This is the first in our annual series of “Financial Articles” regarding the financial aspects of running the ConVal School District. Here’s a brief preview of some of the articles we’ll be publishing between now and the vote in March:

• Overview of Budget Schedule (included in this article)

• 2024 Property Tax Bills and Funds “retained” and “returned” to towns in the School District

• Details of proposed FY26 School Budget and other Warrant Articles on the March ’25 ballots

• Proposed Collective Bargaining Agreement with CVEA

• Estimated impact on ConVal’s finances/budgets/property taxes if the withdrawal of Dublin and/or Francestown is approved by voters

• CTE/HS Renovation project

• Summary of various District Trust Funds (and associated Warrant Articles).

For the full-length article (3 pages), please click here.

Jim Fredrickson Chairman, Budget & Property Committee ConVal School Board

Your Region 14 Applied Technology Center at ConVal High School is currently being presented with an opportunity worthy of our full consideration. We are in our final year of eligibility for the renovation as part of the State’s capital budget, which covers 75% of eligible renovation costs to our Career and Technical Education (CTE) centers. The State of NH has long recognized the importance of CTE, and this bipartisan support is a clear recognition of the vital role CTE education plays in enabling students to explore career pathways, bridge the gap between secondary and postsecondary education, and align student’s skills and interests with the needs of our local and statewide economies.

In anticipation of our eligibility for these funds, the ConVal building committee has spent the last two years assessing the present functionality of our CTE center and planning for the needs of our future students. They have studied CTE programs and high schools statewide, selected a leading architectural firm, and ultimately drafted plans that define a vision for the CTE center’s future. In addition to the CTE renovations, the building committee addressed other areas of need. They drafted plans for a secure entrance to the high school with a single point of well monitored access. The committee has also proposed a renovation of the Lucy Hurlin Theatre that would transform the space into a two-story, 350 seat modern auditorium. 

The project has two components. The first is the CTE renovations, equipment upgrades, a realignment of interior spaces to maximize efficiency and the addition of the secure main entryway. While the project will have a total estimated cost of $33,479,125, we have the possibility of receiving state capital budget funds funding in the amount of $14,732,773 thus leaving the total amount needed to bond at $18,746,352. Some of the work involved in this renovation, such as the secure entrance, demolition, and grounds work aren’t eligible for renovation funding, but are ultimately tied to the redesign of the space. This is common among districts who’ve preceded us in this process. In the end, we would receive a 44% discount on this project. The second component of the project would cover the renovations to the Lucy Hurlin Theatre. The cost will amount to an estimated $10,657,002, all of which would be subject to local bond.

Your school board has developed three options regarding how to move forward for consideration. 

Option one would seek voter approval for the renovation of the CTE centers, the creation of a secure high school entrance, and the redesign of the Lucy Hurlin Theatre.

Option two would see us breaking up the project into two phases. Phase one would be seeking voter approval for the renovation of the CTE and the creation of a secure high school entrance in March 2025. Phase two would seek voter approval for the renovation of the Lucy Hurlin Theatre in the following year, March, 2026.

Option three would seek voter approval for only the CTE and secure entrance portion of the project thus eliminating the Lucy Hurlin Theatre renovation from consideration.

Community feedback is, as always, essential to how we move forward. We are planning a community forum event on Dec 4, 2024 at 7pm in the Lucy Hurlin Theatre. By that date, we will have received the 2024 tax rates and will be able to present the tax impacts of this project. The forum will be livestreamed on the ConVal Events YouTube channel, and the recording will remain there for future viewing.  The architects and our CTE director, Jen Kiley, will be the main presenters at the forum. There will be time for extensive Q&A. Questions from the community can be submitted in advance to forum@conval.edu.

This communication is also available in .pdf format here.

Did you know that ConVal High School students can enroll in a Career & Technical Education (CTE) program as one way to earn their high school credits?  Within the CTE program, students can explore career opportunities, receive technical training, and real world experience.  This prepares them for further education in college or immediate entry into their chosen profession.  There are 7 CTE programs located at ConVal: Engineering, Computer & Information Technology, Graphic Design, Business, Careers in Education, Digital Photo & Video, and Manufacturing.  ConVal has also been approved by the state to add an Animal Science program as another option for students.

