In Laconia Schools: Ready to start the school year

The members of the Laconia School District are excited to have started the 2022-23 school year and eager to begin working with our students. Former New Hampshire Chief Justice John T. Broderick helped kick off the year by talking to our staff about the mental health challenges our youth face. These problems are compounded by digital technology and social media. Public education continues to play an important role in addressing these challenges.

The excitement and engagement of our staff in preparing for the return of students was nothing short of impressive. Our staff is made up of incredibly compassionate and skilled educators. Some of them are new to education. Some are experienced educators beginning their careers in our school district. The vast majority are well-trained, experienced educators. On opening day, we celebrated some of our veterans, including Virginia Bean, a longtime teacher for 47 years who is now a pre-engineering and manufacturing technology assistant; Verna Peck, food service bookkeeper for 44 years; and Patty Colby, a teacher who has 40 years of experience in our schools. Our city is so fortunate to have such quality individuals working with our children in Laconia.

“It takes a village” is a guiding principle of a successful public education system. In our community, we owe recognition and thanks to many members of city government for their support. Some of these people include the Laconia School Board, Mayor Andrew Hosmer, City Manager Scott Myers, and the city council, especially for their unanimous support of the teachers' contract last spring. Additionally, credit goes to the Laconia police and fire departments, Chief Matt Canfield, Fire Chief Kirk Beattie, Parks and Recreation Director Amy Lovisek, and the public works department, led by Director Wes Anderson. We are indebted to many business and community partners who provide opportunities for our children, colleagues around the state and the nation, and most importantly, the families we serve. 

This is my fourth year as the superintendent of the Laconia School District and my 25th year working for Laconia schools. This is the city where my family and I chose to live because of the opportunities here, the beauty of the region, and our schools. Most of all, it is the people I have met and have had the privilege of living and working with here in Laconia. After I was born here, I came back as an adult because I was excited about working in this school system. Our children are at least the fourth generation from my wife’s family and mine to go through these schools. I feel blessed to live here and work in our schools.

Mayor Hosmer has said that Laconia is a “city on the move.” Our schools are also on the move. Though these past three years have been incredibly difficult for our students, staff, and families, I am proud of the work we have done in our schools. Here are some highlights of our work, which was the result of a collaborative effort of a variety of stakeholders. We have:

● added staff and programs, including wood shop and Huot preparatory courses for some trades at LHS; two music and and art positions, so that every elementary school now has a full-time music, art, and physical education teacher; a college and career exploratory teacher at the middle school; full-time site coordinators to our extended learning program; a full-time extended learning opportunities coordinator at LHS; and 14 additional staff positions who work directly with students this year that are supported by Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds. The Title IVB Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Center grant increased last spring, allowing us to expand our out-of-school learning opportunities for students.

● improved and upgraded our facilities, including the completion of paving projects at Woodland Heights Elementary School and LHS; re-roofing many of our buildings; installing new floors in rooms across the district; building new storage sheds at Woodland and Pleasant Street schools; installing new bleachers in the LHS gymnasium; and completing a major renovation of the LHS auditorium. The school board recently approved a $7.2 million ESSER project to upgrade LHS’s ventilation system and school kitchen, and to upgrade and privatize bathrooms.

● become the lead partner in a net-metering agreement that allows us to donate electricity for solar use. In addition to supporting clean energy, this partnership will provide the district with a revenue stream of $10,000 to $20,000 per year.

● taken significant steps to recruit and retain staff. This includes the ratification of the Laconia Educator Association teacher and administrative contracts. We have expanded mentoring for staff to include support for administrators and elementary teachers.

● upgraded technology for students and staff by providing a device for every student in the district, expanding the number of interactive boards, and improving internet connectivity in the district. We have also adopted a new, more robust communication platform called ParentSquare that will allow us to communicate more effectively with the school community.

● continued our partnership with Got Lunch!, which feeds between 500 and 600 children in Laconia in the summer for free. This is an amazing effort made up of volunteers, some of whom are staff members.

● stayed focused on our Portrait of a Graduate and instructional goals for the district. We are working on making 6 POG skills the centerpiece of our academic program to support student success in school and after graduation in college, career, community, and in life. We are continuing our work to improve instruction by having our students read, discuss, and write regularly in our classrooms across the district.

Successful organizations have compelling mission and vision statements that drive the work. In the Laconia School District, those statements embrace a core belief that all children can learn and that we are committed to their future. Our district has done a great job of capturing our just cause in our mission and vision statements. Visit our website at laconiaschools.org for more information and to keep abreast of happenings in your schools.

I wish you all a great school year. Go Sachems!

Steve Tucker, Superintendent, Laconia School District