Open letter to Greenwich Board of Education members from GHS School Counseling Department
Dear Members of the Board of Education:
The Greenwich Public Schools’ Vision of the Graduate calls for students to be engaged, self-directed learners prepared for college, careers, and life beyond high school. The 11.5 FTE staffing cuts already made, along with the proposed additional 6.5 reductions, directly threaten our ability to fulfill that vision.
Counselors see firsthand how budget decisions create real challenges for students, whether it’s a talented artist unable to take advanced ceramics or a shy, anxious learner lost in an overcrowded classroom.
With fewer sections running, students face impossible choices: should they keep their fourth year of a world language or give up the high-level choir class they finally qualified for? Electives are oversubscribed, and many students cannot get their first, second, or even third choice. Core academic classes are larger, leaving less time for individual support and meaningful connections with teachers.
With the new 25-credit graduation requirement, flexibility in scheduling (which only happens with appropriate staffing) is critical to allow students to meet requirements while pursuing their elective interests.
Students who challenge themselves in higher-level courses sometimes cannot move down a level when it isn’t the right fit because there is no room in the necessary classes. This creates unnecessary stress, lowers confidence, and can negatively impact learning outcomes and college options. Limited core sections also block students from enrolling in electives, reducing opportunities to explore interests, develop passions, and build skills critical for motivation and future careers.
The loss of five learning center aides has further reduced support for struggling students, increasing the risk that those who need extra help will fall behind. Reductions in guidance administrative assistants have shifted clerical responsibilities onto counselors at a time when the college application process is more complex, with students applying to more schools than ever before. Counselors now have less time to provide the guidance families expect and students need for postsecondary planning.
These staffing cuts are not abstract budget decisions. They are directly harming students’ daily experiences and limiting opportunities for success. Families and decision-makers must recognize the seriousness of these impacts and prioritize staffing levels that truly support students and the district’s vision.
GHS School Counseling Department
Brian Dayton
Evan Dubin
Kelly Dwyer
Barbara Gong
Arianne Haley
Rebecca Lisella
Alison Lochridge
Christopher Lovermi
Jennifer Lynch
Colleen Mayo
Danielle Nash
Kristina Sapienza
Mara Subach