District’s newest hire creates vacancy on Pasquaney School Board

BRIDGEWATER — The Pasquaney School District has filled most positions for its first year of operation, according to Superintendent Russ Holden, but that has created a vacancy on the school board.

“I, unfortunately, will be resigning from the board,” Vice Chair Stephanie Sharp told the school board during the May 14 meeting, “but it’s for a good reason. I’ve accepted a position here at the school, and so that’s a conflict of interest. I can’t do both, so just so you all know, we are working on finding a replacement from Groton to take my seat.”

Sharp said she will be working as a paraprofessional at the Bridgewater-Hebron Village School. “It’s what works best for my family right now, so I’m excited.”

Holden said that, with the final staff hires that evening, the school will have all teachers onboard. He went on to list the administrative assistant and receptionist as recent hires, and said, “I believe we are fully staffed with our paraeducators. We might need one or two, depending on some other student enrollments and where things fall. But I’m really feeling good about it and folks here have done a really great job.”

Applications for federal IDEA [Individuals with Disabilities Education Act], Title I, Title II, and Title IIII grants were ready to go, Holden said, but “The issue that is sort of out there, that’s kind of a little nerve-racking to everyone: the states have not received their allocation from the federal government yet.

"We’ve been told that money is coming. As soon as that money gets allocated, I need to adjust the budget, based upon whatever that allocation is.”

Bridgewater resident Aubrey Freedman submitted a written comment which proved to be particularly germaine, with Sharp’s resignation from the school board. Addressing one of the items to be discussed at the meeting, Freedman suggested expanding a prohibition outlined in the “School Board Member Authority” policy that stated, “no person employed on a salaried basis by a school administrative unit or by a school district within a school administrative unit shall be a school board member."

“It seems strange to only apply this restriction to salaried employees,” Freedman wrote. “What about hourly employees? Aren’t the paras paid by the hour? This seems like an oversight that should be corrected.”

Sharp had already resigned when the board took up policies for first reading, but Chair Jennifer Larochelle suggested amending the policy to state: “no employee of the school administrative unit or the school district within a school administrative unit shall be any board member.” The board adopted the change while approving the package of policies that now will go to second reading.

Replacement of a school board member also was addressed in the policies, guided by state statute. The school board will accept applications for the Groton board position, and appoint one of the applicants to serve until the next regular election in 2026. Holden suggested anyone interested in serving should email himself or the board chair.

The board approved a food service contract with the Abbey Group, which currently serves BHVS through the Newfound Area School District. Holden said he will be working with Newfound administrators to go through the “intensive” free and reduced lunch process so that will be in place for the future.

“We’re missing some kids that qualify for that, families that qualify ... so I think we can continue to get more people involved that should be involved in that program,” Holden said.

Also approved was a transportation contract with First Student. The Pasquaney School District formally begins operations on July 1, operating its elementary school and tuitioning older students to Newfound or Plymouth.

“We’ve had some great conversations,” Holden said. “They feel very capable” of starting summer school transportation “on July 1” and then getting students “that need to go to Plymouth and that need to go to middle school and need to go to high school over at Newfound ... understanding that some of our schedules on different days may have different — half-days, full days won’t be a problem.”

Finally, the board appointed Rose Williams to be the school district treasurer, and hired Primex to handle insurance for worker’s compenstation, disability and cybersecurity.

The board’s next meeting is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 18, so it will not interfere with eighth grade graduation that night.