Board defers vote on rewritten library policy

Board of Education · Meeting of October 13, 2026

GUILFORD — The Guilford Board of Education opened its 2027-28 budget season and put off a vote on a rewritten library policy. Superintendent Paul Freeman reported enrollment at 2,942 students, with K-4 class sizes averaging 18.5, and said 21 Open Choice students from New Haven are now enrolled across the district. The board unanimously approved the September financial report showing $6,106,883.31 in expenditures, 21 percent of budget, and set June 16, 2027, as graduation day.

The board ratified the departure of Adams Middle School science teacher John Stearns and deferred action on policy 6335, the district's right-to-read policy, to its next meeting. A board member said input sessions "have led to changes in our budgets," with the first Operations Committee budget hearing set for Wednesday, Oct. 14, at 7:30 p.m.

In the full story:

• The complete report — 827 words

Source: the Board of Education meeting of October 13, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

The Full Article

GUILFORD — October 13, 2026 — The Guilford Board of Education opened its 2027-28 budget season at Tuesday's meeting, inviting residents to a public comment session the following night, as Superintendent Paul Freeman reported districtwide enrollment held at 2,942 students and the board put off a vote on a rewritten library materials policy.

The board also ratified the departure of an Adams Middle School science teacher, approved the September financial report and locked in June 16, 2027, as graduation day for Guilford High School seniors.

The Full Story

Board Secretary Dick Hirsch ran the meeting in the absence of Chair Katie Balastraci. The board unanimously approved the district's September 2026 financial report, which showed expenditures of $6,106,883.31, representing 21 percent of the budget, against revenue of $67,260.23 that included $47,175.15 in pre-paid tuition and $10,080 in Medicaid reimbursement.

Freeman presented the official enrollment report for the 2026-27 school year, which the state will use for funding purposes. Enrollment stands at 2,942 students in district, or 2,978 when tuitioned and outplaced students are counted. The districtwide K-4 average class size rose to 18.5 students, up from 17.5 last year, but Freeman said no class exceeds the Board of Education's recommended size guidelines. He said a previous demographic study commissioned 11 years ago overstated the decline Guilford would see, and a follow-up study from 2022-23 also proved inaccurate; the district has commissioned a new study from the original subcontractor, now operating independently.

"School enrollment this year is 2,942 students before we count any of our tuitioned or outplaced students." [00:14:42] — Superintendent Paul Freeman

Freeman also detailed the district's Open Choice program, which now enrolls 21 students from New Haven: three at Guilford High School, seven across the two middle schools and 11 across the four elementary schools, selected by a blind lottery run by New Haven schools. He said the district only accepts choice students where seats are not needed by Guilford residents.

"I will note that when we offer choice seats, we only do it where there is space available." [00:17:56] — Superintendent Paul Freeman

The board also received, but did not vote on, policy 6335, an expanded "right to read" policy governing how residents may challenge library materials. Because board practice calls for receiving a new policy at one meeting and acting on it the next, the board chose to wait rather than waive that practice. A board member said the library staff synthesized state guidance and prior policy manuals in response to recent book-challenge disputes in other districts. The vote is expected at the board's next meeting.

Freeman reported that he, Guilford High School Principal Julia Chaff, Doug Hamill and Jake Jarvis attended a Start School Later conference at Trinity University, where Guilford resident Dr. Craig Canapari delivered the keynote on later school start times. Freeman said Hamill will launch a start-time subcommittee this school year to revisit the topic, which Guilford last acted on with a 15-minute schedule shift roughly eight years ago.

The board heard that the Operations Committee will hold its first budget-season public hearing Wednesday, Oct. 14, at 7:30 p.m., open to in-person and emailed comment. A board member said resident input at those sessions has historically changed the final budget before it reaches referendum.

"This is a very active, thoughtful board who listens to the community and makes changes to the drafts that I bring forward." [00:38:41] — Superintendent Paul Freeman

The board also ratified the departure of John Stearns, described in the meeting both as a retirement and a resignation, an Adams Middle School science teacher. A board member separately reported the district's Health Insurance Committee is continuing to evaluate the state's insurance partnership plan as an alternative to the current plan, with a recommendation expected in time for next year's budget discussions.

Why It Matters

The budget process that will set Guilford's school spending for 2027-28 begins with Wednesday's Operations Committee hearing, the first of several public input sessions before a draft budget is released in January. Enrollment numbers reported Tuesday, now locked in with the state, become the starting point for that budget build, including staffing and class-size decisions. The deferred right-to-read policy will govern how future challenges to library materials are handled districtwide once the board votes, expected at its next meeting.

Key Motions & Votes

- Vote: Approve minutes of the Sept. 9 special meeting Tally: For: 1 abstention noted, Approved unanimously otherwise - Vote: Approve minutes of the Sept. 14 meeting Tally: Approved unanimously - Vote: Approve September 2026 financial report Tally: Approved unanimously - Vote: Ratify retirement/resignation of John Stearns, Adams Middle School science teacher Tally: Approved unanimously - Vote: Approve priorities and initiatives statement for the school year Tally: Approved unanimously - Vote: Set June 16, 2027, as graduation day Tally: Approved unanimously - Action: Policy 6335 (right to read) — Continued to next meeting

Source

GCTVGuilford: Board of Education meeting, October 13, 2026