Kach writes of accomplishments
To the editor: Over the past year, the Oyster River School Board has made significant positive achievements. I have served on the board during this time, and speaking as an individual board member, I would like to share some of the many accomplishments of this board.
— The board made several important decisions regarding leadership in the district this past year. An interim superintendent, Leon Levesque, started working for the district in July. Todd Allen, the interim high school principal was named permanent principal. A new Director of Instruction and Special Education Programs, Phyllis Schlichter, was hired. With Leon Levesque, I have seen a new spirit of cooperation and civility within the board, with our administrators, and residents. This is despite the legal challenges with which the board has dealt.
— The board has controlled the budget while maintaining programs and educational quality
— The completion of the district's facilities report and an energy audit on the ORHS. The board is now addressing deficiencies existing at the school since the 2004 construction.
— A discussion of more effective implementation of technology within the schools has been raised. An example is the creation of a Disaster Recovery Plan as recommended by the District Audit.
— In coordination with Mr. Levesque and Ms. Caswell, the district's business manager, improved business practices were reflected in a favorable district financial audit.
— A comprehensive policy review has been conducted during the current board's tenure. The board is also in the process of contacting the New Hampshire School Board Association for a further policy update and cross referencing review.
— The district's transportation software program has been analyzed. The resultant report will maximize the use of district's equipment and personnel resulting in cost savings.
I am very optimistic for the future of our district, especially in our choice of our new superintendent, Dr. James Morse.
I am running for re-election. Please vote for me, Jim Kach, on March 13. You can also contact me at orcsdschoolboard@gmail.com. Or view my website at www.orcsd.net.
Jim Kach
Durham
For Barth
To the editor: I had the pleasure of meeting ORCSD School Board candidate, Maria Barth, at the Mohariment Winter Carnival a few weeks ago.
Maria introduced herself and chatted with me about our experiences with the school district and explained her vision for our Oyster River students. She also spoke of the importance of following laws and procedure in this role. This was very important to hear given the court judgments against members of the sitting board who are up for reelection. We need new positive and informed people working on behalf of our students on our school board. It is time for a change of climate and direction in how the ORSB does this important work. Please support an experienced, informed and positive influence on our school board.
Vote Maria Barth on March 13.
Nancy Bulkley
Durham
Barth endorsed
To the editor: I am writing to enthusiastically endorse the candidacy of Maria Barth for a seat on the Oyster River School Board. I have known her since her sons and our daughters were students together at Oyster River in the late 1970s. When elected Maria will work for excellence in all our schools while conducting herself with civility and courtesy and adherence to the law. She has a wealth of experience having served both on the Town Council and as Chair of the School Board while living in Kittery. She is a consensus builder who will reach out to the community and listen to the concerns of students, teachers, parents and taxpayers. She is partly moved to run for the school board because her grandchildren have been Oyster River students since kindergarten and are now attending ORHS; additionally she firmly believes that excellent education is necessary for a well functioning society. Please cast a vote for Maria Barth on March 13, 2012.
Dudley Dudley
Durham
For Newkirk
To the editor: Tom Newkirk is an excellent candidate for the Oyster River School Board. As a professor of English at UNH, founder and director of Learning Through Teaching (an in-service program for teachers), director of the NH Summer Literacy Institute, and a published author, he is an expert on educational issues and practice and highly qualified to provide outstanding guidance and leadership to the district. As a taxpayer, he understands the need for sound budgeting practices. As the parent of three Oyster River graduates, he is committed to maintaining high educational standards in the district. Tom's particular expertise in literacy and teacher training will be invaluable assets. We are fortunate to have a candidate of his caliber.
Emma Rous
Durham
Keep OR board
To the editor: A bit of history gives an excellent example of why we need to keep this school board.
When the addition was made to the high school, demographers projected that the school population was declining and, and would continue decline. This meant that the addition which was designed for a high school of 850 would never be filled. The demographers were correct. We now have a high school population of some 680 students 44 of which come from Barrington. To support the declining student population past boards have seen fit to hire an additional 10 teachers to handle the decreased enrollment.
The board during construction did not hire a "clerk of the works" whose responsibility is to see the plans make sense, and that the construction process follows the plans and good construction practices. The clerk of the works serves as the on site representative of the owner. He/she must be familiar with all aspects of construction.
See the NH Dept of Education for the responsibilities of a clerk of the works.http://www.education.nh.gov/program/school_approval/cofworks.htm
The results of the misguided choice of no clerk are revealed in the recent building audit of the high school, thankfully initiated by the present board, and will cost us much more than any insignificant savings found by eliminating the clerk. A gross and ignorant decision which left us the owners with no protection.
Today, the current board reduced the surplus in the school budget by over $1 million.
Arthur Bradbury
Lee
Vote Newkirk
To the editor: The parents and students of the Oyster River School District, as well as the taxpayers of the District, are most fortunate to have, running on their behalf, Dr. Thomas Newkirk of Durham for an at-large seat on the Oyster River School Board. Tom has devoted his life to education and to how students learn. He is author of the recently published book The Art of Slow Reading, and has done much earlier work on K-12 education and the learning process.
Tom will bring his great wealth of expertise and a great sense of stability and respect to the Oyster River School Board and to the teachers of the District, to the administrators who serve them, and to the staff employees. If the need arises, he is highly capable of chairing the Oyster River School Board, of becoming the face of the District, and of maintaining and advancing the integrity of the Oyster River schools.
I urge all District voters to vote on March 13 for Thomas Newkirk for Oyster River School Board.
John E. Carroll
Durham
To the editor: Over the past year, the Oyster River School Board has made significant positive achievements. I have served on the board during this time, and speaking as an individual board member, I would like to share some of the many accomplishments of this board.
