Thursday night’s highly anticipated Board of Education meeting started with a straw poll of BOE members signaling they would not eliminate a house at Greenwich High School, and ended with a vote to change Greenwich High School’s start time from 8:30am to 7:45am to save about $1.9 million on transportation, “Scenario 6.”
Cuts reflected an obligation to comply with the Board of Estimate and Taxation’s vote to reduce the public schools’ operating budget by $4.1 million. That amount increased to $4.5 million to reflect other items including an additional preschool class was anticipated.
In addition to the $1.9 saved on transportation by changing school start time to 7:45am, the board assigned $551,469 to the superintendent to cut at her discretion as long as it excluded further reductions of FTE (full time equivalent).
Since the BET vote in early April that resulted parents shouting “shame on you,” the negative response has continued in the form of lawn signs and letter writing campaigns, with blame pointed at the BET Republicans and that board’s chair, Harry Fisher, who used his tie-breaking vote to force the budget reduction, arguing it was not a “cut” per se because the budget was increasing from the previous year. Mr. Fisher has said the reductions were based on an analysis by BET Republican, Karen Fassuliotis.
GEA sign outside Greenwich High School. May 4, 2025
Many times it has been emphasized that the schools operating budget had been approved with bi-partisan support in the BOE in a vote of 7-1, that the RTM voted in support of a SOMR requesting BET reopen their vote and reconsider the cuts, and that even the Republican First Selectman decried the cuts.
In fact, this past Monday night the RTM, who can’t add to the budget, but can reduce it, sent a message by cutting two items totaling $4.5 million – the same amount the school board had to cut.
Along the way, BOE chair Karen Hirsh pointed out that one private school sent a mailer advertising to families that they did not have to “settle” for public school.
She also noted that while BOE was cutting the operating budget, Brunswick School, a private school in Greenwich for boys, was proposing to build a 74,000 sq ft indoor practice facility.
On Thursday, BOE budget chair Republican Cody Kittle was absent, as he was on May 8 when the board reduced about more than 20 Full Time Employees in order to find the first $2 million in cuts.
During public comment on Thursday, 47 people signed up to speak and Dr. Jones noted there were about 200 people logged in on Zoom.
Many Greenwich High School students testified about cuts to their school.
Nala Aurioles was reduced to tears as she listed staff including Christina Shaw, Amanda Finn, and Kyaiera Mistretta from Cantor House whose support she relied on.
“They’ve helped me so much, I was honestly stressed this whole week that the house was going to get removed and I wasn’t going to have the support that I do,” Nala said.
Cutting a house would have reduced 5.0 FTEs: a house administrator, dean, assistant dean, counselor and administrative assistant.
Gabe Elezaj, the President of GHS Class of 2026.
Gabe Elezaj, the President of GHS Class of 2026 described a lack of communication and poor listening.
“If listening occurred at the BET meeting we could only be looking at a $2 million deficit in lieu of a $4 million deficit,” Gabe said.
He noted there had been three recent deaths at the high school, and described how staff had helped him cope with the loss of his French teacher.
“I don’t think moving start time is a great idea especially since this could have been avoided by the BET,” he added. “Then in the wake of the death of a student, you look at cutting student start times which are proven to help student mental health.”
Subscribe to the GFP daily newsletter.
PTA council president John Fisher talked about “burdensome and disruptive changes” that would result from cuts. He said the shortfall in the budget was “based on faulty numbers and assumptions,” and that the BOE was forced to do the “dirty work to clean up the mess.”
Katherine McKersie was said the BOE meetings were painful and sad, and that teachers and staff were distracted and worried.
“From the outside looking in, things here look shaky, not stable. Lurching from budget problem to budget problem, lawsuit to lawsuit, drama to drama, when I speak to family and friends elsewhere, I’m kind of embarrassed to tell them the latest,” McKersie said. “These kids are used like ping pong balls.
“Arts, music, physical education, counselors, administrators, library professionals, teachers, and I could go on, are all being picked on and thrown out. Not just this year, but in budget discussion after budget discussion. What on earth is going on in Greenwich?”
Charles Guliner, president of the GHS class of 2028.
Charles Guliner, president of the GHS class of 2028 urged the BOE not to reconsider changing start time.
Charles warned there would be 2,750 cranky students in the building next fall if start times changed back from 8:30am to 7:30am or 7:45am.
“The proposal may save money, but it comes at a high cost to student health, learning, and safety,” Charles said, adding that the change in 2017 to start at 8:30 was based on overwhelming research and supported by national organizations like the American Academy for Pediatrics, the CDC and the American Medical Association.
“This is not about students being tired. It’s about how adolescent brains function. Teenagers experience a natural shift in their internal clocks when entering high school. We physically can’t fall asleep much earlier than 10:00pm. Asking us to be alert and ready to learn at 7:30am it’s like asking you to be productive at 3:30am without coffee. It’s not just difficult. It’s neurologically out of sync with how our bodies work.”
GHS media specialist Karen Ball.
