MERIDEN - Catholic educators and parents urged city councilors Thursday to continue some form of city-funded support services to parochial schools, which the city manager has recommended eliminating in his budget.

The roughly $300,000-a-year program provides speech pathology, psychology, social work and English-as-a-second-language services to about 190 of the 590 children enrolled in Meriden's parochial schools. Of the 190, only four are considered to be special education students.

Nearly 100 parents, students and administrators from the parochial schools crowded into the council chambers Thursday evening to show their support for the program. Norine McDermott, principal of Our Lady of Mount Carmel School, urged the Finance Committee to implement the counteroffer put forth by the support-services program, in which hours would be reduced to cut costs.

"We believe it would be very shortsighted to eliminate these programs completely," she said.

If the program were eliminated, as many as 50 students would transfer to other schools, at a time when the parochial schools are concerned about their financial viability, McDermott said. She stated that the Meriden parochial schools' enrollment has decreased by 225 students over the last four years, placing a greater burden on the public school district.

Rosemary McDermott-McCormick, coordinator of support services for the city program, and city Health Director Beth Vumbaco unveiled the counterproposal to the city manager's plan, in which the program's staff costs would be cut from $294,000 to $161,000. The program's five employees agreed to take reductions in their hours. The three full-time employees would become part-time staffers and give up their health benefits.

Councilors appeared supportive of preserving some version of the program. Councilor Brian Daniels noted that parochial school parents pay taxes that support the public education system. It would be disastrous, he said, if 600 parochial school students one day had to be supported by the public schools.

"This is not just a parochial school issue," he said. "This is a citywide education issue."

Councilors praised the support-services staff for submitting a counterproposal that reduces costs.

"They have willingly put forth a proposal where there are personal sacrifices on the part of the staff," said Councilor Danté Bartolomeo. Bartolomeo said it is especially detrimental to eliminate support services for children during a poor economy.

Councilor Walter Shamock reminded the crowd, however, that the council is facing a number of difficult decisions this year.

"I'd love to fund everything, but in this economy I don't think we can do it," he said.

Councilors asked about what would happen if the program were eliminated and some students had to transfer to public schools. McDermott-McCormick said the four special education students would immediately receive specialized support from the public schools. There would, however, be an "interruption in service" for regular education students receiving support services who transferred to public schools.

Sareta Fletcher brought her two daughters to the Finance Committee meeting to support the program. Her daughters attend Our Lady of Mount Carmel School. She was concerned that eliminating the program would drive up costs for private schools while making it more difficult for parents.

"If they remove it, we'll end up paying more and a lot of the kids won't get this service and fall behind," she said after the meeting. "I just don't think it's fair."

City Manager Lawrence J. Kendzior said at the beginning of the meeting that eliminating the program is just one of many cuts necessary to deal with a difficult financial situation. The budget, he said, has to absorb a $5 million loss of revenue and a $4 million increase in fixed costs. The Finance Committee did not make a decision about the services Thursday. Councilor Trevor Thorpe asked the city staff to research whether the city could bill insurance companies for services offered.

gmoore@record-journal.com

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