Thank You, Thetford Voters!
March 06, 2024
The school meeting portion of Thetford’s Town Meeting Day on March 2 drew a larger-than-usual crowd this year. By 9am, most of the chairs on the gym floor were occupied and the bleachers above were filling up. This was not a surprise, due to the many questions swirling in our community and regional media – about the impacts of Act 127, the projected property tax increases, the decision of whether or not to delay the school budget vote, and related issues.
Presentations included program reports by the lead educators – Thetford Elementary School’s Principal Bernice Mills and SEL Coordinator Caitlin Toleno, and Thetford Academy’s Head of School Carrie Brennan – followed by more detailed information on the school budgeting process, and financial and tax implications, provided by representatives of the Thetford School Board and TA Board of Trustees, Jeff Jamele and Donna Steinberg. (Presentation links provided below.)
Thanks to the diligent efforts of volunteers and staff for the Town of Thetford, the election results were posted by 10pm on March 5. Thankfully, the outcome was a positive one for the schools and students of Thetford, with the community voting to support the school budget for 2024-25, with a 68% approval rate!
Thank you to the student and parent volunteers involved in hosting Town Meeting this year at Thetford Academy. The school meeting opened with Daniel Mann ’26 and Brady Sloop ’25 leading the pledge of allegiance and closed at approximately 10:15am with Saylor Billiau ’24 and her brother Hugo Billiau ’25 performing a beautiful duet of the national anthem. The lunch offerings were an effort by the Class of 2026, led by parent volunteer Tippi Oshoniyi (who also happens to be TA’s counseling team coordinator); thank you to all of the families who donated baked goods for this effort.
Link to opening remarks and slide presentation by TA Head of School Carrie Brennan
Link to slide presentations by Jeff Jamele, representing the Thetford School Board, and Donna Steinberg, representing the TA Board of Trustees