Schools wrap up summer instruction, get ready for next year

Teachers may be off for the summer, but that doesn’t mean school staff isn’t keeping busy.

At the August 11, 2026 Board of Education (BOE) meeting, Assistant Superintendent Colleen Bava reported that in addition to professional development, the Extended School Year (ESY) Program ran from July 6 - 30.

53 students, ranging in age from 3 to 22, attended the ESY. Six special education teachers and 18 paraeducators across six classrooms administered specialized instruction. In addition to classroom instruction, the young adults in the Transitions Program attended work sites to build vocational skills.

This summer, three of the 19 eligible students participated in the High School Credit Recovery Program, with two actually earning credit.

And as the summer ends, Stafford Public Schools seem to be moving into what sports fans would call a rebuilding year. At the August 11, 2026 Board of Education (BOE) meeting, they accepted several senior staff resignations—most of which you may have seen coming if you’ve been paying attention to their job listings.

The board accepted resignations from several teachers, including the art teacher at Stafford Elementary School who is going to another district, a special education teacher at the high school, another special education teacher, and a pre-K teacher, Rob Butler, the Director of Facilities, resigned for personal reasons, as did Beth LaPane, the Director of Food Services. Chris Marinelli, Director of Human Resources, and Andrew Auclair, Head Custodian, are both retiring.

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