Bow News : schools

Bow School Board sets the tone for the district

Bow Editor — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 00:45:00 GMT

They may not still be in the classroom, but School Board members are among Bow residents who are constantly learning.

“The mission statement of the school is that we’re a community of lifelong learners,” said School Board Chairman Deb McCann. “I think that holds true for the adults in town as well.”

McCann is in her fifth year with the School Board, and her first year as chairman. Warren Fargo said the board takes pride in its ability to work closely together, even when in disagreement.

“The thing that I like is in our district we have a good board, and a board who thinks through each issue very clearly,” said Fargo. “It’s not a knee-jerk reaction board. It knows what it’s doing, and because of that there’s a nice calmness in the district and we’re able to put our time to the important things.”

Stephen Elgert agreed with Fargo’s description of the kind of discussions the board has. “We have vigorous discussions and listen to each other’s points of view, and have a single voice. That’s helped,” said Elgert.

“We haven’t had people going off on the board saying they disagree, which has been a big and powerful statement to the community.”

Elgert said if anything, the board has sometimes been criticized for have so many unanimous votes.

Fargo was appointed in 2002 when a board member vacated the seat, and is now in his second elected term. He brings a different dimension to the board, as he has in the past served as a superintendent of schools.

“I think having that experience has helped a lot,” said Fargo. “I can read between the lines on some things and it can make it a little easier for me.”

Pansy Bloomfield has been volunteering with the school since her oldest son, now 29, was in first grade. Eight years ago, she said the only logical next step for her was to run for the board.

“I think it’s rewarding anytime you’re involved with children,” Bloomfield said. “When you have a direct hands-on interaction with kids, you have an immediate gratification. On the board, sometimes it takes a while because when you make policy changes it can take a few years. It’s a different kind of rewarding.”

Also involved with the School Board is Superintendent of Schools Dean Cascadden, who’s in his second year with the district. His job is to make sure the group stays focused.

“I would say my biggest thing is making sure the board stays on their level of decision-making, which is policy and general ways that we run things,” said Cascadden. “It’s easier to get into the nitty-gritty of how we should do things, but that’s not what we should be doing. We should be looking at the larger questions.”

Several board members said the most difficult aspect of their roles can be dealing with the financial aspects of the district.

“Unfortunately, right now, we’re into a downturn into the economy,” said Elgert. “That’s limiting new programs we can come up with.”

Fargo also said it can be difficult finding a financial balance.

“We have to look at our responsibility towards education of the kids, and also keep in mind the taxpayer,” said Fargo. “It gets harder and harder each time, and this year will be especially difficult.”

McCann said for her, the most difficult aspect is getting feedback that the board is not as up front as it could be, something she said members are trying to fix by holding events like the meet and greet that took place on Thursday, Oct. 23.

“I really enjoy the interaction with the community and the staff,” said McCann. “ I don’t see myself as a politician. I see it as a service to my community. Not everyone is going to be happy with decisions that are made, and sometimes I think maybe my skin isn’t thick enough. We’re not trying to increase taxes, we’re trying to offer our children the best that we can.”

Bow first-graders give children a happier holiday season

Bow Editor — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 21:25:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Whether keeping hands in need warm or giving presents to others, Bow Elementary School first-graders have learned how to give a helping hand during the holiday season.

After reading Candace Christiansen’s children’s book, “The Mitten Tree,” students in the six first-grade classes brought in unused mittens and hung them on a tree in the school’s hallway to donate to families in need.

In addition, the classes for the second consecutive year have worked out job contracts with their families to do chores to raise money that will be used to buy gifts so those less fortunate can have happier holidays.

“We wanted to get them presents because they don’t get any from Santa,” said Ben Wheeler, 6.

“It’s nice to give things the kids don’t have, and it’s good to share because they probably don’t get a lot for Christmas,” said first-grader Brianna Boone.

One of the organizers of the two drives was Colleen Snow, a first-grade teacher in her second year at Bow.

“We work really hard in the month or so before Christmas trying to get the kids to think outside of just getting gifts. We want them to think more about giving to others,” she said.

During last year’s job contract project, the first grade raised about $960 that purchased a variety of toys and clothes for needy children. So far this year, Snow said the classes have raised about $800.

“Once they get over the initial excitement of seeing all of the toys, they think about what it’s like for the kids to wake up with gifts under the tree,” said Snow. “At the beginning of the project, a lot of the kids said they could give their old toys, but they think about what it would be like if they got old toys for Christmas. It’s nice to see that growth in the kids.”

The holiday season has brought out the giving nature in all of the students. When Snow first brought up the mitten drive to the class, one student said, “I don’t even have mittens for myself.”

