Board hears staffing, pre‑K move and a proposed 5% lunch price increase

Human resources and operations dominated the middle portion of the New Canaan Board of Education meeting on July 21.

HR Director Darlene Pianca (S13) said the district has a 'full roster' of hires ready for the school year: district‑level hires include an assistant director for multilingual learners, a shared psychologist and a board‑certified behavior analyst; at the school level, principals filled multiple elementary and SACS positions and New Canaan High School added two school counselors and other specialists. Pianca said 27 new teachers were on board as of the meeting, and she listed a small number of continuing openings (a BCBA, a music teacher at South and a special education teacher). She said interviews for custodial and paraprofessional roles are underway.

On nutrition services, Dr. Lutze proposed a 5% across‑the‑board price increase for meals, snacks and community purchases to offset inflation and preserve food‑service margins. She said the district does not participate in the National School Lunch Program and privately sources higher‑quality food; a community foundation will continue to underwrite a 'cookie program' for students. Dr. Lutze said the district will explore options to help families near eligibility thresholds (ALICE households).

Facilities updates included a pre‑K move to South (two sections) and relocation of the downtown campus into space at 212 after the district received a CO; those relocations will draw on a $500,000 town appropriation for playground, relocation and equipment costs. The superintendent noted planned capital work, including attention to the Saks roof and front‑entrance guard booth, and previewed feasibility work with SLAM on longer‑range facilities planning.

The board took first readings on the 2026–27 district goals and objectives, which newly emphasize embedding the district's 'portrait of a graduate' across K–12 and explicitly call for research‑informed guidelines on healthy technology and phone‑free initiatives. Board members will discuss the goals further and vote at a later meeting.