Here’s your recap of the Monday, October 28, Board of School Committee meeting. You can find the agenda for the meeting here: https://5il.co/2zktm. Video from the meeting will be posted online by Manchester Public Television. As a reminder, we provide live updates from full board meetings at https://x.com/mansd_nh.
Beech Street Choir performs
Prior to the meeting, students from Beech Street School’s choir performed for the board and a packed audience. Led by music teacher Ethan Brown, students ran through five spirited songs, including a few Beech Street-themed tunes and a Halloween jam.
The choir also performed at CelebratED in September, and we were excited to get them some more time in the spotlight. Tremendous job by all of the students and Mr. Brown – we appreciate you joining us to share your talents.
This performance is one of many that take place throughout the school year prior to board meetings, arranged by Fine Arts Director Ed Doyle. We’re already looking forward to the next performance later this month.
Gossler Park siblings lead Pledge of Allegiance
On Monday night, students from Gossler Park Elementary School joined us to lead the Pledge of Allegiance. Not only were the three Gossler Park students siblings, but they’re actually triplets – which may or may not be a first for students leading the Pledge at a board meeting.
Prior to the meeting, students Daryl, Dereck and Dassy had the opportunity to meet Mayor Ruais and Board Member Joy Senecal in the mayor’s office.
Great job, students, and thanks to Principal Lori Upham for coordinating.
Action and consent agendas
With no recognitions, presentations or public comment at Monday’s meeting, the board moved right into the consent agenda. The sole item on the consent agenda was a request to eventually move the commissary kitchen from its current home at Beech Street School.
The high schools, middle schools and two elementary schools – Bakersville and Parker-Varney – have their own production kitchens, meaning they cook their own food for lunches. The remaining elementary schools are served by the commissary kitchen, which prepares food that is then delivered to the schools to serve to students. As the District develops the design for the new Beech Street School, the space that a new commissary kitchen might use can instead be used for educational purposes. The new kitchen wouldn’t need to open until the current school closes. With that in mind, the board approved moving the kitchen, but held off on making a recommendation for a new location until more information on the options is available.
The consent agenda included one policy revision from the Policy Committee – Foundation 105: Philosophy of the School District – as well as items from the Finance Committee. The item that drew the most discussion was a proposal to launch a new dual language immersion program. This French program, as proposed, would operate at Webster School, much as the current Spanish dual language immersion program operates at Bakersville. Board members expressed support for the program but expressed concern about launching it so soon after the Spanish program. The board ultimately opted to wait to take action on the proposal until later this year.
Adjournment
After some brief updates in Superintendent’s Communications, the board moved to non-public session and eventually adjourned the meeting.
The next full meeting of the board is set for November 12 – a Tuesday, as the typical meeting day falls on Veterans Day.