NORWICH – A public budget hearing was held for residents of Norwich City School District on Monday, May 8 in the District Office where the $42.18 million budget was presented to attendees in detail.

Two Norwich residents attended the hearing where Superintendent Gerard O'Sullivan presented the budget's components along with District Clerk Rob Wightman.

The proposed 2017-18 budget – which includes a 1.93 percent tax levy, bringing the five-year average tax levy to 1.28 percent – will be voted on Tuesday, May 16.

Wightman estimated that the tax levy would essentially boil-down to about a 0.54 cent weekly increase for City residents, and a 0.62 cent weekly increase for non-City residents.

Three goals accomplished in the proposed budget, according to O'Sullivan, are: maintaining class size and staffing to support students and programming, maintaining or increasing academic and extra-curricular opportunities, and strengthening systems for teacher support and professional development.

The underlying plan, says O'Sullivan, is to 'increase student achievement through improved instructional practices.'