UPDATE: Former teachers from Brennan-Rogers Magnet School in New Haven are grappling with significant challenges following the school’s abrupt closure amid a $16.5 million budget deficit. The school, which served a tight-knit community, officially shut its doors earlier this year, leading to emotional and logistical turmoil for staff and students alike.
On June 17, 2025, Molly Seely, a librarian at Brennan-Rogers, was bracing for a heartfelt farewell as her eighth graders prepared to graduate. However, a last-minute meeting with Superintendent Madeline Negrón shattered those plans. “I kind of knew in my heart of hearts, as soon as I saw bigwigs, I’m like, ‘Fuck, we’re closed,’” Seely recounted, highlighting the shock felt by staff when the closure was announced.
The New Haven Board of Education confirmed the closure in early July as part of a budget strategy aimed at mitigating the district’s financial woes. The sudden decision left educators with just two weeks to pack up their classrooms and transition to new positions, a process described as “traumatizing” by many former staff members.
According to Seely, teachers were offered only three hours of pay for packing, leading to frustrations over insufficient support. “That is maybe 10 percent of what makes up a classroom,” she said, detailing the personal costs of moving her extensive library collection. Many teachers had to rent trucks and hire help out of pocket, further exacerbating the financial strain on their already tight budgets.
In an official statement, New Haven Public Schools spokesperson Justin Harmon reiterated that the district provided “assistance” during the relocation process. However, former teachers like Ahmed Maklad, who now teaches English at Betsy Ross Arts Interdistrict Magnet School, expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of proper transition support. “We were really bum-rushed into this,” Maklad stated, underscoring the hurried nature of their reassignments.
As the new school year began, teachers reported feeling wildly unprepared. Maklad noted that his class sizes have ballooned, with up to 27 students in one room, compared to a maximum of 15 at Brennan-Rogers. “The level of education is not the same,” he lamented, as he struggles to meet the diverse needs of his larger classes.
The emotional fallout of the closure extends beyond the faculty. Teachers like Paulette Bosley and Barbara Averna shared their ongoing connections to former students, emphasizing the deep bonds formed at Brennan-Rogers. “It was like a hit in the stomach,” Bosley described the closure, reflecting on how it impacted not just the teachers, but also the students who relied on their support.
The New Haven Federation of Teachers has since filed a grievance regarding the short notice and inadequate support during the transition. Union president Leslie Blatteau is currently working to resolve these issues, while the union emphasizes the need for better planning and support for teachers facing involuntary transfers.
Former staff members continue to support each other, maintaining communication through group texts and planning gatherings to stay connected. “We may not have all got along on every single day, but we knew how to have each other’s back,” Bosley said, emphasizing the community spirit that characterized their time at Brennan-Rogers.
The closure has raised serious questions about the future of education in New Haven, with many teachers contemplating leaving the district altogether due to dissatisfaction with the administration’s handling of the transition. “It is certainly true that teachers and students are feeling the effects of these changes,” Harmon acknowledged, as the district looks to stabilize its finances by consolidating resources.
As the school year progresses, the impact of Brennan-Rogers’ closure continues to resonate, leaving teachers and students to navigate new environments amidst lingering feelings of loss and uncertainty. The community that once thrived at 199 and 200 Wilmot Road is gone, replaced by a stark reality that many are still coming to terms with.
