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Pleasant Street School principal returning to Moultonborough - 530
LACONIA — Pleasant Street Elementary School Principal Kathleen D'Haene has resigned and will be returning to Moultonborough Central School, where Principal Dawn Alexander-Tapper recently resigned.
D'Haene served as assistant principal at Moultonborough Central School before coming to Laconia three years ago, when she replaced Charles Dodson.
Laconia Assistant Superintendent of Schools Terry Fostern told the Laconia School Board last night that she has met with staff at Pleasant Street and that the administration is looking in-house to fill the position, if possible. She said the administration will start advertising for candidates next week.
''We're looking at the leadership team and have had individual conversations with staff who may be interested in the opportunity,'' Fostern told members of the board's Budget and Personnel Committee when they met prior to last night's School Board meeting.
Board member Chris Guilmett expressed concern over the turnover at the principal positions in the school district, noting that Woodland Heights Elementary School Principal Dennis Dobe is now the ranking principal in terms of experience with just three years at his job.
All of the district's other principals, Jim McCollum at Laconia High School, Eric Johnson at Laconia Middle School and Kevin Michaud at Elm Street Elementary School have just completed their first years in those positions. McCollum was formerly Middle School principal and Johnson the Elm Street School principal before they took on their new positions.
Guilmett wondered what the average was in terms of service for school principals in a district and Fostern said that in New Hampshire elementary school principals average five years with a school district while the average high school principal is with a district for only two or three years.
Guilmett said he would like to see more ''in-house grooming'' of potential leadership candidates and Fostern noted that there are many staff members who have attained or are working on a Master's degree in educational leadership, making them possible candidates.
The search for a new assistant superintendent to replace Fostern, who will succeed Bob Champlin at the end of the month, has already drawn 26 applications according to Fostern.
She said that a committee of nine people, including Guillmet, are hoping to start interviews next week .
''We're looking for someone with strong leadership skills,'' said Fostern, who added that she is reviewing what parts of her current job she will continue to do and how that will impact the job responsibilities of a new assistant superintendent.
During the board meeting, principals from each of the schools gave a review of what had been accomplished over the last year.
McCollum said that there was measurable academic improvement at the high school and credited Steve Tucker, Academic Coordinator for Teaching and Learning, with bringing increased structure and rigor to the curriculum.
He said that the school now has 20 Running Start Classes, which allow students to earn college credits, as well as seven Advanced Placement (AP) courses, and for the first time, LHS now offers 10 sections of chemistry.
McCollum said there are 58 percent more AP offerings than before and enrollment in those classes is up by 70 percent.
He said the high school is raising student expectations as well as performance and that there has been a significant reduction in discipline problems.
D'Haene served as assistant principal at Moultonborough Central School before coming to Laconia three years ago, when she replaced Charles Dodson.
Laconia Assistant Superintendent of Schools Terry Fostern told the Laconia School Board last night that she has met with staff at Pleasant Street and that the administration is looking in-house to fill the position, if possible. She said the administration will start advertising for candidates next week.
''We're looking at the leadership team and have had individual conversations with staff who may be interested in the opportunity,'' Fostern told members of the board's Budget and Personnel Committee when they met prior to last night's School Board meeting.
Board member Chris Guilmett expressed concern over the turnover at the principal positions in the school district, noting that Woodland Heights Elementary School Principal Dennis Dobe is now the ranking principal in terms of experience with just three years at his job.
All of the district's other principals, Jim McCollum at Laconia High School, Eric Johnson at Laconia Middle School and Kevin Michaud at Elm Street Elementary School have just completed their first years in those positions. McCollum was formerly Middle School principal and Johnson the Elm Street School principal before they took on their new positions.
Guilmett wondered what the average was in terms of service for school principals in a district and Fostern said that in New Hampshire elementary school principals average five years with a school district while the average high school principal is with a district for only two or three years.
Guilmett said he would like to see more ''in-house grooming'' of potential leadership candidates and Fostern noted that there are many staff members who have attained or are working on a Master's degree in educational leadership, making them possible candidates.
