Author: kathrynwboughton@gmail.com

Botelle Elementary School has been named one of 151 Schools of Distinction by the Connecticut State Department of Education for its great improvement. Overall, its accountability index rose to 72.9, up from 47.6 last year.

Only the top 10 percent of schools showing improvement are named Schools of DistinctionPrincipal Lauren Valentino said annual accountability ratings are based on 12 metrics determined by the state education department. “They look at a variety of factors for the ratings,” which measure student achievement, growth and improvement, she said.

Because Botelle is a single-school district with only 59 students in grades pre-K through six, many of the criteria do not apply. Botelle’s accountability ratings were largely based on student performance in English language arts (ELA) and math. 

“They look at growth for students in those areas and set targets,” Valentino said. Botelle students performed at 82 percent of their growth target in ELA and at 77 percent for math. 

Valentino said the school has a large high-needs population in grades 3 through 6, the grades tested. “When a child has an Individualized Education Plan and is working at a third-grade level, obviously he can’t meet sixth-grade testing expectations, so the state looks at growth,” she explained. “Our students have demonstrated growth.”

She attributed the improvement to two new teachers now working with students in the grades that were tested. “In addition, we have a new literacy specialist and special education team, and everyone has collaborated to make sure the kids are getting what they need,” Valentino said. “There’s been lots of collaboration, looking at how the students are performing and changing instructional strategies. This recognition reflects their efforts and dedication.”

She also gave credit to families and the wider Norfolk community for their support of the school.

—Newsletter Editor

The Planning and Zoning Commission informally considered the issue of short-term rentals at the end of its meeting Tuesday night. Such rentals have proved problematic in some towns and can be tricky to define and control.

The issue arose when new Zoning Enforcement Officer Stacey Sefcik asked for guidance from commission members. She said she had received a complaint from a resident about the amount of use a pergola was receiving on a neighboring property. The structure had rarely been used until the property owner started renting the house on the property on a short-term basis. 

Commission members noted that Norfolk’s zoning does not specifically address short-term rentals, but that in several places the regulations allow rentals of all or part of a house. For instance, a homeowner can rent up to two bedrooms in their house if they also reside in the building. In another provision, residents are given the right to rent entire their houses without being there. Nowhere do the rules specify a time limit for the rentals.

P&Z chairman Tom Fahsbender said the problem is in defining “short-term.” He pointed out that the commission “can’t just specify Airbnb or Vrbo,” adding that enforcing regulations for short-term rentals is difficult.

He also noted that for some residents the rentals are a needed source of income.

Member Edward Barron noted that the commission had discussed the issue before and “my recollection is that it was determined we were not going to do anything about it right now. But if you do want to think about it, it will be a pretty big issue.”

For example, he pointed to investors in Great Barrington, who have started buying up housing stock specifically to use for short-term rentals on Vbro and Airbnb. “This forces ordinary residents out of the housing market and out of the community,” he said.

As of August 2023, Great Barrington had an estimated 234 active short-term rentals listed on Airbnb and Vrbo. That town regulates short-term rentals, requiring owners to register annually, to rent no more than one structure in Great Barrington, and to limit the rentals to no more than 150 days a year. Short-term rentals are prohibited for corporations, owners of affordable or income-restricted units, and owners of properties with outstanding violations.

There are currently 10 to 12 short-term rentals in Norfolk, Sefcik said, which can range from a day to a more prolonged visit.

In other business, the commission granted special permits for the construction of a large solar array at 400 North Street and for an accessory building (barn) larger than the primary building at 542 Greenwoods Road East. 

At the end of the meeting, Fahsbender announced he will leave the commission following the December meeting. Vice Chairman Christopher Schaut said he would assume the chairmanship if the commission so desires.

Updated November 14

—Newsletter Editor

The Office of the Secretary of the State has released the following official results for Norfolk’s voting during the recent presidential election.