Another student said she had just learned how to make mittens and came to school the next day with a handmade gift for her classmate.

Snow is impressed with the empathy many of the students have shown, she said.

“I have learned that helping other people is better than helping yourself,” said first-grader Casey Cafasso.

“It’s not about giving what you like to other people, it’s about giving what the other people need,” said student Calvin Carey. “A toy isn’t much, but if it’s something that helps that is a lot better.”

When the lights and trees of the holiday season are taken down, the giving doesn’t end for Bow Elementary’s first-graders, as the children make Valentine’s Day cards and are looking to donate some of their artwork to a nursing home in Concord.

Supreme Court holds session at Bow High School

Bow Editor — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 18:02:00 GMT

BY MICHELLE KIM

Court was in session at Bow High School, when more than 600 area students and faculty from 12 schools got an intimate look at the inner workings of the state’s highest court.

On Thursday, Oct. 25, the ninth “On the Road” session of the New Hampshire Supreme Court took place in the packed auditorium of Bow High School. The auditorium was transformed into an appellate court, complete with court security and protocol, moderated by Superior Court Justice Carol Ann Conboy, as justices heard arguments from lawyers regarding two actual state Supreme Court cases.

The first case addressed whether multiple drug charges could be tried at one time under the same jury. The second case presented questions of sufficiency of evidence and the correctness of a trial judge in setting aside a jury’s verdict.

The five justices were seated on the stage at a black cloth-draped table that served as the bench where they grilled appellate and appellees for 15 minutes each, often backing the attorneys into verbal corners.

After each case hearing, presenting lawyers took questions from the audience while the justices went backstage. Because these were actual upcoming cases, the justices were not allowed to answer student questions on the cases or hear materials other than what was presented.

But after the hearings, the justices derobed and took questions from students on topics ranging from the experience of being a Supreme Court judge to childhood ambitions.

When asked about the aspects of the job they liked most, the justices mentioned the variety of cases they saw and the privilege of holding a public trust. Isolation topped the list of things they disliked, as the justices must monitor everything they say and do in public and often limit their social circles.

Justice Linda Dalianis said to avoid conflicts of interest, judges disqualify themselves from cases involving associates. Each justice maintains a rigorously checked disqualification list of people they socialize with.

“It’s sometimes easier not to socialize,” added Justice James Duggin.

A Bow High School student asked Dalianis about being a woman on the Supreme Court.

“It was a tough adjustment!” chimed in Justice Richard Galway, to much laughter.

“I can tell you they don’t mess with me,” said Dalianis.

Dalianis, the first woman on the New Hampshire Supreme Court, said early in her career she felt an enormous responsibility to the young women that would follow after her, but that she got “over it” about 25 years ago.

The students also asked the presenting attorneys about the experience of being put on the spot by the justices.

“Fifteen minutes seems like an awfully long time,” said Assistant Attorney General Susan McGinnis.

“But when they’re banging away at you, they’re really looking for answers,” said attorney Henry Spaloss.

Justice Richard Galway said later that justices are looking for the lawyers to educate them on the case.

Although a few students used the time to nap or doodle, most paid close attention.

Hopkinton High School seniors Sam Grady and Alexandra Winzeler, who take Rob Nadeau’s “Law and You” class, both found the session interesting.

“I was surprised at how much the justices had to poke holes in both sides of the arguments to get the best understanding of what was really factual,” said Winzeler. “I didn’t expect them to be so harsh.”

Grady took the other point of view.

“Some of the lawyers, they didn’t seem to know what they were talking about,” he said.

Winzeler, a senior at Hopkinton High, asked attorney Theodore Lothstein about the most unusual error of law he had argued for or against. Though it took a few minutes to determine, Lothstein recalled a tragic case of his where a man had shot his brother in mistaken self-defense.

Students were able to follow along with the oral arguments thanks to briefings they received from volunteer lawyers who visited each class to explain the cases and answer questions about the practice of law.

Richard Uchida, former president of the New Hampshire Bar Association, has participated in several “On the Road” sessions and briefed students at Pembroke Academy. He applauds the New Hampshire Supreme Court for making its decision-making process transparent.

“I think that builds faith in the system of justice,” he said. “We may disagree with a result and we may disagree with the outcome of a case, but we have faith in the system itself.”

Contrary to the perception many people may have, Chief Justice John Broderick feels the judicial system is the most public branch of government.

“All our courtrooms are open to the public,” he said. “Our opinions are published. We have to explain what we do.”

He and the other justices hope by bringing the Supreme Court to the students, that they’re demystifying the court system and making it more transparent.

