HALIFAX - August 31, 2026 - Entering the 2026–2027 school year with 551 enrolled students, Halifax Elementary School successfully restored critical classroom teaching positions across the second, fifth, and sixth grades after town officials allocated back $200,000 to the district budget earlier this year, school leaders announced Monday night.
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With classes opening Wednesday, the Halifax School Committee convened Monday to address personnel agreements, administrative appointments, and district operational updates. Principal Brian Prehna outlined a productive summer that saw the district rebound from initial budget strains thanks to a $200,000 town allocation. The restored funding enabled the administration to assemble hiring committees and secure three vital general education educators: Elizabeth Carnes in grade 2, Melissa Campanini in grade 5, and Nicole Kelly for grade 6 math and science. Prehna emphasized that filling these roles was essential to accommodating class sizes across grade levels, including a third grade cohort of 92 students and a second grade cohort of 82 students.
“So, adding on to those teachers was absolutely crucial and critical to supporting our kids this year moving forward.” — Brian Prehna
The committee formally approved an open-session employment contract for new Assistant Principal Casey Bailey, who started her responsibilities in July. Officials also ratified a one-year Memorandum of Agreement with the Halifax Teachers Association (HTA) and approved a renewed Memorandum of Understanding with the Halifax Police Department to govern the School Resource Officer (SRO) program. Superintendent Jill Proulx noted that while local police continue rebuilding department staffing, school leaders hope to have the SRO present in the building as frequently as last school year.
