Oyster River School Board Accomplishments

Current School Board member and candidate Jim Kach has asked us to post the following:

Over the past year, the present Oyster River School Board has made significant positive achievements despite numerous and continual attacks on the board as a group as well as attacks on individual board members. I, Jim Kach, have served on the board during this time, and as an individual board member, I would like to share what I see as the many accomplishments made by the board.

First, 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 was named interim high school principal in June and then named permanent principal this past winter. A new Director of Instruction and Special Education Programs, Phyllis Schlichter, was hired this past summer. With the presence of Leon Levesque, I have seen a new spirit of cooperation and civility within the board, with our administrators, and with residents’ support and encouragement for what the board has achieved. This is despite the legal obstacles with which the board has dealt.

Second, I feel the board has controlled the budget while maintaining programs and educational quality. For example, new initiatives in Special Education were made at ORMS in an effort to increase student achievement and control cost.

A third accomplishment is 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. Years of neglect have been addressed by the expenditure of almost a quarter of a million dollars from the Capital Improvement Trust Fund to remedy these issues found by these reports. It is estimated the district will see a payback in energy savings alone within three years.

Fourth, a discussion of more effective implementation of technology within the schools has been raised. An example is the creation of a Disaster Recovery Plan (to prevent loss of data and information) as recommended by the District Audit. A re-examination of effective technology in the classroom has also been initiated.

Fifth, in coordination with Mr. Levesque and Ms. Caswell, the district’s business manager, budgetary transparency has been promoted. Improved business practices were reflected in a favorable district financial audit.

Sixth, 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.

Seventh, to ensure an efficient transportation model, the district’s transportation software program (Transfinder) has been analyzed. The resultant report will maximize the use of district’s equipment and personnel resulting in cost savings.

Eighth, the board has provided benchmark data for our food services. Different school districts have been contacted for information concerning their food programs. Café Services, which provides food service to the Barrington School District, has also been contacted for information to help with the district’s sustainability initiatives while at the same time controlling costs.

As stated above, I am writing this as an independent board member and as such, I do not speak for or represent the board as a whole. It is, however, important to me that ORCSD residents realize the many accomplishments in the face of the legal challenges with which the board has dealt.

I am most optimistic for the future of our district, especially in light of our newly chosen superintendent, Dr. James Morse.

Please feel free to contact me at orcsdschoolboard@gmail.com. or view my website at www.orcsd.net.