Volunteers step forward to help during Ansonia School Board budget woes

Ansonia Superintendent of Schools Carol Merlone announced that several businesses, charitable groups and community members have stepped forward to help the district’s schools deal with their budgetary crisis. Ansonia Superintendent of Schools Carol Merlone announced that several businesses, charitable groups and community members have stepped forward to help the district’s schools deal with their budgetary crisis. Photo: Brian A. Pounds / Hearst Connecticut Media Buy photo Photo: Brian A. Pounds / Hearst Connecticut Media Image 1 of / 8 Caption Close Volunteers step forward to help during Ansonia School Board budget woes 1 / 8 Back to Gallery

ANSONIA — As budget restrictions have forced the city’s schools to streamline their operation, several community groups and businesses have stepped forward to help, Ansonia Superintendent of Schools Carol Merlone said.

She also announced a new Ansonia High School program in collaboration with Griffin Hospital in Derby.

“Before the start of the school year, the Valley United Way Corporate Volunteer Council provided school uniforms and supplies for 253 students in Mead and Prendergast schools,” Merlone said. “Christ Church of Ansonia provided a donation of school supplies to Ansonia Middle School.”

Merlone said BIC donated 100 teacher supply kits filled with BIC products to the middle school, while the Prudential Group conducted a food collection and put together 500 bags of food to be given out to students at Mead School and Prendergast School.

Third-graders at Mead School were also given free dictionaries from the Rotary Club.

“I know that we continue to ask more and more of everyone each year, as budgets get cut and expenses continue to rise,” Merlone said. “And I know that this year is the most challenging ever for our staff.”

She and Paul Giansanti, the new principal at Ansonia High School, announced a partnership with Griffin Hospital in offering offer a Patient Care Technician program for 10 freshmen who are on pace to graduate in 2022.

For freshman to apply, they must have a 90 average in a freshman science course and a 3.0 grade point average, along with fewer than 10 unexcused absences. Applicants must also write a letter to administrators at Ansonia High and Griffin, expressing interest and their availability to volunteer for 50 hours every summer at the hospital, through graduation.

For students to continue in the program, they must take advance-placement biology in their sophomore year, honors or advanced placement chemistry in their junior year and anatomy and physiology in their first part of their senior.

In January 2022, the group is scheduled to begin a 17-week course taught by Griffin Hospital instructors.

Merlone, the Board of Education and the Ansonia Federation of Teachers say the city schools have fallen on hard time following the removal of $600,000 from their budget by the Board of Aldermen. The action has led to a lawsuit filed against the city and an investigation by the state Board of Education.

The aldermen claim the money was lent to the school board to help get it through the 2017-18 state budget crisis. When the school district got $1.8 million from the state, the Aldermen voted to withhold the $600,000 as a payback.

The lawsuit is headed for a summary judgment hearing Nov. 13 in Derby Superior Court.