Karen Ball, library media specialist at GHS who has worked in the district for 29 years, said library media centers at secondary level had been “decimated” in the past five years, and further cuts would impact student learning, staff and collaboration time at every school across the district.
“At GHS we are averaging 800 student visits every day,” she said. “We are stretched to the hilt. We have had to reduce direct research skill instruction time with our sophomores for sophomore research projects – that is a graduation requirement. We used to get to 100% of them. Now we have had to cut that by 70% in direct classroom instructional time because of how we are scheduled.”
“With the media assistant cut that just went through, we will not be able to maintain our before-school hours and current schedule. We have had to cut after school hours,” she said. “When you cut support staff, understand the work they do and the supervision responsibilities do not go away.”
GHS media assistant, Karen Gilder
GHS media assistant Karen Gilder questioned a statement about GOSA and GEA supporting cuts to media centers.
She said layoff letters were sent out the previous day.
“The leadership in the schools were not asked to comment on the impact of these cuts to these programs. It did not happen,” she said.
“Our department has been decimated,” she said. “I have been here 16 years. I am the face of the media center when you walk in the door. Dr. Jones, I don’t think you would know me from a hole in the wall. I have never met you.”
“I don’t know who is in charge of media at Havemeyer,” she said. “Building leadership have come up to all of us to tell us how important we are. We are the nurturing, student facing people that are non-disciplinary that your children come to on a daily basis to find comfort and peace and just a semblance of acceptance at the high school which can get overwhelming.”
Cody Kittle was absent and Wendy Vizzo Walsh participated by Zoom. She has not attended a regular meeting in person since September 26.
After an extended public comment session, Sophie Koven made a motion to reduce the budget by $.1 95 million by changing start time to 7:45am, but with a twist.
She suggested a “WIN” model, short for What I Need.
Her motion was for a “first bell” 7:45am, followed by a 15-minute period akin to what flex block, which previously offered students an opportunity to seek extra help.
From there, the first academic bell would be at 8:00.
“This gives students 15 minutes to come meet with social workers, guidance counselors, get something to eat,” she said.
“Academically starting at 8:00am – at least that’s the difference between standing on the road when its dark and when it’s brightening. Driving on a dark road and driving in the light. Of students surveyed – 20% more of them were supportive of 7:45 start than 7:30am. Students seemed to feel those 15 minutes were meaningful.”
BOE chair Hirsh said that model might reduce drop-off traffic at GHS by creating the 15-minute window.
“I’d even support the first academic block at 8:10,” Laura Kostin said.
“It’s a compromise,” Ms Stowe said.
“I don’t like it,” said Dr. Michael-Joseph Mercanti-Anthony.
“Because of all the science we heard around start time, it’s troubling that we have to go here. If we think of the sentiment around what these reductions the BET made, talking about belt tightening and efficiencies, changing the bell times doesn’t fit that category.”
Mercanti-Anthony said the earlier start time would impact students whose socioeconomic situation meant they couldn’t drive themselves to school or have someone drive them.
Wendy Vizzo Walsh said she favored Ms Koven’s motion.
Ms Koven addressed Mr. Mercanti-Anthony’s “equity question.”
“I looked at all the bus routes. Buses are used throughout the entire town. There are buses coming from every single area of town. Kids from all backgrounds are taking the bus. I wouldn’t have been in favor of this if I thought it would impact our neediest kids.”
Dr. Jones said students would still be dropped off at 7:30am and she wasn’t sure if it was ideal for them to be wandering in the building even longer.
Jen Behette suggested letting the school administration guide the change.
The motion was for scenario 6 with 7:45am start time but with the first academic class starting at 8:00am.
The vote 6-0 with Dr. Mercanti-Anthony abstaining.
The board also voted on an additional reduction of $551,469 at Dr. Jones’ discretion, which they noted might include a reduction in substitutes or outplacement, with condition there be no further reductions in full time employees.
That dollar amount reflected the difference to achieve a budget reduction of $4,587,962.
Ms Vizzo Walsh opposed the motion.
The vote passed: 6-1-0.
See also:
RTM Approves Greenwich’s FY26 Budget; But Cuts 2 Items in “An interesting alignment” May 13, 2025
BOE Approves $2 Million Cuts to FY 26 Schools Budget, Including Job Reductions May 9, 2025
BOE Struggles to Shave $4.1 Million from the Greenwich Schools Budget May 4, 2025
RTM Budget Overview Committee to BET Budget Committee: “Imperial, Lacking Vision, Reactionary” May 1, 2025
Big Support at RTM for SOMR Requesting BET Reopen Vote on 2026 Schools Budget after Passing a $4.1 Million Cut April 22, 2025
BET Cuts $4.1 Million from Greenwich Schools: Audience Chants “Shame on you” April 4, 2025
Greenwich Schools Chief Rebuts RTC Chair: “This Level of Reduction Would Have Long-Lasting Consequences” April 2, 2025
Hahn: A Reasonable Compromise on the School Budget April 2, 2025