President/Vice President

Democratic, Harris/ Walz, 642; Republican, Trump/Vance, 375; Green Party Stein/Ware, 11; Libertarian, Oliver/ter Maat, 5; Petitioning, Kennedy/Shanahan, 4

U.S. Senator

Democratic, Christopher Murphy, 623; Republican, Matthew Corey, 346; Working Families, Christopher Murphy, 25; Green Party, Justin Paglino, 10; Cheaper Gas Groceries, Robert Hyde, 12

U.S. Congressional Representatives

Democratic, Jahana Hayes, 620; Republican, George Logan, 364; Working Families, Jahana Hayes, 26

State Senator, 8th Senatorial District

Democratic, Paul Honig, 579; Republican, Lisa Seminara, 378; Working Families, Paul Honig, 23; Independent, Lisa Seminara, 12

State Representative, 64th General Assembly District

Democratic, Maria Horn, 614; Republican, Barbara L. Breor, 333; Working Families, Maria Horn, 26; Independent, Maria Horn, 10

Registrar of Voters

Democratic, Danese Perron, 681

There were 60 absentee ballots submitted (of which three were rejected) and 423 electors voted early (three rejected). Overseas residents cast 19 votes, and 22 persons availed themselves of same-day registration.

—Newsletter Editor

The town website committee has positions open for a regular and an alternate member and is looking for web- and social media-savvy volunteers who are interested in creating a useful database of information readily accessible to everyone. 

Norfolk residents are preferable (because that’s who the website is aimed at), and especially those who could represent the viewpoint of teens and young families.

The fundamental time commitment is one hour per month for a Zoom meeting (currently first Tuesdays at 5:00 p.m.). The ability to commit more time would be helpful but is not required. For more information, contact webmaster@norfolkct.org.

—Webmaster

Norfolk veterans were honored in two moving ceremonies Monday as Botelle School students welcomed the town’s service men and women to their annual Veterans Day program in the morning, and the World War I memorial was rededicated in the afternoon.

The morning program featured patriotic music by the different grade levels, a slideshow about the history and traditions of Veterans Day, and a setting of the White Table honoring missing, fallen or captive service members. 

The veterans, who spanned the decades from World War II through to today, were asked to introduce themselves and briefly describe their service experiences. Following the program, they were invited to a luncheon prepared by the PTO.

Then, as dusk gathered in late afternoon, townspeople assembled for the official lighting of the World War I memorial at the intersection of Routes 272 North and 44. The 103-year-old monument has had a multi-year restoration sponsored by the Norfolk Community Association, including installation of a state-of-the-art lighting system that adheres to DarkSky standards.  

The memorial was designed by renowned architect Alfredo Taylor and the bell was donated to the town by Mary Eldridge. It was first rung November 11, 1921, in memory of the eight men from Norfolk who died in the war: Paul Bouchet, Walter Caul, Thomas Costello, Jeremiah Leahy, Wilbur LeFeber, Harry Mansfield, James Moore and Joseph Roberts.

Town Historian Richard Byrne told the gathering that 80 names are inscribed on the bronze plaques embedded in the monument—79 men and one woman from Norfolk who served in the First World War.

Attending the ceremony was a special guest, Theodore Marolda, 101, a Winsted veteran of World War II who saw some of the most severe fighting in the South Pacific. He recalled that he was 18 when he heard about Pearl Harbor on the radio of his 1936 pickup truck. Like so many others, he immediately enlisted and, a few months later, was a Marine on his way to Guadalcanal.

Marolda remembered the attack on Guadalcanal as severe. “We didn’t change our uniforms for three months,” he recalled, and the food was foul. “When we left, we wrote a poem on wood at the burial site of our fallen comrades: ‘We served our country well. We served our time in Hell.’”

The ceremony ended with Sarah and John Allyn playing Taps.

—Newsletter Editor

Residents are reminded that Connecticut remains under a state of emergency due to the extensive drought and that the Fire Marshal has banned outdoor burning in Norfolk until further notice. 

This burn ban includes campfires, bonfires, brush and leaves, firepits, chimineas and any other type of outdoor burning, and will continue until weather conditions improve and there is no significant fire threat. 

—Newsletter Editor

It’s only November, but Christmas giving is already underway. The Church of Christ Congregational is taking sign-ups for its Angel Tree, which provides gifts for children from needy families.

