PELHAM — A $1.7 million kindergarten project is headed to voters at Town Meeting.
Officials outlined the project during last night’s school deliberative session at Town Hall.
The four-room addition to Pelham Elementary School has a target completion date of Dec. 1.
School district administrators hope to qualify for up to $1 million in state aid for the project.
About 50 of the town’s nearly 8,300 registered voters attended the deliberative session.
Voters also moved to the March 12 ballot a $27.5 million budget.
About $140,000 was trimmed from the budget proposal in the warrant, after School Board chairman Brian Carton delivered good news that bids came in lower than expected for sprinkler improvements at the elementary school.
Superintendent-elect Amanda Lecaroz said officials also have put aside $75,000 to design a high school addition to put before voters next year.
Technology improvements will help students, she said. “Our classrooms will have more of a 21st-century learning opportunity.”
The spending plan eliminates two teaching positions because of declining enrollments.
The budget would add about 18 cents to the $24.40 per $1,000 property valuation tax rate.
Voters also will be asked to support a new teacher contract. There is no added cost in the coming year, but the deal will cost taxpayers an extra $360,000 to $400,000 annually over the subsequent three years.
Officials said the expense is necessary to close the pay gap with neighboring school districts.
“We are losing teachers to neighboring districts because we are so far behind,” School Board member Deb Ryan said.
Probe Begins After Conn. Commuter Trains Crash
NTSB Begins Investigation Into Conn. Train Crash
Lotto Fever Sweeps the Country
Conn. Commuter Trains Collide; 60 Go to Hospital
Coffee Run Leads to Hatchet Hitchhiker Arrest
Fmr. IRS Head Insists No Politics in Targeting
CDC: Fecal Bacteria Common in Swimming Pools
$1 Million in Jewels Stolen at Cannes Film Fest
NM Mom Chases Down Child Abductor
Raw: Crash Sends Car Into Fla. Pool
Raw: Obama Sits Down With Elementary Kids
Raw: Bear Falls From Tampa Tree
Ousted IRS Chief: Errors Not Caused by Politics
Terror Suspect Due in Court in Idaho Friday
Raw: Driver Ejected From Truck, Over Bridge
Could Tobacco Be the Next Biofuel?
Wash. State Releases Draft Rules for Legal Pot
Dying Man's Blinks Lead to Murder Conviction
Officials: Texas Tornado Likely Had 200 Mph Wind
Brothers Arrested in NOLA Parade Shooting