The search for a new assistant superintendent to replace Fostern, who will succeed Bob Champlin at the end of the month, has already drawn 26 applications according to Fostern.
She said that a committee of nine people, including Guillmet, are hoping to start interviews next week .
''We're looking for someone with strong leadership skills,'' said Fostern, who added that she is reviewing what parts of her current job she will continue to do and how that will impact the job responsibilities of a new assistant superintendent.
During the board meeting, principals from each of the schools gave a review of what had been accomplished over the last year.
McCollum said that there was measurable academic improvement at the high school and credited Steve Tucker, Academic Coordinator for Teaching and Learning, with bringing increased structure and rigor to the curriculum.
He said that the school now has 20 Running Start Classes, which allow students to earn college credits, as well as seven Advanced Placement (AP) courses, and for the first time, LHS now offers 10 sections of chemistry.
McCollum said there are 58 percent more AP offerings than before and enrollment in those classes is up by 70 percent.
He said the high school is raising student expectations as well as performance and that there has been a significant reduction in discipline problems.
Last Updated on Wednesday, 19 June 2013 02:42
Hits: 49
Laconia attorney & Democratic Party activist will serve year of active duty with Judge Advocate General Corps
LACONIA — Attorney Matt Huot of Wescott, Dyer, Fitzgerald & Nichols will soon be working for Uncle Sam for the next year.
A captain in the United States Army Reserve Judge Advocate General's Corps assigned to the 3rd Legal Support Organization headquartered in Boston, Huot has been mobilized and ordered to Fort Carson, Colorado, home to the 4th Infantry Division.
Following in the footsteps of his father David, who reached the rank of Lieutenant Colonel before retiring from the reserve, Huot enlisted in 2010, two years after finishing law school at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington.
"I saw it as a great opportunity to do interesting work, gain valuable experience and serve my country," Huot said. He confessed that "it was a bit of a shock when I first heard I'd been mobilized," but quickly added "now I'm looking forward to it."
Huot said that he and his wife, Sara Beth Hernandez Huot, an assistant Belknap County Attorney, will be leaving for Colorado on July 1.
Earlier this month Huot completed his term as chair of the Belknap County Democratic Committee and was succeeded by Kate Miller of Meredith.
A captain in the United States Army Reserve Judge Advocate General's Corps assigned to the 3rd Legal Support Organization headquartered in Boston, Huot has been mobilized and ordered to Fort Carson, Colorado, home to the 4th Infantry Division.
Following in the footsteps of his father David, who reached the rank of Lieutenant Colonel before retiring from the reserve, Huot enlisted in 2010, two years after finishing law school at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington.
"I saw it as a great opportunity to do interesting work, gain valuable experience and serve my country," Huot said. He confessed that "it was a bit of a shock when I first heard I'd been mobilized," but quickly added "now I'm looking forward to it."
Huot said that he and his wife, Sara Beth Hernandez Huot, an assistant Belknap County Attorney, will be leaving for Colorado on July 1.
Earlier this month Huot completed his term as chair of the Belknap County Democratic Committee and was succeeded by Kate Miller of Meredith.
Last Updated on Wednesday, 19 June 2013 02:27
Hits: 11
Developers want to put cluster of 14 homes on 5.6 acres across street from Laconia Country Club
LACONIA — The Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA) this week deferred a decision on a request for a variance that would enable as many as 14 housing units to be built on a waterfront lot at 640 Elm Street of 5.6 acres, just more than half the 10 acres the zoning ordinance requires for cluster developments.
Attorney Paul Bordeau, representing himself and his partner in the project Bill Contardo, a resident of South Down Shores who sits on the Planning Board, presented the proposal to the ZBA. Armed only with a sketch of the project, which he said he drew with his own hand, Bordeau spoke for more than an hour, stressing that apart of the 10-acre minimum, the development could satisfy all the requirements of the municipal zoning ordinance and the state shoreline protection statute.
