September 16, 2026
Present members: Heather Lombardo, Ann Woods, Jessica Diglio-Tsapsinos, Andrew
Billig, John Limeburner and Joel Danke. Student Representatives: Madison Schantz and Teagan Hall. Also present: Superintendent Cheri Burke, Assistant Superintendent Jennifer Parsons and Director of Finance and Operations Nicole Stevenson.
Chairperson’s Report
Lombardo spoke about the Capital Project Vote that will take place Dec. 8. She mentioned past discussions have heavily focused on the high school’s football field and the running track that has experienced recurring sinkholes. Installed in 2012, with a life expectancy of eight to 10 years, the field is in need of replacement. One of the bond questions on referendum will include the baseball field, which has never had an upgrade. It is hoped to upgrade it to a multi-purpose turf field to allow for improved use.
Granby Memorial Middle School remains structurally sound, but at 34 years old with no major renovations, the facility requires immediate HVAC, electrical and plumbing upgrades to meet current codes and to pursue state grant and funding for a future, larger renovation. A workshop for the community and more information will be on the town website regarding these projects. Voters are asked to consider these two projects amongst five questions in December.
The board is calling for community engagement well in advance of budget conversations. Multiple opportunities will be provided for residents to share their priorities and vision for spending. Note: The first budget workshop was held Oct. 21.
Superintendent’s Report
Burke said the board has received budget books and gave an overview of the process on final decisions where reductions and movements are made after the taxpayers vote on the budget. The budget book can be found on the district website for those who wish to view it.
Burke acknowledged the district experienced a challenging, higher-than-average turnover of about 25 certified staff members prior to the new school year. Exit interviews are held to gain perspective and she found that there were two primary drivers in staff exits: salary is greater in neighboring communities, higher by $9,000–$22,000 for identical roles; and others left the profession completely due to stressful challenges within the profession and within the community. Burke emphasized the importance of recognizing the impact on student achievement when investments in staff mentoring and training over several years are lost due to staff leaving for neighboring districts offering more competitive salaries and where the community provides a more desirable interaction.
Burke spoke of grant opportunities available including a Special Education High-Quality Incentive Grant that was submitted through a 25-page application to expand the RISE program at Kelly Lane. The grant incentivized districts to have in-house special education programming. Granby Public Schools has already explored in-district programming, which has brought back three students through the BEAR Gap Program. The program has allowed students to return from out-of-district placement, which can be costly. The grant application missed the funding threshold by 1-point on the rubric and the disappointment was shared. Despite the lack of funding, the district is moving forward with hiring a second RISE teacher, as a critical cost-savings strategy. Burke expressed her desire to meet with state representatives to further understand the selection process for funding and strong representation for the district during those discussions.
Burke praised the updates to the safety and security system and the staff that worked to implement the upgrades, particularly Chris DeGray and School Resource Officer Chris Dufresne. Together, they worked to implement the last phases of a multi-year commitment to upgrade the safety and security components. Burke acknowledged the false lockdown alarm at the high school on Sept. 8 due to a faulty component and took the opportunity to praise the response from the School Resource Officer, who was on-site, and the police department. Burke also shared that though the event was initially concerning, the event presented an opportunity for real-time training to improve future responses and provided the ability to debrief on the overall process for future improvements. She announced that the planned lock down drill would be cancelled in lieu of the false alarm.
Public Comment
Michael Kramenko was positive about his interaction with new staff at the Central Office, which resulted in a prompt call back from the dean of students. His main concern was that Oliver Wolcott Technical School students have group bus stops, and safety was concerning. He also spoke about the distance students were walking to school, and a stop where the building is closed on certain days and the concern for inclement weather for students waiting for a ride. He was disappointed with a survey from an English teacher regarding religious holidays and traditions celebrated and felt questions regarding religious holidays fall outside of the standard academic curriculum. Concerns over the board’s spending and the source of funds were also expressed.
Wendy Cubic expressed her support for teachers and schools. She said that staff should be properly compensated for their dedication to the students of the community.
Maureen Eberly referred to questions on enrollment sent via email to Chairperson Heather Lombardo. Questions were in regard to a specific bus stop and safety concerns for students at the stop. Her third question was in relation to educational goals. She wants to become more familiar with the process and measurements of success, such as evaluations and metrics for such goals.
Denise Dombrowski thanked the board for having meetings on Zoom and providing access to parents of young children who may otherwise not be able to attend. She posed the question of prioritizing education over a pivot towards a focus on lower taxes knowing the tradeoff could be damaging to schools and reputation. She expressed her concerns for staff retention and ensuring compensation is adequate to remain appealing and competitive. In her belief, this also supports home values.
Sarah Esthus expressed support for staff compensation being more in line with neighboring districts and the impact it can have on teacher-climate within the buildings. Expressed support for wanting staff to feel valued.
Lynn Krauss acknowledged that staff retention is important. She expressed her hopes for finding a better balance between education funding and those on a fixed income in the community during this year’s budget process.