“We enjoy it immensely,” said Broderick, who originally proposed the idea back in 2000.

For the justices, seeing the faces of hundreds of young people is a vivid reminder of the public trust they hold, he said.

The “On the Road” program, which held its first session in 2002 at Saint Anselm College in Manchester and has traveled throughout the state, is looking at the southern tier for next year’s location.

Bow Memorial appeals Annual Yearly Progress report

Bow Editor — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 13:43:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

After being named a school in need of improvement when the Annual Yearly Progress reports were released, Bow Memorial School administrators are still in the process of appealing.

The first appeal to the Commissioner of Education was denied, so Bow Superintendent of Schools Dean Cascadden wrote a letter of appeal to the State Board of Education on Oct. 9.

When the test results were released in early September, Bow Memorial was placed in the category of needing improvement because students in the educational disability category didn’t achieve the proper score in math.

However, under the test regulations, if a school shows improvement of at least 10 percent from the previous year’s scores, it makes Annual Yearly Progress, or AYP, under the safe harbor exception.

“Our position is that the data is incorrect. Because of that, the school is incorrectly given the label. If the data is corrected, then we will make AYP,” said Principal Kirk Spofford. “We feel based on our statistics and a review of the state’s figures that the state figures are clearly wrong. We think the state should allow the figures to be corrected.”

Going back to the 2005-06 data, the state reported Bow Memorial had 33 special education students, when the school actually had 37, according to Spofford. In this year’s data, the school is listed with 31 students, while Spofford said there are 34.

The state denied the original appeal because it does not look at data that “is not current.”

Cascadden said he knows the school is correct in its stance that the data should be fixed.

“I think we’re totally right, and I think it’s in the spirit of the law. And, we should be able to correct that data and be removed from the school in need of improvement,” he said.

Spofford agreed with the superintendent’s feeling. “We want kids counted where they belong. If you take the kids who are really special education students and take their scores, we make AYP,” he said. “The reality is, what the state used for students who are special education are not correct. They counted a certain amount, and the number they counted is incorrect. We want kids counted where they belong. If you take the kids who are really special education students and take their scores, we make AYP.”

School chief welcomes new ideas

Bow Editor — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 14:03:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Dean Cascadden has been superintendent of schools since July, but he still feels like the new guy in Bow.

And, he’s just waiting for an opportunity to prove that he is ready to move forward.

Cascadden, a 1983 graduate of Dartmouth College, has made several stops along the east coast before landing his job in Bow this past summer.

After graduating from Dartmouth, Cascadden stayed in New Hampshire for about 10 years. He then began his graduate studies at Regent University in Virginia, followed by three years at William and Mary College’s doctorate program, where he wrote a dissertation about principals as managers and leaders, something very important to him.

“You have to get management functioning and make it work, and then people will pay attention leadership-wise,” said Cascadden, who is very excited about his current position. “It’s a single town, single school board place, which is great. A lot of superintendents are forced to spend their time going to and preparing for meetings. Here, I get to devote a lot of my time to the issues and concerns that may exist.”

Coming into a well-respected school district like Bow is a change of pace from Cascadden’s principal duties at Bristol’s Newfound Memorial Middle School, where he had to focus on many behavioral issues and work hard to motivate his staff.

“The (Bow) schools have such a good reputation as a strong system with good programs,” said Cascadden, whose son, Ian, has been a student at both schools. “He said the difference is that when the teachers here say, “Get out your papers, it’s time to work,’ the students actually do it. Bow students have a high level of respect for the teachers because of how hard they work.”

Heading into the job, Cascadden wasn’t necessarily nervous, but he was certainly ready to go on July 1 – his first official day on the job.

“It’s always exciting starting something new. I’ve been trying to get a feel for issues and concerns that people may have,” he said. “I think I really will have to get through my first budget cycle and then I’ll be able to talk to the board about what I feel is important.”

Cascadden said one downfall of being a new administrator is that he feels his staff may be hesitant to come to him because they don’t want to overwhelm him with concerns. The superintendent, however, said he looks forward to the day when he has many of the teachers knocking on his door with concerns and ideas.

Cascadden also said sometimes his inquiries about aspects of the school are interpreted as criticism, but he doesn’t see it that way.

“I am kind of like a poker player. I am asking critical questions to see what is there. I’m looking for the truth behind what is presented,” he said. “I want people to feel comfortable talking to me about things. The superintendent’s job is to see all of the pieces and connect them.”

Safety net – Group focuses on keeping students safe on the Web

Bow Editor — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 18:35:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Bow school administrators held a focus group to look at how the district can get the most out of current technology while keeping students safe on the Internet.

