Simsbury Board Approves Calendar, Two PTO Gifts

Board of Education · Meeting of October 12, 2026

Simsbury school enrollment fell by 93 students this year, to 3,873, prompting the district to drop its longtime demographic consultant. The Board of Education heard that projections from a firm called NESDAC missed the actual count by 110 students, continuing a four-year pattern of inaccurate forecasts. District officials are switching to MP Planning, led by consultant Patrick Gallagher, with a fuller demographic report due in December.

A board member said, "You can't have these big misses." The district already cut two teaching positions this year, dropping elementary staffing from 110 to 108 teachers. The board also approved a $21,051 gift from elementary PTOs for cultural programming and a $1,647 gift from the high school PTO for landscaping, and adopted the 2027-28 school calendar.

In the full story:

• The complete report — 874 words

Source: the Board of Education meeting of October 12, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

The Full Article

SIMSBURY — October 12, 2026 — Simsbury school enrollment fell to 3,873 students as of October 1, a drop of 93 from a year earlier, the Board of Education learned at its October 12 meeting, as the district prepares to drop the demographic firm it has used for enrollment projections after that model missed its target by 110 students.

The board also approved two parent-group gifts totaling $22,698 and adopted the 2027-28 school calendar. The enrollment report, delivered by a district administrator identified only as Neil, dominated the meeting and detailed a wave of new apartment construction that officials say will keep adding students even as the district's core population shrinks.

The Full Story

The board opened with building-level updates and committee reports before turning to routine business. Members voted to approve the minutes of the September 22 meeting, then approved a $1,647 gift from the Simsbury High School PTO, funded by the class of 2026, for front-entrance landscaping. They also approved a $21,051 gift from the elementary schools' parent-teacher organizations, channeled through the Cultural Enrichment Committee led by Melissa Smith, to fund cultural programming for elementary students. The board separately adopted the 2027-28 school calendar as presented, following recommendations from the district's calendar advisory committee.

The enrollment and class size report, an annual presentation, showed the district's October 1 count of 3,873 students is down 93 from the prior year, with 70 of those losses at the elementary level. Central School, Squadron Line and Tootin Hills each lost double-digit numbers of students. Administrators said the decline stemmed largely from a smaller incoming kindergarten class and a larger sixth grade that moved on to the middle school.

"We don't usually see a drop of 93 in a one year."

[00:14:02] — Neil, district administrator presenting the enrollment report

Officials said their projections, prepared by a firm referred to in the meeting as NESDAC, missed the actual enrollment by 110 students this year, the largest miss in recent years apart from a 105-student miss three years ago. A board member pressed administrators on the pattern.

"You can't have these big misses."

[00:23:50] — unidentified board member

In response, Neil announced the district is moving away from NESDAC and has engaged a firm called MP Planning, led by Patrick Gallagher, who previously worked on district projections for Milone & MacBroom in 2019. Gallagher's deeper demographic study, which will include birth and economic development data, is expected in early to mid-December, ahead of the district's budget season.

Much of the report tracked new residential construction and its effect on school populations. The Copper Hill Estates project, formerly known as Cambridge Crossing, stalled for years after a previous developer ran into financial trouble but has been reactivated under new ownership. Of 79 proposed homes, 34 are occupied and producing 30 students, with eight workforce-housing units required to receive certificates of occupancy before the project can continue.

"It's a significant one to keep an eye on."

[00:42:28] — Neil, district administrator presenting the enrollment report

The Luminary apartments on Iron Horse Boulevard, where 49 of 70 completed units are leased, are expected to eventually produce about 22 students once fully built out over the next year. Administrators are also monitoring The Ridge, a proposed 432-unit development tied up in litigation, and a 25-unit conversion project at the former Chubb Enterprises site.

At the middle school, Assistant Principal Jacqueline Petrella reported class sizes remain favorable, with only four classes over the district's 18-to-25 guideline for core subjects this year, down from 21 three years ago.

"We have relatively flat enrollment from last year, so our class sizes are really great."

[01:00:39] — Jacqueline Petrella, Simsbury Middle School

High school scheduling official Ken Parra reported similar results, saying none of the school's classes exceed capacity guidelines by design, though some upper-level math and science sections run larger due to scheduling and enrollment demand. Administrators also presented bus ridership data showing the district's 26 buses are running at roughly 62 percent capacity districtwide, consistent with findings from two years ago.

Why It Matters

Simsbury's enrollment decline, combined with four straight years of inaccurate projections, directly affects how the district plans teacher staffing and budgets. The district already cut two teaching positions this year after enrollment came in lower than projected, bringing elementary staffing from 110 to 108 teachers. The switch to a new demographic consultant, MP Planning, is meant to improve the accuracy of projections ahead of the next budget cycle, with a fuller report due in December.

At the same time, new apartment and condominium construction, including Copper Hill Estates and the Luminary complex, is expected to keep adding students even as the district's overall population shrinks, a tension the board will have to weigh as it sets staffing levels for 2027-28.

Key Motions & Votes

- Vote: Approval of the September 22, 2026 meeting minutes Tally: Approved unanimously - Vote: $1,647 gift from the Simsbury High School PTO for front-entrance landscaping Tally: Approved unanimously - Vote: $21,051 gift from elementary school parent-teacher organizations for cultural enrichment programming Tally: Approved unanimously - Vote: Adoption of the 2027-28 school calendar Tally: Approved unanimously

Source

Simsbury Community Media: Board of Education meeting, October 12, 2026