Latest News
FALLS VILLAGE — On Thursday, April 10, after a brief public hearing at which no questions were asked, the Region One Board of Education voted to send the proposed Region One budget plan for 2025-26 to a referendum vote Tuesday, May 6.
The total for Region One is $18,485,210, an increase of $794,882 or 4.49%.
The Region One budget has three components: Housatonic Valley Regional High School, Pupil Services and the Regional Schools Services Center.
The budget proposals for each component: HVRHS, $9,135,577, an increase of $146,586 or 1.63%; Pupil Services, $7,522,557, an increase of $539,128 or 7.72%; RSSC, $1,827,075, an increase of $109,167 or 6.35%.
The referendum is Tuesday, May 6, noon to 8 p.m. at the town halls of the six Region One Schools: Cornwall, Falls Village, Kent, North Canaan, Salisbury and Sharon.
If the budget proposal passes, the assessments for the towns will be:
Cornwall: $2,004,274, a decrease of $20,611 or 1.12%.
Falls Village: $1,543,685, an increase of $126,423 or 9.01%.
Kent: $2,611,729, an increase of $84,818 or 3.7%.
North Canaan: $5,620,587, an increase of $62,282 or 1.09%.
Salisbury: $4,781,092, an increase of $373,081 or 8.93%.
Sharon: $1,923,842, an increase of $168,889 or 10.49%.
Polar plunge into Lakeville Lake
Despite the chilly air and frigid water, a record-breaking 100+ Hotchkiss students — and a few faculty — plunged into Lake Wononscopomuc April 6 to raise money for The Jane Lloyd Fund. The annual event raised over $2,000 which will help support the fund’s mission of providing financial assistance to cancer patients living or working in the Northwest Corner.
NORTH CANAAN — The Board of Finance reviewed updated 2025-26 spending plans for the town and the elementary school at a meeting Wednesday, April 9.
At the suggestion of the finance board, the selectmen modified two lines of the town spending plan. The first selectman’s salary was set at $24,000, up from the initial proposal of $6,500, and the contingency fund was reduced to $0 — down from $5,000, initially slated for discretionary spending.
The updated municipal spending proposal shows a bottom line of $3,239,732, a reduction of $3,204, or -0.1% from last year’s budget.
For educational expenses, the board asked North Canaan Elementary School Principal Beth Johnson to reduce spending where possible. She returned April 9 with a lowered bottom line.
“We pulled about $42,000 off the teacher’s line,” said Johnson, explaining the severances for retired individuals will be paid out of this year’s budget instead of next year’s.
The updated NCES spending plan totals $4,767,136.46, an increase of $231,023.76, or 5.09%, compared to last year.
The Board of Finance will host a public hearing for municipal and education spending plans Thursday, May 14, at 7 p.m. in Town Hall.
FALLS VILLAGE — At the regular monthly meeting of the Region One Board of Education April 7 the board approved the hiring of Liam O’Reilly as summer school principal with a stipend of $7,000.
The Assistant to the Assistant Principal, Katie Wood, has decided to retire. She will be replaced by Theresa Padin, a 13-year veteran of Winchester Public Schools, who will start her position after Memorial Day and will be working alongside Wood to transition into the position at the end of the school year.
The following graduation dates were announced:
Tuesday, June 10: Cornwall Consolidated School, 6:30 p.m.; Sharon Center School, 6 p.m.
Wednesday, June 11: Lee H. Kellogg School, 6 p.m.; North Canaan Elementary School, 6 p.m.
Thursday, June 12: Salisbury Central School, 6:30 p.m.; Kent Center School, 6 p.m.; Housatonic Valley Regional High School Senior Awards, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Friday, June 13: Housatonic Valley Regional High School, 6 p.m.
