Nina Gardner & Jasen Stock: Winnisquam School Board meeting still upcoming

To The Daily Sun,

With Town Meeting behind us, there is still one more very important meeting to attend, the Winnisquam Regional School District Annual Meeting, March 19, at 9 a.m. in the high school gym. Additional information can be found at wrsdsau59.org.

The first warrant article is a proposed bond related to significant capital improvements which include replacement of roofs at the middle school and high school; a portion of the flat roof at Sanbornton Central and installation of a fire suppression system; secure vestibules and entries for all schools; replacement of the exterior skin on the middle school: repaving a portion of the access road and parking at Southwick School; and relocation of the pre-school to the high school with necessary building adaptions. These projects are part of the district capital improvement plan and will need to be done whether or not a bond is passed. It is estimated that the cost of not bonding these projects will be about $6 million more than the cost of bonding.

The second proposed warrant article is a modernization and expansion of the high school career technical center, our vocational/agricultural center, that renovates and upgrades our existing facility and its existing programs, adding two major new career offerings, precision manufacturing and cosmetology programs, selected as paths to available career opportunities, compatible with offerings at the Huot Center. Payment for this bond capitalizes on available state funding for career and technical education centers with up to 75% paid for with state funds. This bond is timed to fit into the 2023 state capital budget process and passage of this article at district meeting is the first step in obtaining state funds in the 2023 state budget. This bond covers more than $1.4 in current needed upgrades to the facility.

There is also a warrant article seeking voter approval for a three-year teacher contract. Without such an agreement, the district will fall further behind in offering competitive wages in an extraordinarily challenging labor market.

The annual school district budget will also come before the voters. The budget reflects the closure of the Union-Sanborn School and savings associated with the relocation of students to other facilities in the district. Some staff reductions are reflected in the budget due to consolidation and declining enrollments. The overall budget is down more than 2%.

Consistent with school board policy, voters will be asked to authorize the district to dispose of the Union-Sanborn building.

These warrant articles are of great significance to the educational opportunities provided in the district, and are of importance to the voters as well. Not only do we urge your attendance at the annual meeting on March 19, we seek your support as well. If you are not present, someone else makes decisions for you.

Nina Gardner, Sanbornton Budget Committee

Jasen Stock, Tilton School Board