Newfound teachers start year without pay raises

BRISTOL — The discovery, in July, that contracts with pay increases, signed in April, were invalid left angry teachers uncertain about their jobs with Newfound Area School District. By the time they were scheduled to begin work for the new school year, they had new contracts with pay at last year’s level, and were negotiating a new benefit package.

The confusion arose when the previous administration failed to realize that, because the items in a new, three-year collective bargaining agreement exceeded the budget increase allowed under the district tax cap, approval required a 60% approval vote. While a majority of voters at the district meeting in March approved the warrant article, it failed to reach the 60% threshold. Believing the article passed, district leaders issued contracts with pay increases.

The New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration did not catch the error right away, because of other problems: the district missed the deadline for submitting a signed warrant and failed to submit the budget on the state’s required forms. There also were concerns about the budget committee having violated the law by voting against the school board’s proposed budget without presenting a budget of its own. A second meeting to validate the votes taken at the annual meeting did not occur until June, delaying the state's review of what transpired.

The defeat of the collective bargaining agreement, in March, meant teacher benefits would continue as they existed last year.

“It’s pretty clear,” said Business Manager Michael Limanni, who returned to the district in July, after working a seven-year stint several years ago. “I don’t know why it took so long for them to make a judgment, especially when both the union’s attorney and our attorney were involved.”

Interim Superintendent Brian Connelly, reporting on school reopening at the Aug. 24 meeting of the Newfound Area School Board, said, “I visited the schools and visited with classroom teachers who were in early last week, setting up their rooms, and they’re excited to return. I think, in general, students and parents are excited for their children to go back to school, and certainly the teachers and the rest of the staff are excited to get back into our routines.”

Limanni also reported on other budgetary matters as the district adjusts to working under a default budget. After reviewing the budget department by department, he plans to present a full financial report at the board’s next meeting.

He noted Cody Lambert, new facilities manager, is reviewing contracts as they come in to determine any potential savings.

New elementary logo

With the closing of Danbury Elementary School, Newfound now operates just two elementary schools, and Curriculum Coordinator Ariel Maloney said the administrative team wanted to find a way to support students attending what now are known as Newfound Elementary School at Bristol and Newfound Elementary School at New Hampton. They came up the idea of a logo contest, receiving 15 designs, voted upon by 166 residents.

The winning design, by Sharayah Johnson, has the traditional “N” with the school mascot, the bear.

“I think the biggest part of this are the wildflowers for me,” she said, describing the message embedded in the design. “There are four wildflowers that represent the four different towns that make up our district, and I specifically wanted to include the daffodil as nod to Danbury, on the daffodil plain that the school is on.

“When I think of wildflowers, I think of resilience and strength, something that our district has had to demonstrate as the recent challenges has forced this merging of elementary schools. And there’s also such an appreciation for the unique qualities that make each flower beautiful. Just as each member of our community has something unique to offer, each flower is going to bloom at its own pace, much like our students, and throughout our district. Our job is to help nurture our students so that they can grow and flourish, as we move forward together.”

In other business, the school board elected Dennis Fitton, of Alexandria, as vice chair. The position had been vacant since the resignation of Joe Maloney, of Bristol, who accepted a job as assistant facilities manager. Earlier in August, the school board appointed Jake Corneau to fill out Maloney’s term until elections in March.