Those wishing to provide gifts for one or more children can click on Angel Tree 2024 Sign-Up and follow the instructions. 

Wrapped gifts with the numbered tags on them need to be delivered to the church by noon Sunday, December 8. For more information call Lisa McClave at 860-309-1443.

—Newsletter Editor

Whether Norfolk and Colebrook should consolidate their elementary schools is back under discussion. Previously in this series, we looked at how town leaders and school administrators feel about this subject. This week, we asked parents for their opinions.

Selectmen in both Colebrook and Norfolk point to the social, financial and educational benefits that would derive from combining the two schools, which currently have student populations of 59 (Norfolk) and 64 (Colebrook) in grades pre-k through 6 despite yearly budgets that add up to $2.2 million for Colebrook and $2.6 million for Botelle.

But a school is more than a building, and some stress the loss of a sense of community and question whether a town without its own school can attract families.

Parents contacted this week reflected these thoughts. 

Becky Silver, mother of two Botelle students, finds that having so few students curtails enrichment programs. She directs the annual musical presented at Botelle and laments, “We have an issue with not having enough kids to do a show. We may have to open auditions to Colebrook.”

She also noted that sports are really lacking, reporting there have been instances where there were not enough students to field sports teams.

Silver believes the children benefit from small classes, but she thinks things have gone too far. “Last year’s graduating class had only four students, which is not good,” she said. “If we could consolidate and keep class sizes to 12 or 13, we could pool resources and there would be more money for extracurricular events.”

In her minds’ eye, the consolidation would take place in Norfolk, however. While she is only an eight-minute car ride from Botelle, her 5- and 9-year-old ride the bus for 40 minutes, morning and afternoon. 

“Unless we were to open a new building halfway between, you’d be looking an hour’s ride to get to Colebrook,” she said.

Chelsea Bottum head of the Botelle PTO, also approaches the issue with mixed feelings, seeing “something to be said” for larger, single-grade classrooms, rather than the multi-age model used at Botelle. But she also sees the benefit of ultra-small classes “where the staff knows every student.” 

Ultimately, she endorsed the concept of merger. “I think the fairest way is consolidation with a combined staff,” she said. But she believes that sending students to Colebrook on a tuition basis would decimate the Botelle staff.

Andrew Bakulski of Colebrook, assistant principal at Region #7, is both an educator and parent and states flatly that he favors consolidation—but in Colebrook, not Norfolk. “If we could remove the territorial aspect, the kids would really benefit,” he said.

Paying $25,000 per student tuition would save Norfolk a million dollars a year, he asserted, and would enable Colebrook to provide such things as a full-time language instructor and interventionists to work with students. “It would be really good if done right,” he argued. 

In 2015, the last time consolidation was discussed, the largest class would have had 19 students, he reported, not too many for a single teacher. He asserted that that research shows multi-age classrooms are not optimal. 

Would Colebrook, the smaller of the two facilities, ever run out of space? “We have the room,” Bakulski said. “There is no [population] bubble coming down the pipe.”

He did not favor regionalization for the two schools, with lower grades attending one school and grades 3-6 the other, saying that it would not result in significant savings.

Regionalization, consolidation or a tuition plan have been discussed for decades by the towns and the need for action continues to grow. But Colebrook, which celebrated the 75th anniversary of its consolidated school Friday, is happy with things the way they are, and Norfolk residents are cautious about the effect of consolidation on their children and their town.

—Newsletter Editor

New Norfolk property assessments were put in the mail Thursday and residents may be in for a surprise when they receive them. 

Assessor Rae Ann Walcott said it has been six years since the last revaluation “and the market has really changed.” Although she said she has not run Norfolk’s percentages yet, neighboring towns that completed revaluations last year saw property values rise by as much as 40 percent.

Walcott noted that the assessments that landowners will receive are based on 70 percent of the retail market for similar properties. She also stressed that the assessments do not predict the tax rate.

“When the Grand List is signed, my half of the job is done,” she explained. “The Board of Finance decides how much money the town needs to operate and sets the mill rate. I can’t predict taxes.”

