Plan to Eliminate School Social Workers Upsets People in Avon

Editor’s note: We published this story earlier in the week, but here it is again in case you missed it.

Parents in Avon are upset about the plan to eliminate social workers from the schools, reports the Hartford Courant.

The social workers would be replaced by school psychologists, but parents and students feel social workers provide crucial services that psychologists do not.

However, Director of Pupil Personnel Services Kelly Grant feels school psychologists are better able to help students who are having difficulties adjusting to the new changes that will be coming to Avon High School.

The board has not renewed the contracts of the social workers, and the intent is to increase the number of school psychologists from the five to eight. The social workers could be rehired if the board changes its mind.

A petition has now been circulated and town officials have begun verifying the signatures on the petition. The petition must be signed by at least 1 percent of the town’s registered voters to be valid. A hearing would have to be held within three weeks from when the petition was submitted.

For more, visit Courant.com.