At the Oct. 3 meeting, community members and educators gave input on the question, “How do we teach our students to be responsible users of 21st century technology?”

The session included about 30 people. School Board Chairman Pansy Bloomfield said Bow school officials left knowing it was time to make some changes.

“We concluded that the policy needs a few modifications in order to be applicable,” she said. “We need to go to each school and see what is acceptable for different grade levels. This (meeting) is a beginning.”

Bow resident Susan Hatem attended the forum to learn about the policy and give input on how she feels her four kids can be kept safe while maximizing the resources available.

“I do think the policy needs some change. In order to be competent on the Internet, kids should be taught and know how to use some of the interactive aspects of it,” said Hatem. “They can do some research and get information, but not participate in methods to learn from other people around the world.”

Finding that middle ground is something Bloomfield knows will be tricky.

“We want to find as much balance as is comfortable with the community,” she said. “There needs to be a safe, manageable and age-appropriate access education focus. The trick is implementation.”

Following the meeting, administrators will be going back to each school to find the best way to let students explore while being safe – a crucial aspect to Hatem.

“It’s very important to keep them safe,” she said. “There should be age-appropriate control protecting younger kids from themselves. They could easily give out information that could provide a risk. You want to protect middle school kids from cyber-bullying and things like that. Middle school kids are more vulnerable to that.”

High schoolers are getting older, reaching toward adulthood, she said.

“They need to be protected some while also learning to use the tools responsibly,” said Hatem.

The focus group involved an explanation of the current policy, including two different levels of Internet filtering. However, in some cases, the filtering is at such a high level that students have no access to Web sites that aren’t necessarily inappropriate.

Those at the meeting, which was led by a facilitator, were then split into smaller groups and given different roles. Parents, faculty members and a few students were on hand to give input on a variety of levels.

Bloomfield stressed how important community involvement is as the process continues and to find the best method that will not take time away from teachers.

Despite the good attndance at the meeting, there was always room for more.

“I wish more people had been there, and I think it’s important to keep people informed on the progress we’re making,” said Hatem.

Busted again – SNHU basketball star faces charges after fight

Bow Editor — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 23:38:00 GMT

BY RYAN O'CONNOR

In the midst of facing felony and misdemeanor charges for allegedly possessing and selling marijuana to an undercover officer with the Attorney General’s drug task force, Paul Chergey again finds himself in trouble with the law.

The former Bow High School basketball star and current Southern New Hampshire University hoopster was suspended indefinitely after Penmen head coach Stan Spirou was informed of the allegations.

On Saturday, Sept. 22, Chergey was arrested by the Hooksett Police Department following an on-campus fight and was charged with reckless operation of a vehicle and being a minor in possession of alcohol, both misdemeanors.

Hooksett Police Capt. Paul Cecilio said witnesses claim Chergey was racing a vehicle around the parking lot.

Cecilio added that the 19-year-old has three outstanding bench warrants out of Concord District Court. Chergey’s lawyer, Kevin Buccholz, was unavailable for comment.

The two misdemeanor counts carry up to a year a piece, in addition to the drug charges that bring one to three years in prison for each special felony count and 12 months in the House of Corrections for a Class A misdemeanor.

Chergey may also lose his license for up to a year if convicted of reckless driving.

Dr. Scott Kalicki, vice president of student affairs at the university, said incident reports indicate Hooksett police were called at the request of Chergey’s combatant during the altercation.

Kalicki said the school is investigating the incident.

“Any time there is a physical altercation, we quickly do fact-finding, assuming both parties are responsible for the altercation and take it from there unless there is evidence that an individual was purely acting in self defense and couldn’t extricate themselves from the situation,” he said. “Certainly both students will be under review for this incident.”

Both men involved were examined and offered medical attention.

Both declined, said Kalicki.

Southern New Hampshire University athletics director Skip Polak, who is in his 32nd year with the institution, said if the allegations regarding the possession and sale of drugs are accurate, the charges are the most serious ever brought against a Southern New Hampshire University student athlete.

Still, Polak said he has yet to see, first hand, the actual indictments, though he acknowledged he and Jim Winn, the school’s director of safety, met with Chergey in person on Friday, Sept. 21.

“It’s really a school issue first and foremost. We have a disciplinary protocol that we, as an institution, follow,” said Polak. “Right now, it’s in a fact-finding stage, so to speculate in anyway would be premature at this point.”

Still, Kalicki said Chergey may receive further disciplinary action, the extent of which has yet to be determined.