These CTE classrooms were built almost 30 years ago.  They need renovation to keep them relevant to industry standards and to meet mandatory Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements.  This year, ConVal is eligible to get state funding to subsidize the modernization of this section of the high school.  This state funding covers 75% of the CTE renovation costs.  The state offers this subsidization to different school districts' CTE centers on a rotating basis.  ConVal can take advantage of it this year, or have to wait many years to be eligible again.

In light of this funding opportunity from the state, the ConVal School Board is considering a building project to address the CTE classroom deficiencies.  If approved by the board, this project would be decided on by the ConVal community through a warrant in March, 2025.

The scope of this renovation project also includes needed improvements to the high school.  One is to create a new single secure main entrance, which is strongly recommended by the state for all existing schools.  The purpose of a single secure entrance is to make sure that all visitors are screened before entering the building, thereby enhancing student safety.  The second is a renovation of the Lucy Hurlin Theatre.  The current size of the theatre does not allow it to meet the needs of the drama department.  The high school renovation also accounts for the relocation of the high school art and special education programs to allow for the CTE expansion.

The architectural drawings for these plans will be available for your viewing within a few days.

Prior to a potential March 2025 vote, the school board will be providing detailed project information to the ConVal community through the ConVal website, mailings, a community forum and at regular school board meetings.  The goal of these communications is to provide clarity about the scope of this project, its need and its cost.   Here is the timeline for the board's communications:

Communications and Meetings - Publishing Dates

• Overview of ConVal’s CTE Program - November 11-15, 2024

• Pathways for CTE/High School Renovations - November 11-15, 2024

• Architectural plans available for viewing - November 11-15, 2024

• Topic, Location, and Time of Community Forum - November 22-26, 2024

• Community Forum (in house and online, including video) - December 4, 2024

• Warrant Article(s) Published - January  27, 2025

• Notice of Bond Hearing Posted - No later than January 14, 2025

• Bond Hearing - No later than January 21, 2025

• District Meeting - Part I (Deliberative Session) - February 4, 2025 (snow date Feb. 5th)

• Regular District Vote - March 11, 2025

This communication is also available as a .pdf file here.

South Meadow School Assistant Principal Daniel Legro conducted school safety training during the District Professional Development Day on October 14. Legro instructed the staff and administrators in ALICE preparedness in order to help them respond with confidence, protect against harm, and increase survivability in case of an act of violence.

In this portion of the presentation, Legro addressed Colonel Cooper's Color Code of Awareness. The Color Code is based on the concept that awareness can span the gamut between being unaware and unprepared (white) all the way to black, when panic mode has set in and no one is safe. ALICE K-12 School Safety Training teaches individuals to remain alert (yellow) before transitioning to heightened awareness in preparation for a specific alert (orange) and to respond appropriately when the danger has materialized (red).

ALICE (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate) training focuses on violent intruder situations and teaches specific mitigation strategies: recognizing and reporting potential threats quickly; securing oneself in a safe location to minimize risk; communicating with school administration and law enforcement about the situation; engaging with the threat if necessary; and leaving the area when it is safe to do so.

Annual ALICE training is mandatory under the school district's emergency operations plan under RSA 189:64. For more information on ALICE, please access this website: www.alicetraining.com.

Outreach Worker Lisa Rogers and Social Worker Judith Hertzler provided professional development training on McKinney-Vento to address homelessness.

The McKinney–Vento Homeless Assistance Act of 1987 is a federal law that provides money for homeless shelter programs and in support of unhoused students and families. By providing targeted assistance, the Act attempts to remove barriers to success for students who show lower educational achievements when unhoused.

First and foremost, McKinney-Vento ensures that children and unaccompanied youth experiencing homelessness have access to public education, including the right to remain in their school of origin if that is in their best interest. The act secures transportation to and from school, helping students continue their education despite housing instability. It addresses food insecurity by providing free and reduced meals at school. The assistance extended under McKinney-Vento also facilitates access to various services such as healthcare, mental health services, and social services, helping families stabilize their situations.

