This year sees a 1.495 percent budget increase - the lowest in 10 years - and there have been no faculty layoffs this year, said Superintendent Michael Kohlhagen. "We have four new teachers this year, our smallest group of new teachers in years."
Even so, he noted that the schools are fully staffed and "at or below recommended class sizes," which are 21 students for kindergarten, 23 students for grades one through 3, and 25 students for grades 4 through 6.
The new teachers are:
* Emily Pifferi, school psychologist at Emerson-Williams Elementary School.
"She did her internship here with us in Wethersfield, and we're really excited to have her here on board with us," Kohlhagen said. She earned her master's degree from Northeastern University in Boston and her professional diploma in school psychology from Southern Connecticut State University.
* Charlene Maddock, science teacher at Silas Deane Middle School.
"She's a magnificent science teacher, we're very lucky to have her. She comes to us from doing her student teaching in Hartford, she was a teaching assistant in West Hartford, she recently got her certificate from Central Connecticut State University," said Kohlhagen. A native of England, Maddock has also been a pastor with the Salvation Army.
* Leigh Moran, special education teacher at Hanmer Elementary School.
A Wethersfield resident, Moran is a graduate of Quinnipiac University, with a master's degree in special education and with many years of experience working in Middletown.
* David McWilliams, music teacher at Highcrest Elementary School.
He has a bachelor's degree from the Hartt School of Music. He was student teaching this past year in West Hartford and this is his first year teaching.
Kohlhagen recalled how he was at Highcrest recently and he heard "magnificent classical music playing in the background. I thought it was a CD." It turned out to be McWilliams playing the school's piano.
"He was breaking in the piano, getting a feel for it, and playing because he loves it," Kohlhagen said.
On the administrative side, Mindy Wilkie has taken on the role of interim principal at Charles Wright Elementary School.
She served as the district's instructional supervisor for teaching and learning, literacy, for the past year, said the superintendent. Previously Wilkie spent three years at Webb Elementary School as a reading language arts consultant and has been a staff member at the Webb Kindergarten Center. She also taught kindergarten and first grade in Norwich and was the K-5 reading consultant team leader in East Hampton.
The district has been searching for a replacement principal at Charles Wright since David Welch left two years ago. Kohlhagen said a search last year failed to turn up the perfect applicant and there will be another search this year.
In July, the Board of Education appointed Steven Cook principal at SDMS.
He had previously served as SDMS assistant principal for six years and was chosen from among some 30 applicants.
"Just last week we appointed Catherine Horton as assistant principal at Silas Deane Middle School," Kohlhagen said.
Horton was a middle school English teacher, curriculum facilitator, education specialist at CREC (Capitol Region Education Council), and most recently assistant principal at the Hartford Magnet Middle School.
"She should prove to be magnificent, and what's important is she and Mr. Cook together will make a superb team," said the superintendent.
Andy Komar has been named interim assistant principal at Wethersfield High School.
"He was instructional supervisor in charge of math, science and technology, and he'll make a significant contribution to Wethersfield High School, given his experience in those areas," said Kohlhagen.
Michael Verderame is now Dean of Students at the high school for one year. Kohlhagen explained that Verderame will work with the principal and two assistant principals and oversee all student attendance and discipline issues for 2009-10, allowing the assistant principals to focus on CAPT and academic outcomes.
The temporary position is funded by federal stimulus and grant funds, said Kohlhagen. After the year is up, he said, the district will have the chance to evaluate the effective of such a position.
Verderame, who was Wethersfield Teacher of the Year for 2007, was a sixth grade teacher at Hanmer Elementary School and will return to that position next year, the superintendent said.
In the central office, Peri-Anne Chabot will continue her work for the district as administrator on special Assignment in the Curriculum & Instruction Department for one additional school year in a grant and stimulus-funded position.