Dear Parents, Guardians, Staff, and Community Members:

Rockwell School and Johnson School Renovations Update

This past week, the Public Site and Building Committee voted to accept the Rockwell and Johnson School Projects as substantially complete.   The Board of Education is expected to do so at their next regular meeting, on March 17th.   In addition, the final Certificate of Occupancy has been issued.  This allows the District to begin the close-out of the project with the State of Connecticut, Office of School Construction.  It is important to note that there is additional site work remediation that will be completed this spring, during the growing season.  The closing of the project with the State will not prohibit that work from being completed or any other “punch list” items that may come up. Currently, the project is $987,791 under budget.  

Public Hearing on the Town and School Budgets 

The Board of Finance approved a proposed budget to bring forward to the taxpayers for comment. The proposed budget (for the schools and town) is a total of $85,500,111, representing an estimated tax increase of 1.1% over last year's budget. On the average home in Bethel, the tax increase is estimated to be $82.21 a year or $6.85 a month. The proposed school budget ensures that all current curricular and extracurricular programs are maintained, while addressing class size and special education needs of our students, given the increased enrollment within our district.  The public will have an opportunity to comment on the proposed budget at the Public Hearing on Monday, March 21, 2021, at 7:00 PM in the Bethel Middle School Auditorium.  If you are unable to attend the session in person and would like to provide a comment, you can email the Board of Selectman and Board of Finance at craigd@bethel-ct.gov.  Please be sure to include your name and street address in the email.  

Staff Recognition - Teacher, Rookie, & Pillar of the Year - 2022

Twenty-three years ago, we began an annual awards ceremony to celebrate the accomplishments of so many of our colleagues.  We believe that the Bethel Public Schools have been blessed, not only with outstanding teachers, but administrators, nurses, secretaries, paraprofessionals, custodians, cafeteria workers, and bus drivers as well.  The ceremony will be held in May to celebrate the achievement of the following:

Teacher of the Year:

Katie Burke, Bethel High School

Katherine Edwards, Bethel Middle School

Kim Wales, R.M.T. Johnson School

Micki Paradise, Frank A. Berry School

Kristine Komorowski, Anna H. Rockwell School

Rookie Teacher of the Year:

Chris Collison, Bethel High School

Mara Clifford, Bethel Middle School

Sam Celio, Ralph M.T. Johnson School

Megan Cairns, Frank A. Berry School

Taryn McCormick, Anna H. Rockwell School

Pillar of the Year:

Ann Marie Niessing, Bethel High School

William Mills, Bethel Middle School

Julie Danner, Ralph M.T. Johnson School

Robin Lamontagne, Frank A. Berry School

Felice Delano, Anna H. Rockwell School