“We’re really talking about two separate things,” he said. “One is a student handbook violation based on violent act on campus that we consider a major violation in which a student can be removed from residence halls or the academic
institution for an extended period of time.

“The other, equally, is something we will try to get more information on and monitor,” Kalicki said. “When we believe we have enough information, we’ll put him through the proper judicial process on campus.”

According to the Kalicki, the SNHU handbook indicates a student may not disrupt relationships within the university and surrounding community, which the felony charges fall under.

“There is a whole set of ranges, which becomes a challenge for us because we’re not holders of the information,” he said.

“We simply have Paul’s brief version of what took place, so, until we find out more, we have no other immediate action other than what the basketball coach has decided.”

Paper’s test gets strong reaction – Bow says it complies with Right to Know Law

Bow Editor — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 00:21:00 GMT

BY CHRISTINE HEISER

After results of an investigation into Bow’s compliance with the New Hampshire Right to Know Law were published, some information has come to light that shows Bow to be more in line with the law than was reported.

In the first part of a series conducted by The Bow Times, printed on Thursday, Sept. 13, Bow was counted in the towns not complying with the law, mainly because requested information was not received by press time.

After the story was published, however, several officials voiced a protest about the rating.

“We not only comply, but we endeavor to ensure that we are disclosing all of the information that the person is seeking, within the law,” said James C. Pitts, Bow town manager.

Reporters went to the towns in the Neighborhood News coverage area and asked for information from the town offices, school districts and police departments. Towns and schools were asked for the latest meeting minutes and employee salaries, and police were asked for lists of arrest and police activities.

Some misunderstanding about what information was being asked for, as well as other extenuating circumstances resulted in the requested documents not being received by reporters by press time.

In the case of Bow town salaries, business administrator Bob Levan attempted to call the reporter to verify what exactly was being asked for, but dialed an incorrect number, so the question was never received.

Pitts said he is sure the information would have been forthcoming if a second connection had been made. Selectmen meeting minutes were given immediately upon request.

But Pitts did agree that questioning the reporter about why they wanted the information, which happened at the Municipal Building and at the Police Department, was inappropriate, though not a direct violation of the Right to Know Law.

“That shouldn’t have happened,” he said.

Pitts is a municipalities representative on the state Right to Know Oversight Commission. Members are attempting to amend the law to bring it into the current century, he said, mainly to benefit governing bodies of three people in smaller towns, who can’t make emergency decisions if some of their members are out of town. This happens often in towns in the North Country, he said, and the law does not allow decisions to be made unless a meeting is posted ahead of time.

As far as the Bow Police Department’s compliance, Pitts said the difference between asking for the log and the arrest list could mean as much as 200 pages, so a written request is asked for to make sure police give the information that is required.

The police keep the information about activities on a computer to be able to get it to the public in a timely manner, said Bow Police Chief Jeff Jaran in a letter to the editor of The Bow Times.

The department provides police log information to the paper each week.

“If additional requests other than what is provided to the media come into the station, there is a check and balance system in place to ensure that a person’s private information is not given out inadvertently,” Jaran said.

He said by requiring written requests, the police ensure the protection of personal information, while providing exactly what a person is looking for to avoid claims they did not receive what was originally requested.

At SAU 67, the reporter’s request for teacher salaries was directed to Duane Ford, the district’s business administrator, who was out of the office and did not return a phone message left for him until after deadline.

School Superintendent Dean Cascadden said the information would have been provided without question. He also likes to have a written record of the request to remind him of the exact nature of the inquiry.

“That’s how I do business,” he said. “Everything open and above board.”

Bow resident Richard Wombolt said he didn’t know much about the Right to Know Law until he read the story.

“The law is a good thing,” he said. “You do have a right to know what’s going on in towns. You vote and pay taxes, so you should have the right to know.”

It’s your right to know – Not all officials comply with requests for public documents – Hopkinton does well, Bow fails our test

Bow Editor — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 21:02:00 GMT

BY GINGER KOZLOWSKI

Have you ever wondered how much your child’s teacher is paid? How about what happened at the last school board or selectmen’s meeting? Or whether your neighbor was arrested in that commotion last week?

You have every right to get that information, but it may not be easy to do so.

Neighborhood News investigated accessibility to such public documents by having staffers ask for town and school minutes and salaries as well as the list of arrests and police calls in the previous week.

We did not identify ourselves as reporters in order to see how the general public would be treated when making such requests.

Adhering not only to the letter but also the spirit of the Right to Know Law are Windham and Candia, where town hall workers went out of their way to make sure we had everything we asked for and more.

