I don't think 9 months is really that long of a time considering what other actors have done in shows.
I don't know what he wrote exactly in the letter but if he wrote exactly what you said:
"
I got a letter from Barrett Foa in the mail today, and in it he said that he would be staying with Spelling Bee until April. ...it sounds as if he is planning to leave in April.
Who knows...we shall see...
"How bout a little black dress?"~hannahshule
"I have a penis, not a vagina." ~munkustrap178