While McKinney-Vento addresses immediate issues, it also addresses the problem of homelessness long-term. According to research, the absence of a high school diploma is the single highest risk factor for continued homelessness. McKinney-Vento interventions at the school level thus help prevent future cycles of homelessness.

For more information on McKinney-Vento, see the web page dedicated to the Education for Homeless Children and Youth Program on the New Hampshire Department of Education website.

The ConVal School Board would like to share the following information regarding the outcome of votes taken by the Withdrawal Study Committee.

• To the question, is the full committee ready to vote or is more time and information needed to make a determination, the committee voted 12 - 3 in favor of being ready to take a vote.
• To the question, is it both feasible and suitable for the town of Dublin to withdraw from the ConVal School District, the committee voted 9-6 to “Not Recommend” withdrawal.
• To the question, is it both feasible and suitable for the town of Francestown to withdraw from the ConVal School District, the committee voted 8-7 to “Not Recommend” withdrawal.

Since the committee did not recommend withdrawal for either town, it must file a final report for its decision regarding both Dublin and Francestown with the State Board of Education, as well as the ConVal School Board. Upon doing so the Withdrawal Study Committee is dissolved. RSA 195:25, IV. These reports must be submitted to the State Board of Education by Oct 22, 2024.

Members of the committee who voted to recommend withdrawal may file a minority report with the ConVal School Board and the State Board of Education recommending withdrawal. This report must be filed by October 22, 2024. They must also develop a withdrawal plan and submit the plan to the State Board of Education by November 1, 2024. If the School Board disagrees with a recommendation to withdraw issued by a minority on the Withdrawal Study Committee, it may appear before the State Board of Education and oppose that recommendation. If the State Board of Education approves the withdrawal plan, residents will vote on the withdrawal plan on March 11, 2025.

If the article does not receive a majority of votes from the preexisting district(s) seeking to withdraw, then the withdrawal process is terminated. RSA 195:29, I. If the article passes in the preexisting district(s) seeking to withdraw and a majority of voters in the entire cooperative district vote in favor of the article, then withdrawal will pass (RSA 195:29 II).

If a three-fifths supermajority of the voters in the withdrawing preexisting district vote in favor of withdrawal, then the withdrawal vote will pass unless a three-fifths majority of voters for the entire cooperative district vote against withdrawal. RSA 195:29 III. If the vote to withdraw passes, the withdrawal takes effect on July 1st, 2026.

While the Withdrawal Study Committee will dissolve upon filing its final reports, the Financial Subcommittee will continue to meet over the coming months. The Subcommittee will continue its work of analyzing the impacts of withdrawal on all parties. The School Board and the Financial Subcommittee are dedicated to pursuing and disseminating the most accurate information possible. Dates and times of future Financial Subcommittee meetings will be determined and posted on the school board website.

Minutes from the meetings of the Withdrawal Study Committee can be found on the School Board’s website here.

End 68 Hours of Hunger is a public, non-profit program in the ConVal School District that provides backpacks with meals to children for the weekend when they cannot rely on school breakfasts and lunches. The food bags contain two breakfasts, two lunches, two dinners, and two snacks. The program serves all the towns of the ConVal School District.

End 68 Hours of Hunger is holding a food drive from now through the end of September and has partnered with local businesses to serve as collection sites. The suggested items for the drive include canned chicken and tuna, canned pastas, fruit cups, as well as macaroni and cheese. Monetary donations are tax-deductible. Donations can be made by check to ConVal End 68 Hours and mailed to ConVal End 68 Hours of Hunger, c/o SAU 1, 106 Hancock Road, Peterborough.

For more information on End 68 Hours of Hunger at ConVal, including a list of donation dropoff locations, click here.

As part of the Professional Development Day sessions, attendees from across the district completed mandatory training on suicide prevention. This training covered best practices in suicide prevention and crisis response related to suicidal behavior in schools. Training topics include risk and protective factors and warning signs for suicide; skills for intervening with students at risk; insights into suicide data and factors that impact suicide risk; a review of best practices for reducing access to lethal means; steps to promote help-seeking behavior; and strategies to increase suicide prevention efforts through collaboration with community services.