Hill considers joining Newfound SAU

BRISTOL — As the Hill School District approaches the end of its 10-year tuition agreement with the Newfound Area School District, Hill’s superintendent-principal, Brian Connelly, suggested its time to discuss their future relationship.

Connelly, along with Michele Munson, vice chair of the Hill School Board, attended the Nov. 28 meeting of the Newfound Area School Board to start a dialogue about the possible extension of their agreement or perhaps even joining Newfound’s School Administrative Unit 4.

Hill was a longtime member of SAU 18, which oversaw the Franklin and Hill school districts. It was a troubled relationship because Franklin, as the larger school district held the votes to dictate how the SAU operated. Franklin also became unhappy with the partnership and withdrew from SAU 18, allowing Hill to form its own administrative unit. Munson served as part-time superintendent while Connelly, who had been working at the school, sought his own superintendent’s certification. He has served as both principal of Hill’s Jennie D. Blake Elementary School and as its superintendent for the past three years and now is in his fourth year in that position.

The Blake School serves students in kindergarten through sixth grade and formerly sent its junior and senior high students to Franklin. In 2015, Hill entered into a tuition agreement with Newfound for students in grades 7-12. That agreement, which will expire in 2025, stipulates that each party must notify the other by June 30, 2023, whether it wishes to extend or terminate that agreement.

“We have been wanting to at least start this conversation,” Connelly said, “because June, as we know in the world of schools, will come upon us, and I don’t want to be [saying], ‘Oh, we needed to do this.’”

He said he has been thrilled with the support he has received and how Hill students have been embraced by Newfound, “how they excel, how they grow, they mature, and they’re wonderful young people, young adults, when they graduate.”

Connelly continued, “It’s very, very exciting to be part of the Newfound community because you value education, we value education, and we hope that our relationship can continue to grow as we get toward 2025.”

Newfound has engaged in a facilities study to address the future of its elementary schools, and its board members said consideration of how Hill’s students will fit into the plans for the higher grades will be an important component of its future plans.

Hill currently sends 41 students to the high school and 19 to the middle school.

Connelly said that, as the 10-year anniversary approaches, Hill will need to decide whether it is still viable to operate its own administrative unit.

“Does it mean do we knock on some other SAU? You know, we tried, but maybe there’s a better solution, economically, education-wise."

It is incumbent on Hill to look into and share with the community what its options are, Connelly said.

“And, obviously, your community has to make the decision, too,” he said. “But I’ve been very, very happy, and I do hope we can continue that relationship."

The Newfound board agreed that they should start discussing their future relationship and indicated that they would be putting together a committee as soon as the budget season is over.

Among the considerations will be Hill’s student population. The school district just started a preschool program that already has a waiting list, and Connelly said the K-6 population has been ranging from 47 to 53 students who eventually will progress to junior high.