Overall, the 16 towns in our coverage area do well at releasing minutes of town and school meetings. Ask for salaries or arrests, however, and public servants are protective of this information, some to the point of refusing to release it at all.

The towns which complied immediately with all our requests for town and school minutes and salaries plus a list of arrests were Windham, Pelham, Dunbarton, Hopkinton and New Boston.

Failing our requests were the police departments in Allenstown, Auburn, Bedford, Bow, Goffstown, Hooksett, Pembroke and Weare. The town halls in Allenstown and Bow refused to release town salaries at all, while Bedford, Hooksett and Salem put us off with having to make a request in writing. All 16 town halls immediately gave us minutes for their town council or selectmen meetings.

At the school district offices, all gave us the school minutes we asked for. The Bow, Bedford and Weare SAUs refused to release school salaries, while SAU 66 (Hopkinton), SAU 19 (Goffstown, New Boston and Dunbarton) and SAU 28 (Windham/Pelham) complied. There seemed to be confusion over what we asked for at SAU 15 (Hooksett, Candia and Auburn) and SAU 53 (Pembroke, Allenstown and Epsom), so we did not receive salary information by press time, but they both seemed to be working on the request.

Principal spends two weeks in South Africa

Bow Editor — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 22:15:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Even as an elementary school principal, Deborah Gibbens is still learning some extremely valuable lessons.

Gibbens, principal of Bow Elementary School, recently worked with a group of American and South African theater students in connection with a documentary study she is working on for her doctoral dissertation.

A group of 10 South African students from varying tribes came to New Hampshire to join the Kearsarge Arts Theatre Company to perform a play based on Emily Dickenson’s poem “Hope is Like a Feather.”

During the first two weeks of August, a group of the American performers in turn took the trip to South Africa to perform the play at a variety of school and community venues.

Gibbens said the experience taught her and her students great lessons in accepting culture.

“It was a humbling experience, because we were in schools that had large classes, very few resources, and then we came back to American society and it really gave us an appreciation for diversity,” she said.

“The children were wonderful to watch grow. It was amazing. The students had such a different perspective, but were really receptive to each other as well.”

Although it was a learning experience, it was also somewhat difficult for Gibbens to take in the South African culture.

“It was challenging. It broke my heart in some ways when we looked at some of the schools and living conditions. It also gave me a renewed energy to find a way to bring different cultures together,” she said.

While she served as a faculty member, she also was able to learn from the children, ages 12 to 18, involved.

“My favorite part of the experience was to really watch the children learn about each other’s culture. The South African students really accepted the differences in the diverse groups within their cultures,” said Gibbens. “I learned about trying to really understand different viewpoints and different perspectives. It teaches you to listen more, go deeper and learn more of a perspective of where someone is coming.”
One member of the group was Gibbens’ daughter, Kirsten, who is a student at Bow Memorial School.
Gibbens said the experience, “opened her eyes to the world.”

Heading into the upcoming school year, Gibbens looks forward to taking her experiences in South Africa and applying them into the classroom to teach students about understanding diverse cultures, and also anticipates helping the South African students in any way possible.

After their trip to New Hampshire, Gibbens said many of the South African children would even like to attend Plymouth State University.

Although working on a dissertation is far from an easy task, Gibbens is certainly glad she got involved with the theater group.

“It’s very hard to put into words, because it was a very life-changing experience,” she said. “It opened my eyes to a bigger world and I look forward to providing students with the opportunity to do this again in the future, because they are our future. If we can build that hope and that desire to accept each other’s cultures, it will be a much better world.”

Teens spend time with younger students

Bow Editor — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 22:08:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

High school students don’t always spend time with elementary school students by choice.

However, a group of Bow High School students is doing just that, and benefiting from the time as well.

The Junior-Senior Friends Program gives Bow youths the opportunity to spend time with a mentor for about an hour and a half to two hours per week, participating in a variety of activities, according to program director Sue Withers.

“The focus of the mentoring program is one on one, where the mentor is focused only on the child they are partnered with. They play games, go to the library, go play on the playground or whatever they chose to spend their hour or two a week doing,” she said.

Jack Mulvaney was referred to the program by his guidance counselor last year, and was paired up with Tyler Cole.

“I love spending time with my junior friend. We like to play in the gym and be active every time we’re together. I’ve seen Tyler develop in the friendship,” said Mulvaney, who will be a senior this year at Bow High School. “He had some behavioral problems and he’s been able to fix them. It’s great to see.”

Cole’s mother, Dawn Morris has also been thrilled with the program.

