By Josh LaBella
Voice Reporter
The Board of Education hosted their meeting in the new cafeteria of West Haven High School Monday night. After the meeting, the board and those in attendance were given a tour of the new wing of the high school. With the new year set to begin in a few days, the members were able to see what was in store for the incoming classes.
With school set to start next week, Superintendent Neil Cavallaro said the school system was ready to get the new year underway.
“Our schools are in pretty good shape and ready to open,” said Cavallaro.
During public session, Dana Parades, the principal of the high school, thanked the board and the community for their help in unveiling the new building. She compared it to bringing a newborn home from the hospital, adding, “It’s beautiful.”
The superintendent said the school system has hired nearly forty new teachers and twenty to thirty non-teaching staff to fill the positions left vacant by a large number of people retiring after last year.
The last part of the meeting saw all those in attendance taken on a tour by High School Building Committee Chairman Ken Carney. The tour went through the classrooms, kitchen area, administration wing, new entrance, and the media center to name a few.
When the tour finished the board voiced their happiness with the progress that has been made.
Board member Rosa Richardson wished everyone a great school year and told Parades to, “Break this school in.”
A press release Cavallaro’s office reminded students classes begin on Tuesday, Aug. 27. It added the first day would be a full school day.
The bus schedule can be found at the school’s website, www.whschools.org. The release also stated that all students need to be registered.
“All students new to the West Haven School District should be formally registered at their incoming school. Call 203-937-4300 for information as to school assignments by home address. The District’s residency policy requires that all students, without exception, produce bona fide proof that they live in West Haven,” the release said.
The release added, “As evidence of residency, the parent or legal guardian of each student must provide the school building administrator with the following most recent documents: Mortgage statement or lease provision, with landlord name and phone number; AND a current utility bill (phone, cell, cable, UI, gas, water).
Parents must accompany all new registrants who are under eighteen years of age. They are also required to present educational and health records obtained from the school that was previously attended.”
The school schedules are as follows:
•Haley, Mackrille, Pagels, Savin Rock, and Washington Elementary Schools will admit students at 8:55 a.m. (classes start at 9:10 a.m.) and dismiss at 3:25 p.m.;
•Forest Elementary School will admit students at 8:25 a.m. (classes start at 8:40 a.m.) and dismiss at 2:55 p.m.
•Carrigan Intermediate School will admit incoming fifth and sixth grade students at 8:15 a.m. and dismiss at 2:40 p.m.
•Harry M. Bailey Middle School will admit incoming seventh and eighth grade students at 7:40 a.m. and dismiss at 2:15 p.m.
•West Haven High School students are to report at 7:25 a.m. and will be dismissed at 1:45 p.m.