Clouet's budget message: What is the vision for Shelton?

The Shelton public schools are a well-run district. Our student results are on par or exceed many socioeconomically similar districts with higher per pupil expenditures. Four of our schools were recognized by the state as “Schools of Distinction.”The education of our youth is not only about the work of teachers and principals. It has always been a community responsibility. There must be a vision of what it truly means to support and prepare the youth to be the adults of the future. It is part of the reciprocity among generations.Our district has a vision! We have a well-crafted Vision of the Graduate. See link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mMvO6QTVA68_nUe0OOUO8wY4hPhCbzTH/viewWe aspire to have our schools rank in the top 25% of all of Connecticut’s school districts in terms of test scores, including SATs. We recognize the rapid pace of change that impacts every household, every business and every field of work.Our School of Innovation, our robotics teams, our thoughtful milestones representing what we expect of our thousands of students, and so many more examples reflect us as a school district and as a community. It is what makes our schools vibrant places where our young people grow into confident and capable adults.The vision for the education of our youth on the part of the leadership group at City Hall is unclear. The decision to not recognize that costs are going up at a modest rate in all sectors of our nation — including schools — puts Shelton’s youth at a disadvantage.The city leadership should be able to coherently express to the citizens of Shelton, people of all ages and backgrounds, what they hope to accomplish for the next generation. What is their vision for our youth? And for the future of Shelton?While the BOE is cognizant of costs associated with the education of our students and works diligently each year to use allocated financial resources in a responsible manner, our students deserve better than just a “discussion” of taxes and mill rates.