The parcel stretches from Elm Street to Lake Opechee, where there is approximately 150 feet of shoreline, and is bounded to the west by Mallard Cove and the east by King Court. A ranch-style house sits now near the middle of the lot. Bordeau said that the driveway, located directly across Elm Street from the Laconia Country Club, would serve as an access road, indicating that eight of the planned units would be ranged along it with the remainder placed on the eastern portion of the property. He said that the units would about 1,700-square-feet in size and priced around $300,000.
Bordeau said that the development would leave at least half the parcel as open space or vegetative buffers. The nearest unit to Lake Opechee would be 500 feet from the water's edge, further than similarly situated units at Mallard Cove, King Court and Country Club Shores. Likewise, he said that the density of 2.5 units per acre would be less than that of these neighboring residential subdivisions. Bordeau stressed that a conventional subdivision would have a greater impact on the land and the lake.
However, Suzanne Perley of the ZBA said without a more detailed plan, showing the placement of the units, roadways, driveways and parking areas, it was difficult to assess the overall impact of the project. "Are we entitled to more than a hand drawn sketched?," she asked Planning Director Shanna Saunders, who replied "yes."
Dave Greski, a fellow board member, likened the process to "a pilot flying with a blindfold" and when Bordeau explained that he intended to have a site plan with him but due to a mishap the engineer could not complete it. He suggested the ZBA defer further discussion until its next regularly scheduled meeting on July 15.
Attorney Paul Bordeau, representing himself and his partner in the project Bill Contardo, a resident of South Down Shores who sits on the Planning Board, presented the proposal to the ZBA. Armed only with a sketch of the project, which he said he drew with his own hand, Bordeau spoke for more than an hour, stressing that apart of the 10-acre minimum, the development could satisfy all the requirements of the municipal zoning ordinance and the state shoreline protection statute.
The parcel stretches from Elm Street to Lake Opechee, where there is approximately 150 feet of shoreline, and is bounded to the west by Mallard Cove and the east by King Court. A ranch-style house sits now near the middle of the lot. Bordeau said that the driveway, located directly across Elm Street from the Laconia Country Club, would serve as an access road, indicating that eight of the planned units would be ranged along it with the remainder placed on the eastern portion of the property. He said that the units would about 1,700-square-feet in size and priced around $300,000.
Bordeau said that the development would leave at least half the parcel as open space or vegetative buffers. The nearest unit to Lake Opechee would be 500 feet from the water's edge, further than similarly situated units at Mallard Cove, King Court and Country Club Shores. Likewise, he said that the density of 2.5 units per acre would be less than that of these neighboring residential subdivisions. Bordeau stressed that a conventional subdivision would have a greater impact on the land and the lake.
However, Suzanne Perley of the ZBA said without a more detailed plan, showing the placement of the units, roadways, driveways and parking areas, it was difficult to assess the overall impact of the project. "Are we entitled to more than a hand drawn sketched?," she asked Planning Director Shanna Saunders, who replied "yes."
Dave Greski, a fellow board member, likened the process to "a pilot flying with a blindfold" and when Bordeau explained that he intended to have a site plan with him but due to a mishap the engineer could not complete it. He suggested the ZBA defer further discussion until its next regularly scheduled meeting on July 15.
Last Updated on Wednesday, 19 June 2013 02:22
Hits: 68
State DCYF honors Belknap County Corrections captain for work in keeping inmates in contact with their children
LACONIA — While their roles in reuniting children with their parents is different, Belknap County Corrections Captain Dave Berry and DCYF Supervisor Beverly Dubiel share a common goal — to never have to deal professionally with their clients again.
Berry is the second in command at the Belknap County Jail and Dubiel dels with children who have been removed from their parents custody.
Their common goal is reuniting children of incarcerated prisoners with their parents. And Berry's work in that area earned him the 2013 N.H. Division of Children, Youth and Family Services Exemplary Leadership Award.
Berry was instrumental in piloting the first county-level program of its type in New Hampshire by working with DCYF to make the supervised visitations possible.
"We've been asked to allow inmates to have contact with their children," Berry said, adding that until this year the answer has been, "Nah. We don't do that.
"But this year (meaning 2012) I said, 'Why not?'" he said.
"It's hard to have contact with children through a plate glass window and a telephone," said Dubiel from her Laconia office.
