended FY23 budget presented by Supt. Dr. Andrew Brooks which showed a fund balance of $8,168,546. Three of the four major funds showed surpluses of revenue over expenses, including education with $75,389; building with $7,154; and working cash with $54,609. The transportation fund showed a deficit of $2,341. All other funds showed surpluses with the exception of IMRF which showed a deficit of $4,724.
The board also approved Tara Woller as second grade teacher and Cheri Grabbe and Katie VanWassenhove as paraprofessionals for 2023-24.
The board approved a memorandum of understanding with the Wethersfield Education Association and salaries for certified and non-certified staff for the 2023-24 school year.
Mr. Nichols thanked two retirees for their service, Kathy Johnson, Family and Consumer Science teacher, and Jay Melton, high school math teacher.
