With a community forum on the 2015-16 school budget set for this Tuesday, March 10, Superintendent of Schools Joseph V. Erardi, Jr, said this week he is hoping for a good turnout for the forum and for the April referendum.

The one-hour community forum, called “All-School Parent Conversation Focused On Teaching, Learning, And the Proposed 2015-16 Spending Plan,” will start at 7:30 pm, and it will take place in the Lecture Hall at Newtown High School, 12 Berkshire Road.

The community forum is being hosted by all of the district’s PTAs.

“I’m excited about that and I am hoping for a real strong parent turnout,” said Dr Erardi about Tuesday’s scheduled forum.

The superintendent first presented his proposed budget during a school board meeting on January 6, and the Board of Education adopted its planned 2015-16 budget during a meeting on February 5. As of Wednesday, March 4, Dr Erardi explained that changes to the district’s self-funded medical account have further decreased the budget proposal to $71,915,679, or a .8 percent increase over the 2014-15 spending plan.

Dr Erardi said there will be an opportunity within the community forum to present an overview of the district’s planned 2015-16 operational budget. He also said time during the event will be used to answer questions from the audience and to request that, “everybody find ten minutes on the fourth Tuesday in April to get in a booth, pull the curtain, and to vote.”

With other budget meetings and the forum ahead of him, Dr Erardi said he would never mention how people should vote but would instead ask community members to be informed and to vote.

Dr Erardi also noted his office hours have been expanded. He is scheduled to hold office hours, in addition to his 6:30 am to 7:30 am weekday hours, March 5, March 12, March 19, April 2, and April 9 from 7 pm to 8 pm.

The superintendent said his office hours are for “Any community member who wants to come in if they have a question, a comment, a thought, concern. That’s how we share information, one voter, one parent at a time.”

Reflecting on the process of the budget so far, Dr Erardi said his experience has been of an “all-around partnership.”

“I was pleased with the conversation on Monday night with the Board of Finance. I thought the board was well-prepared, because they have done their homework,” said Dr Erardi. “I was really pleased with the respectful manner that the questions and answers were shared, and I look forward to the Legislative Council opportunity.”

Speaking about the full budget proposal, the town’s budget and the district’s budget, Dr Erardi said to the best of his knowledge it represents a “no tax and a slight tax reduction for 2015-16.”

Tuesday’s forum is open to all community members; however, the information will be most relevant to parents who have children attending Newtown Schools, according to the district. Questions regarding the parent forum can be answered by calling 203-426-7621 during the district’s normal business hours.