“He always looks forward to spending that time with Jack. It’s a safe opportunity for them to get together and enjoy each other’s company. I wasn’t looking for huge changes, but for him to make connections and find someone he could rely on,” she said. “He respects him very much and wants to make sure he pleases him. He is constantly practicing good sportsmanship, which has been helpful.”

Withers said the relationship between the two isn’t only beneficial for one side.

“It’s definitely a win-win situation for both. The junior friends gain a sense of confidence and feel good about themselves. They know someone is there just for them, it boosts their self esteem along with having fun,” she said.

“For the senior friends to know that someone looks forward to seeing them every week and that they are making a difference in a child’s life just by being as friend and spending time with them, they are making that child feel special. It’s a real confidence booster for them, too.”

Mulvaney said he’ll miss his junior friend when he graduates from Bow High School this year, and he’ll miss the lessons he has been able to teach Cole.

“I think the junior friend emulates their senior friend. Not only are you supposed to act like a friend, but guide them in the right direction and teach them right from wrong and act as a good behavior model as well,” said Mulvaney, who also said he helps to ease Cole’s transition to Bow Memorial School.

Withers is most impressed with the time the mentors have to give, despite their busy schedules.

“They are wonderful young people and they obviously have a love for being with children. They want to make a difference in a kid’s life and want to have fun,” she said. “The senior friends are all involved in other activities and they still find time to give themselves to a child who will benefit from spending time with them.”

Carrie Young and Ellie Hahn will also be returning to the program as mentors this fall for their second year. While Withers said two other students are going to be joining as well.

It may be only two hours per week, but Withers knows the importance of the time.

“They just see how they can make a difference in someone’s life and how they can be a very important person.”

Behaving badly – 60 percent of arrests in Bow are teens, young adults

Bow Editor — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 22:06:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

During a routine patrol at Bow High School, police arrested four teenagers after finding a vandalized women’s bathroom and observing the teens allegedly consuming alcoholic beverages.

On Friday, Aug. 17, Steven Chagnon, 17, and Liam Couture, 17, as well as a 15- and 16-year-old, were arrested.

In addition, a police investigation into a series of thefts on Cardinal and Chelsea drives focused on a group of teenagers, leading to the arrest of Colby Apple, 17, with more arrests anticipated.

Statistics from the Bow Police Department show a significant number of teenagers breaking the law, as 65 percent of all arrests in Bow last year were of 11- to 24-year-olds. To date this year, Bow police Lt. Dave Girard said 60 percent of the arrests were in the same age group.

Girard said the recent behavior is nothing new to his department.

“I guess I’m not surprised by it anymore, I’m just used to it. It’s just unfortunate, and what makes it worse is that a lot of these kids we’ve never dealt with before, and some of the names are new to us,” said Girard.

Girard also said some of the behavior of the teens has to do with a lack of parent involvement due to work hours.

“I think that with today’s society, it dictates that both parents have to go into the workplace to pay all of the bills.
Younger kids are being left unsupervised and from time to time they tend to congregate,” said Girard. “When you get unsupervised groups of young people it’s kind of a recipe for mischief.”

“There is nothing for teenagers to really do in Bow, which is what a lot of people will say is the issue. They congregate, and if they get kicked out of one place, they move on to a new place,” said Robert Louf, coordinator of Bow Neighborhood Watch. “How do you provide places of enjoyment for teenagers that will help alleviate this?”
Girard said the teenagers involved often make it easier for his officers to locate the suspicious behavior.

“Believe it or not, we’re not out there targeting or profiling teens. This is stuff they’ve generally brought upon themselves. When someone takes off running it’s kind of a red flag in itself,” he said.

According to Girard, 28 of the Police Department’s last 32 drug-related arrests have been for those between the ages of 14 and 22.

One group in town concerned about those numbers is the Bow Alochol and Drug Coalition (BADco). Heading the group is Sandy Eldredge, who said it is important for parents to help slow the behavior.

“The one that has the most influence is the parents, whether they know it or not. Whether they do their part in checking on them and those kinds of things, the parents who are looking after their kids, those are the kids who do OK,” said Eldredge.

BADco also funds a Student Assistance Program counselor for one day a week in the middle school and one in the high school, though it is short $5,000 needed to keep the school’s counselor, Heather Kingston, through the year.

The counselor helps give students the opportunity to have someone to speak with about drug and alochol problems. Eldredge said the money needed would pay to have the counselor in the school two days a week, though with Kingston’s busy schedule, she is needed for three.

BADco also conducted a study in 2005 called the Youth Risk Behavior Survey where it asked 460 freshmen, sophomores and juniors a variety of questions regarding drugs and alcohol. Although the results are below the state average, the study still provides some interesting numbers.

