The Jaffrey-Rindge School Board officially voted on a series of cuts on Monday – including athletic programs, cocurriculars, 24 1/2 employee positions and universal access to pre-K– as a result of district voters passing a budget with a $3 million cut from the board’s original $33.76 million proposal.

Residents at the deliberative session in February voted to put the reduced budget on the ballot, and it passed during the March 11 election. District officials had encouraged residents to vote against the budget, which would have put the $33.86 default budget in place.

“Tonight is a step we have to take,” said Lisa Wiley, who took up the mantle of School Board chair after a unanimous vote on Monday. She said the district is required to submit an update budget to the state within 20 days of the election.

Among the cuts approved on Monday were a total of the equivalent of 24 1/2 full-time positions. Among them were a sixth-grade English and language arts teacher, three unified arts teachers for the elementary school (two techs and a librarian), a general music teacher at Conant Middle High, a STEM teacher at Conant Middle High, a French teacher at Conant Middle High, a middle school special education teacher that is currently unfilled and one elementary classroom teacher each at Jaffrey Grade School and Rindge Memorial School. Also cut were four full-time teachers and 3 1/4 paraprofessionals for the universal 4-year-old preschool.

Superintendent Reuben Duncan explained that the preschool program would not be cut in its entirety, but would be reduced to a half-day, and a lottery system would be reinstated.

“Losing universal access to pre-K is deeply personal and terrible,” said Duncan, who had led the charge on expanding the program to be universal and full-day.

Savings from cutting athletics include athletic stipends, an athletic trainer, game transportation, referees and a coordinator, as well as eliminating a groundskeeper and 1 1/2 custodian positions due to less need for maintenance and cleaning related to athletics programs.

Cocurriculars are expected to be reduced, and summer programs, including summer school and credit recovery, will not be offered. Field trips will be eliminated, as will programming extensions where outside educators such as from the Harris Center provide programs for students.

Among administrative staff, all non-union staff pay increases will be reduced, the out-of-district coordinator position will be reduced, and the 504 coordinator will be reduced to half-time. The assistant principal for the middle/high school will be reduced, and one of the elementary assistant principals will be eliminated, as will an administrative assistant.

Residents react

Parents, teachers and students at Monday’s meeting expressed dismay at the cuts.

Mike Perrault of Rindge, who has two children at Rindge Memorial School, spoke to any students who may be present or watching the livestream of the meeting, saying, “None of this is your fault. Many of you, like me, are feeling gutted, anxious, maybe even a little betrayed by the adults in your communities.”

Perrault said many had been working to fight the cut budget, and many would continue to find ways to fill the gaps left by the cuts.

“None of this is your fault, but it is now your fight, and I’m proud to be in that fight with you,” Perrault said.

Tarah Castiglioni, executive director of TEAM Jaffrey, said the organization would be willing to join that fight, suggesting that some of its summer programming such as the summer Concert on the Common series or farmers’ market could work as fundraising opportunities for cocurriculars or sports stipends for teachers to keep programs afloat.

Anne Maher, a Rindge resident and one of the district’s preschool teachers, spoke about the importance of early childhood education.

“Access to quality education for early childhood is not a luxury,” Maher said. “It’s an essential foundation for lifelong success.” She said pre-school education had been tied to higher graduation rates, a likelihood of pursuing higher education rates, and economic stimulation.

Several students spoke in support of the role athletics and cocurricular activities have had on their lives.

Hunter Schultz of Rindge said he is a student and an athlete, and puts an equal amount of work and passion into his sports as he does his academics in hopes of continuing his baseball career at the college level. He said he doesn’t know how he’ll achieve that without a sports program his senior year.

“I put just as much hard wok in on the court, field, and in the weight room that I do in the classroom. It is who I am,” Schultz said.

Scarlett Castiglioni, the current president of the Conant Drama Club, said she found her niche with the club.

“They’re genuine family to me,” she said. She said she felt awful that her underclassmen coming up from the middle school were going to miss out on the experiences that have been so important to her.

School Board member Sandra Stewart said the cuts were “ugly.”

“I wish we didn’t have to do it. We’re never going to get it back – it’s going to take years,” Stewart said. “We’ve got so much of the budget that we can’t cut, there’s only a small pie to pick from, and none of us want to pick from it, but the voters have spoke, and we must do.”

Speaking to suggestions of a paid model for sports or preschool, the board clarified that expenses in the budget must be cut, not just offset with unanticipated revenue that may or may not come. However, Duncan said line items would be left with a nominal amount of $1, which would allow the district to accept donations related to those programs.

Wiley said that while the board was obligated to make decisions on cuts quickly, work was not done, and there would be many future opportunities for conversations.

Ashley Saari can be reached at 603-924-7172, Ext. 244, or asaari@ledgertranscript.com. She’s on X @AshleySaariMLT.