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Date: 5/11/2021
By Peter Currier peter@thewestfieldnewsgroup.com SOUTHWICK – The Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional School district (STGRSD) School Committee met May 4 to discuss federal internet funding and the free lunch program. Director of Finance and Operations Steve Presnal opened the meeting by discussing the funds the district will receive from the E-Rate program. The E-Rate program helps provide discounts to schools and libraries for internet connections and internal broadband services. Presnal said that he received a funding letter from the Universal Services Administration for $28,800 to be used towards the internet said that he is awaiting word on additional funds the STGRSD may receive to upgrade their fiber connection network. Presnal also announced that the United States Department of Agriculture extended free lunch programs through the end of the 2021/2022 school year. “It will continue their blanket free lunch program for all students, so no eligibility test in terms of income,” said Presnal, “which is good news for districts across the country as well as right here in Southwick, Tolland, and Granville. ”He said he is waiting for additional guidance from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) but that he expects free meals for all students through the school year. Later in the meeting, Presnal shared news he and the Finance Committee received from the Legislature about how districts should be using ESSER II grant funds. He said he had thought the district could use the funds to mitigate the required local contributions for communities within a regional school district, and $86,000 in ESSER II funds were used for Southwick’s required local contribution. The state House of Representatives’ Ways and Means Committee voted to not allow ESSER II funds to be used in that manner, after Southwick had used the funds. Presnal said that the current plan is to wait for additional guidance from DESE before acting further on those funds. He added that the committee may need to take action on the funds in the future, but that it is too early to act now.