Different Number, Same Conclusion

To the Editor:

In my letter to the editor regarding staffing levels at our schools in last week’s Bee, I had incorrectly stated the student population at the referenced school. The correct number is approximately 420 students as told to me by a member of the Board of Education.

Since there are 64 paid personnel at this K–4 school, the staff-to-student ratio is approximately 1 to 6.5 and not 1 to 5 as indicated in my previous letter. My apologies to the readers for this oversight, but this new information does not alter my recommendation to the school board to carefully examine the staffing levels at all the schools and to be cognizant of the need to justify all new requests for additional staffing in the future.

The Board of Education may have little control over the contractual obligations in the budget, but they have much more influence...and responsibility....for the number of personnel employed.

George Caracciolo

Schoolhouse Hill Road, Newtown                           January 12, 2004