Message from Geoff Bruno Ed.D

I hope everyone had a restful and enjoyable winter break! We are hitting the ground running and I have had a busy week already. On Tuesday evening I attended a Groton Finance Committee meeting, alongside Sherry Kersey, our Finance and Operations Director, and Lacey McCabe, School Committee chair. We addressed questions on our FY26 budget book as well as the three budget scenarios presented at the February 12 School Committee Meeting and again at this Wednesday's budget hearing (February 26). This is in preparation for a larger joint meeting with the School Committee, Groton Finance Committee, Groton Select Board, and the Dunstable Advisory Board scheduled for Monday, March 3rd, 7pm at the Groton Center.

I encourage you to access the GDRSD home page, where there are links to 2026 Budget Documents, the Business and Finance page, and DESE school profile. The most recent documents linked to the home page include the FY26 Budget Book, and the February 12th School Committee Meeting slide presentation summarizing the Superintendent's proposed level services budget (no reductions to personnel), as well as two other FY26 scenarios, both of which require significant budget reductions, including additional cuts to staff: administrators, teachers, and student support personnel. Please email questions you may have related to the budget to budgetquestions@gdrsd.org. We will be compiling these and answering them as part of a shared Frequently Asked Questions document posted on the budget page.

Also, just another reminder on our Community Open House being held on March 1st! Yours truly, along with our school leaders, School Committee members, 4th grade tour guides, and members of our GDRSD community will be at the new Florence Roche to host tours from 10:00am-12:00pm on Saturday, March 1st. Also, from 11:00am-12:00pm, the GDRSD School Committee will be hosting a budget forum to discuss and get feedback on the FY26 Budget. We are excited to open the doors to our state-of-the-art educational facility for members of our community. Our fleet of student tour guides will be ready to expertly guide community members around the classrooms and highlight the many innovative features of our new building!

March 1 - School Committee Budget Forum at the new Florence Roche (11am); March 5 - School Committee Meeting and Budget Forum; March 12 - School Committee certifies FY26 Budget.

GDRHS Students and Staff at Camp Sunshine

Over February Vacation 5 GD students along with 2 GD teachers spent the week volunteering at Camp Sunshine in Casco, ME. Camp Sunshine is a camp that serves children with life-threatening illness and their families. During the week our students built connections with the campers and families who are facing the challenges that dealing with life-threatening illness can cause. Our students described Camp Sunshine and their experience from the week as magical, amazing, love, connection and replenishing. We are looking forward to taking another group of students up in July!

Attached is a group photo we took at the end of the week. From left to right: Kerrie Carlozzi (Math Teacher), Nora Wilson (10th Grade), Danielle Imurang (11th Grade), Emma Hulslander (12th Grade), Ysabella Ocasio-Ruiz (11th Grade), Will Sinclair (12th Grade), Lily Finn (English Teacher)

GDRMS Students vs. Faculty Basketball Game

The fourth annual Students vs. Faculty Basketball Game will be held on Thursday, March 13th after school from 2:45-4 in the North gym! 8th grade students will be eligible to play in the game, but all students grades 5-8 can come and cheer on their friends and teachers! Admission will be $4 for all students. More information about player signups to come.

This year at half time of the Students vs. Faculty basketball game we will be doing a “Chuck a Duck” game. We will sell ducks for $5 each during lunches the week of the game March 10- March 13. Please see the flyer for more information.