Tim Sullivan

To the editor,

The question of the falling of the population of elementary school pupils has been raised by a contributor to the letters pages. Let me just put forward the factual numbers here as they are reported in the annual town report. "Total Elementary" School enrollment in 2003 was 538, 2004 - 447, 2005-422, 2006-406, 2007-381. The K-8 population is of course a population that does not reflect the same population that is enrolled in the Gilmanton elementary-middle school system. When comparing the sizes of high school and pre-high school populations for comparison purposes it is important to keep that in mind. So the Total K-8 populations in Gilford, from the same source were in 2003 - 840, 2004 - 838, 2005 - 815, 2006 - 793, 2007 - 771. These are the facts that speak for themselves.

In the 90s we tried building a middle school to provide an adequate facility for the education of our town's children. This effort was continuously defeated in several bond votes. Eventually we had to settle for an addition to the elementary school. There was a lot of resistance for building new facilities based on the fiasco and bamboozling of the town's voters that had resulted in a NEW town hall budgeted at about

$7-million, having run significantly over cost. This facility ran grossly over cost in many respects due to poor site evaluation, poor site selection, and a failure to fully disclose the immediate costs that would be resultant in actually occupying the building. It has been revealed more recently on some level, that poor load bearing capacities are evident as well. To the taxpayers chagrin, this building has been plagued with many issues .

At that same time salaries for staff were being increased without much thought given to what an overall package benefit increase would actually result. The voters could not really see that the salaries and benefits for staff were not part of the total cost of the cost of education. Salaries went up and bond issues for new schools were voted down. While the school board would explain the need for pay raises, illustrating their point using the starting teacher salary, they would show shock and awe if a taxpayer inquired as to how many first year employees were on the staff. More than one? Usually it would be less than one. A new middle school had to wait another decade.

Our town's children born in the mid 80s had the misfortune of having left the elementary school just as the new addition there was being completed and graduating from our high school just as the middle school was being finally built and an adequate retro-fit of the disastrous open concept high school was completed. This was indeed a tough slough for them and the children that went immediately before them when our facilities were equally less than ideal. Many of us whose children have long since left the school system do not bemoan continuing to spend money on this truly now excellent system. We take pride in our town's educational plant and staff. We are proud of these newer facilities that we have brought to fruition. We are appreciative of the very excellent overall experience in that very excellent school system, which despite its short comings through time provided as best it could for our children.

Personally I am not against anyone employed by the town getting a pay raise. Raises are generally needed and deserved. It would be helpful in my mind if those explaining these budgets and warrant items could be more candid and forthright in terms of what we are facing in total costs not just for a total benefits package that includes a salary but for projects, equipment and repair. The current budget committee and board of selectman seem to be doing a better job of this than perhaps what we have experienced in the past.

As far as the staff reductions being proposed for the schools, the enrollment numbers are just what they are. We should not substitute quantity for quality in the spending of tax dollars. I would prefer that our children get the more rounded education including sports, theater and performing arts, languages and advanced placement offerings. Perhaps this can be accomplished with staff cuts to keep the overall cost in line with

current economic necessities.

Recently our high school graduated a young person who went on to enroll at the Air Force Academy in Colorado. I believe this is of use as a measure of our community's public schools. We must be equally proud of the school system that provided the platform for this achievement as we are of this fine young person that we have sent out from our community.

Tim Sullivan

Gilford