The Waterbury-Duxbury School Board is proposing a small budget increase of just 2.1 percent over the current year. This budget for both Thatcher Brook Primary School (TBPS) and Crossett Brook Middle School (CBMS) maintains investments the community has made in its schools, while acknowledging the rising property tax burden imposed by Montpelier and the slow growth of Vermont’s economy.

The principals at both schools have done an outstanding job combing through the budget and recommending ways to contain costs and enhance efficiencies. The modest increases in the budget are almost exclusively fixed costs, such as contractually established annual wage and benefit adjustments and the supervisory union assessment. Some costs, like energy, have declined slightly.

Unlike many parts of the state, enrollment in our schools grew over the last several fiscal years, and currently remains steady. This growth is why we asked you to approve targeted investments that have helped to enrich our curricula, address academic challenges and contribute to the community’s ability to attract and retain businesses and families. This year, with a budget that grows at 2.1 percent, we’re asking that you sustain this progress.

Please keep in mind that we are not a high spending district or a “gold town” by any definition – certainly not by statewide standards. We have already consolidated schools. Our classrooms have, on average, 17 children per teacher – a ratio that is above the statewide and national averages. And our per-pupil spending is in the middle of the statewide pack and less than most schools in our region.

You can review our current budget proposal, and find our contact information, in the January 13th board agenda items at www.tbps.wwsu.edu. There is a special meeting of the school board, Tuesday, January 27th, 6:00 p.m. at CBMS to discuss the budget and a regular meeting on Tuesday, February 10th also at 6:00 p.m. at CBMS. We hope you will take time to learn more about our budget proposal and attend an upcoming meeting with your questions and comments.

Thank you for your continued support for the schools of the Waterbury-Duxbury School District.

Sincerely,

The Waterbury-Duxbury School District Board of Directors

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