— The board made several important decisions regarding leadership in the district this past year. An interim superintendent, Leon Levesque, started working for the district in July. Todd Allen, the interim high school principal was named permanent principal. A new Director of Instruction and Special Education Programs, Phyllis Schlichter, was hired. With Leon Levesque, I have seen a new spirit of cooperation and civility within the board, with our administrators, and residents. This is despite the legal challenges with which the board has dealt.
— The board has controlled the budget while maintaining programs and educational quality
— The completion of the district's facilities report and an energy audit on the ORHS. The board is now addressing deficiencies existing at the school since the 2004 construction.
— A discussion of more effective implementation of technology within the schools has been raised. An example is the creation of a Disaster Recovery Plan as recommended by the District Audit.
— In coordination with Mr. Levesque and Ms. Caswell, the district's business manager, improved business practices were reflected in a favorable district financial audit.
— A comprehensive policy review has been conducted during the current board's tenure. The board is also in the process of contacting the New Hampshire School Board Association for a further policy update and cross referencing review.
— The district's transportation software program has been analyzed. The resultant report will maximize the use of district's equipment and personnel resulting in cost savings.
I am very optimistic for the future of our district, especially in our choice of our new superintendent, Dr. James Morse.
I am running for re-election. Please vote for me, Jim Kach, on March 13. You can also contact me at orcsdschoolboard@gmail.com. Or view my website at www.orcsd.net.
Jim Kach
Durham
For Barth
To the editor: I had the pleasure of meeting ORCSD School Board candidate, Maria Barth, at the Mohariment Winter Carnival a few weeks ago.
Maria introduced herself and chatted with me about our experiences with the school district and explained her vision for our Oyster River students. She also spoke of the importance of following laws and procedure in this role. This was very important to hear given the court judgments against members of the sitting board who are up for reelection. We need new positive and informed people working on behalf of our students on our school board. It is time for a change of climate and direction in how the ORSB does this important work. Please support an experienced, informed and positive influence on our school board.
Vote Maria Barth on March 13.
Nancy Bulkley
Durham
Barth endorsed
To the editor: I am writing to enthusiastically endorse the candidacy of Maria Barth for a seat on the Oyster River School Board. I have known her since her sons and our daughters were students together at Oyster River in the late 1970s. When elected Maria will work for excellence in all our schools while conducting herself with civility and courtesy and adherence to the law. She has a wealth of experience having served both on the Town Council and as Chair of the School Board while living in Kittery. She is a consensus builder who will reach out to the community and listen to the concerns of students, teachers, parents and taxpayers. She is partly moved to run for the school board because her grandchildren have been Oyster River students since kindergarten and are now attending ORHS; additionally she firmly believes that excellent education is necessary for a well functioning society. Please cast a vote for Maria Barth on March 13, 2012.
Dudley Dudley
Durham
For Newkirk
To the editor: Tom Newkirk is an excellent candidate for the Oyster River School Board. As a professor of English at UNH, founder and director of Learning Through Teaching (an in-service program for teachers), director of the NH Summer Literacy Institute, and a published author, he is an expert on educational issues and practice and highly qualified to provide outstanding guidance and leadership to the district. As a taxpayer, he understands the need for sound budgeting practices. As the parent of three Oyster River graduates, he is committed to maintaining high educational standards in the district. Tom's particular expertise in literacy and teacher training will be invaluable assets. We are fortunate to have a candidate of his caliber.
Emma Rous
Durham
Keep OR board
To the editor: A bit of history gives an excellent example of why we need to keep this school board.
When the addition was made to the high school, demographers projected that the school population was declining and, and would continue decline. This meant that the addition which was designed for a high school of 850 would never be filled. The demographers were correct. We now have a high school population of some 680 students 44 of which come from Barrington. To support the declining student population past boards have seen fit to hire an additional 10 teachers to handle the decreased enrollment.
The board during construction did not hire a "clerk of the works" whose responsibility is to see the plans make sense, and that the construction process follows the plans and good construction practices. The clerk of the works serves as the on site representative of the owner. He/she must be familiar with all aspects of construction.
See the NH Dept of Education for the responsibilities of a clerk of the works.http://www.education.nh.gov/program/school_approval/cofworks.htm
The results of the misguided choice of no clerk are revealed in the recent building audit of the high school, thankfully initiated by the present board, and will cost us much more than any insignificant savings found by eliminating the clerk. A gross and ignorant decision which left us the owners with no protection.
Today, the current board reduced the surplus in the school budget by over $1 million.
Arthur Bradbury
Lee
Vote Newkirk
To the editor: The parents and students of the Oyster River School District, as well as the taxpayers of the District, are most fortunate to have, running on their behalf, Dr. Thomas Newkirk of Durham for an at-large seat on the Oyster River School Board. Tom has devoted his life to education and to how students learn. He is author of the recently published book The Art of Slow Reading, and has done much earlier work on K-12 education and the learning process.
Tom will bring his great wealth of expertise and a great sense of stability and respect to the Oyster River School Board and to the teachers of the District, to the administrators who serve them, and to the staff employees. If the need arises, he is highly capable of chairing the Oyster River School Board, of becoming the face of the District, and of maintaining and advancing the integrity of the Oyster River schools.
I urge all District voters to vote on March 13 for Thomas Newkirk for Oyster River School Board.
John E. Carroll
Durham
I posted my answer to Mr. Kach's flyer at http://orcsdcleanslate.blogspot.com/2012/03/mr-kachs-flyer.html
ReplyDeleteIsn't everybody sick and tired of school board drama? Vote for calm, vote for the T.E.A.M. - Tom, Ed, Al and Maria. Find out more at ORCSDcleanslate.org.
Dean Rubine, Lee