She and Berry said the circumstances surrounding the visits are case-specific — meaning each inmate must meet a certain set of criteria before being allowed the visit, which takes place in a space in the city set up by DCYF. The child is brought to the location by the person who has custody and the inmate is brought by an official to the location.
The visits are supervised but nevertheless, they are tangible and positive for both parent and child.
From Berry's point of view, the visits can be life-changing for the inmates.
"So far, we have had 12 inmates, including two men, participate and none of them have returned to jail," he said.
Berry said the inmate's punishment is being incarcerated for the amount of time that was determined by the court and part of the punishment is being deprived of seeing their children.
"But the children haven't done anything wrong," he said.
To participate in the visitation program, the inmate must take part in the requisite programs required by the jail, including parenting and nutrition classes, GED education classes, and, in the case of substance abuse, the appropriate drug or alcohol program. He or she must be of good behavior while incarcerated.
A violation of jail rules means no visitation and Berry said the people who participate are much more willing to go the extra mile while in jail to have the time with their children.
These reunification visits are huge," he said. "It's an emotional thing."
For Dubiel, the visitation with a parent can be as life-changing for a child – especially for the young ones. She said it's very hard for a child to understand why their parent is behind a glass wall and why they have to talk on the telephone.
When incarceration ends, Berry's role ends. When the child is returned to their parent there continues to be a number of programs for both of them but Dubiel said the DCYF roles typically ends after 12 months.
CUTLINE ( DAve Berry award) Beverly Dubiel of DCYF and Capt. Dave Berry of the Belknap County Department of Corrections in Dubiel's Laconia office. (Laconia Daily Sun photo/Gail Ober)
Berry is the second in command at the Belknap County Jail and Dubiel dels with children who have been removed from their parents custody.
Their common goal is reuniting children of incarcerated prisoners with their parents. And Berry's work in that area earned him the 2013 N.H. Division of Children, Youth and Family Services Exemplary Leadership Award.
Berry was instrumental in piloting the first county-level program of its type in New Hampshire by working with DCYF to make the supervised visitations possible.
"We've been asked to allow inmates to have contact with their children," Berry said, adding that until this year the answer has been, "Nah. We don't do that.
"But this year (meaning 2012) I said, 'Why not?'" he said.
"It's hard to have contact with children through a plate glass window and a telephone," said Dubiel from her Laconia office.
She and Berry said the circumstances surrounding the visits are case-specific — meaning each inmate must meet a certain set of criteria before being allowed the visit, which takes place in a space in the city set up by DCYF. The child is brought to the location by the person who has custody and the inmate is brought by an official to the location.
The visits are supervised but nevertheless, they are tangible and positive for both parent and child.
From Berry's point of view, the visits can be life-changing for the inmates.
"So far, we have had 12 inmates, including two men, participate and none of them have returned to jail," he said.
Berry said the inmate's punishment is being incarcerated for the amount of time that was determined by the court and part of the punishment is being deprived of seeing their children.
"But the children haven't done anything wrong," he said.
To participate in the visitation program, the inmate must take part in the requisite programs required by the jail, including parenting and nutrition classes, GED education classes, and, in the case of substance abuse, the appropriate drug or alcohol program. He or she must be of good behavior while incarcerated.
A violation of jail rules means no visitation and Berry said the people who participate are much more willing to go the extra mile while in jail to have the time with their children.
These reunification visits are huge," he said. "It's an emotional thing."
For Dubiel, the visitation with a parent can be as life-changing for a child – especially for the young ones. She said it's very hard for a child to understand why their parent is behind a glass wall and why they have to talk on the telephone.
When incarceration ends, Berry's role ends. When the child is returned to their parent there continues to be a number of programs for both of them but Dubiel said the DCYF roles typically ends after 12 months.
CUTLINE ( DAve Berry award) Beverly Dubiel of DCYF and Capt. Dave Berry of the Belknap County Department of Corrections in Dubiel's Laconia office. (Laconia Daily Sun photo/Gail Ober)
Last Updated on Wednesday, 19 June 2013 02:18
Hits: 8
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