Have you noticed how many new homes are being built in Cheshire? They are beautiful, big single-family homes, perfect for growing families with children. Since January of 2019, a total of 115 new houses have been approved for construction in Cheshire. And 276 more townhouses or apartments are going up.

This total of almost 400 new housing units will bring an estimated 810 new students to the Cheshire Public Schools in just the next 10 years. To accommodate this growth, the Town Council and Board of Education have approved a plan to build two new schools that will replace our three oldest elementary buildings: Darcy, Norton, and Chapman. These schools are all 70 years old or older, and none of them meets current building codes.

We are fortunate that the State of Connecticut has recently increased its reimbursement rate for school construction in Cheshire from our normal 36% to 50%. That means the state will pay half of all reimbursable costs. For every dollar we spend to grow and improve our schools for the inevitable increased enrollment, the state will give us a significant discount.

The timing couldn’t be better. More families with children are coming to Cheshire to live in all these beautiful new homes. We have a plan ready that will upgrade and expand our schools for generations to come. And the state reimbursement rate will never be higher than it is right now.

Even if you don’t have children in the Cheshire Schools, everyone will benefit from the increased property values that come with improving the quality of our school system.

It just makes sense to vote “Yes” on the Next Generation School Modernization Plan. As advocates for public education in Cheshire, the board members of the Cheshire Education Foundation recommend it.

Please vote “Yes” on November 8th.

Cheshire Education Foundation
Board of Directors