Your Voice

It is that time of year! All around Fairfield County locally elected officials are beginning the “budget process”, this is a months long endeavor that includes tons of public meetings, comments and deliberation about funding for various projects that matter to us. In the end a budget document, no matter what level of government, reflects the priorities of the people it serves. When you read between the lines it shares our values, the things we value are funded other projects or line items simply get lost. Sometimes our elected officials get it right sometimes they are not tuned into the small things that really matter and they miss the boat.

I noticed that many towns are currently struggling with how to cope with the rising costs of funding education and here in Fairfield the debate began this week with a larger then expected, but needed, budget increase for our schools. Last year we lost money in the budget for our school paraprofessionals. This cut was much more far reaching then any one realized.

But the parents and the kids could tell you why money for these positions matters, if someone had listened to the parents and the kids we could have shared the day to day impact a paraprofessional has on the classroom. They fill a void and allow our classes to function with a feeling that they are smaller then actual size. They work with the kids when the teachers cannot and are at the grassroots in the classroom each day helping our kids learn.

This year is tricky, some of our leaders say cuts must be made while others say there is nothing left to cut???? I am on the side of the education advocates, hoping our schools will not be forced to cut more teachers and increase class sizes. We will have to see whose voice is heard during the process this year.

One parent I know who follows the budget process closely recently shared her thoughts with me:

The teachers are amazing, the support staff is so dedicated. I am a huge advocate for the staff at the schools. My son, has had attention issues from 1st grade and now he’s in 4th. I cannot tell you the support we have received. Whether it is a simple email from the teacher telling me how the day is going or a meeting with different members of the staff throwing out ideas of what will work best. I get teary thinking about it. The schools are alive all day and into the night. Teachers don’t work an 8 hour day. I have been at BOE meetings and they are sitting with the crowd correcting papers or reading articles on teaching. These are very special people.