She cautioned property owners against trying to determine how much their taxes will increase by using the current mill rate. The rule of thumb is that if valuations go up, the mill rate goes down.

For those concerned about their new valuations, there is a process in place. Their first stop is with E-Quality Valuation Services, LLC, the company the town hired to assist with revaluations and do property inspections for the October 1, 2024, Grand List. The landowner should be able to provide documentation as to why they feel their assessment is inaccurate.

They can also contact Walcott at the assessor’s office Tuesday, November 12, and Wednesday, November 13, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., or Friday, November 15, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.; call 860-542-5287, or email assessor@norfolkct.org.Assessors/Reval.

If neither of those avenues proves fruitful, residents can appeal their valuation to the Assessment Board of Appeals, which will hold meetings to consider grievances and incorrect data next March.

“Everything they need to know is included in the letter we sent out,” said Walcott. 

—Newsletter Editor

Alarmed by drastically declining enrollments in their two elementary schools, the first selectmen in Norfolk and Colebrook have again raised the topic of consolidation. Last week, we looked at the reasons they advocate for some kind of cooperative arrangement between the towns. This week, the educators respond.

School administrators in Colebrook and Norfolk have differing views about the future of their institutions. Both schools have far fewer students than in previous decades, but Colebrook is happy with its educational direction, while Norfolk is looking for solutions to small class sizes and the challenges of providing enrichment on a limited budget.

In Norfolk, the 2024 graduating class had only four members, the same number as this year’s fifth grade. In Colebrook, class sizes are very slightly more robust—no class has fewer than six students. Colebrook currently has 64 students enrolled in pre-K through grade 6, while Norfolk has 59.

But Colebrook, which has committed to maintaining one teacher for each grade, has consistently scored higher in standardized testing than Norfolk, where a multi-age classroom model requires only four regular classroom teachers. 

Colebrook Consolidated Superintendent Robert Gilbert believes that not having a range of ages and skill levels in a classroom gives students an advantage. “Teaching is challenging enough with one grade,” he said.

Botelle Superintendent Mary Beth Iacobelli argues that multi-age classrooms provide students with a better social milieu. “In a larger group, [a child] is more likely to find a peer with similar interests,” she said, “and they can work together with others of the same learning level.”

Both school superintendents agree that classes can be too small and both towns have engaged in sporadic talks since the 1990s to discuss some kind or merger. In 2015, the most recent effort ended with an emphatic rejection by Colebrook of a proposal to send its children to Botelle.

Iacobelli reports that since then overtures have been made to Colebrook, “but Colebrook does not want anything to do with sending their kids to Norfolk.”

“Colebrook is happy where it is,” confirmed Colebrook school board chair Sarah Robichaud. 

The two towns do share some programs and teachers for special subjects such as art and music. Field trips and cultural events are also sometimes shared.

Gilbert does not favor consolidation. He said the school board hopes to attract tuition students to solve the paucity of enrollment.  “If Norfolk wants to pay tuition to send its kids here, we’re happy to have them,” he said.

But both Iacobelli and Norfolk school board chairman Virginia Coleman-Prisco see a problem. “What if we signed a contract with them and then things changed?” asked Coleman-Prisco. “What if they couldn’t take our kids any more or we have a special needs child that needs an expensive program, and they don’t want to take [him/her]?”

Coleman-Prisco said, “As chairman of the school board, I must take into consideration what is good for the town. It’s a complex issue that needs data and research. It impacts the town, the students and their families. 

“But, speaking personally, if a town does not have a school, it is like not having a library or a post office. If you don’t have [amenities] there are plenty of towns that do where families can buy homes.” 

Jonathan Costa, the consultant who worked with the towns on the unsuccessful 2015 merger, suggested informally that each town keep its school, but send combined grades pre-K to 3 to one school and grades 4 to 6 to the other.

“Both towns would have their schools, but class sizes would increase,” Iacobelli said. “We thought it was very exciting, but Colebrook said they don’t want to send any kids to Norfolk.”

Colebrook’s Robichaud confirmed this, saying she did not see many benefits to the proposal.

Next week, we look at how parents feel about any attempted consolidation.

—Newsletter Editor