According to the survey, 63 percent of those surveyed used drugs or alcohol at some point, with 76 percent having tried alcohol for the first time between the ages of 13 and 16. Also, 21 percent of students consumed alcohol for the first time at age 12 or younger.

In terms of marijuana, 27 percent of Bow High School students used the drug, with 94 percent of those having tried it by the age of 16.

Bow Superintendent of Schools Dean Cascadden, who is also involved in BADco, said that although no drug and alcohol numbers are good to see, he isn’t ready to panic on Bow’s statistics.

“In that data, it shows that Bow has less of an issue with substance abuse than most of New Hampshire. But substance abuse is a fact of modern day life, and modern teen life. I don’t think there is an alarmist problem, but it is a persistent problem,” he said.

School Board seeks input on Internet access

Bow Editor — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 21:56:00 GMT

BY KEVIN SHALVEY

The Bow School District is asking community members whether students and school faculty should have unfiltered access to the Internet, coupled with instruction concerning safety.

“Because we have a safe system here, we’re not necessarily having instruction on safe Internet use,” said School Board Chairman Pansy Bloomfield.

At a Wednesday, Oct. 3, open forum, community members are invited to share in the discussion.

Since the school opened 10 years ago, Internet access has been filtered for both students and faculty -- making only certain, pre-approved Web sites available. That sometimes makes teachers’ research tough, Bloomfield said.

“Technology is rampant throughout our schools,” she said.

There are mobile laptop labs, computer labs and in-classroom computer engineering work at the school.

In the past, students have found ways around the filters, too, Bloomfield said. Because the filters are there, students will find ways around them.

“I think there’s a difference between being able to do whatever you want and actually doing whatever you want,” said Bloomfield.

The class of 2007 was the first class to go through their entire Bow School District careers with the Internet in every grade.

“As the generations come up, it’s not going to change, so we just wanted to get the conversation going,” said Bloomfield.

The meeting will take place Wednesday, Oct. 3, at 7 p.m., at Bow High School. The School Board requests those interested e-mail no-boundraries@bownet.org.

State raises drop-out age – Legislation draws mixed feelings

Bow Editor — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 20:06:00 GMT

BY KEVIN SHALVEY

On Tuesday, June 26, Gov. John Lynch signed into law legislation to raise the compulsory high school attendance age to 18. Since 1903, the legal age to drop out was 16 years old.

“Today we are taking a significant step toward helping more of New Hampshire’s young people graduate from high school, which will give them the opportunities they deserve for better lives,” said Lynch in a statement.

But Hopkinton and Bow residents have mixed feelings about whether keeping students in high school until they’re 18 years old will be a benefit to those students.

Bow’s Mary Rogers said her daughter, Elizabeth, will be starting at Bow High School
in the fall. The legislation won’t directly benefit her, but it will be good for others,
Rogers said.

“I just think that for some kids who aren’t on the right path, or who don’t have the right guidance, this will be a way to keep them in school,” she said.

Bow’s new superintendent, Dean Cascadden, started work on Monday, July 2. He said students drop out because they’re not stimulated, so students should be given incentives and programs that will keep them coming to school.

“In theory, I absolutely support the bill in concept,” he said.

Hopkinton High School has an enrollment of about 350 students.

“The dropout rate is low, and while it’s low we do have one or two kids drop out each year,” said Principal Steven Chamberlin.

Along with the new law, the school’s goal is to make programs that will entice all kids to stay involved, he said.

“The other piece is how do we make Hopkinton High School work for all kids,” he said.

Bow’s Tareah Gray said some students might not fit into the general high school curriculum and would benefit from an alternative school.

“I guess I have mixed feelings about it. I think the intention is great,” said Gray, a teacher who is taking time off to raise her children.

But alternative schools, like the New Hampshire Technical Institute or a private school, could be too costly, she said.

“I guess I feel that it is ideal to keep kids in school until they’re 18, but the reality is it might be too expensive,” she said.

Hopkinton’s Aviva Nestler also said she had mixed feelings about the legislation.

“I think on the one hand, it is definitely good to stay in school and graduate because I know the benefits of going to college,” she said.

But, Nestler said she also knows people who got their GED at age 16 and went on to be prosperous.

Leland Kimball, whose grandchildren are students at Bow Elementary School, said the legislation will be good for students.

“Well, I personally think it’s a good idea. The option of getting out at age 16 is too young,” he said.

High school celebrates 10-year anniversary

Bow Editor — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 19:07:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

The theme of the day was “Bow High School: Past, Present and Future.”

The concept was fitting, because in attendance at Bow High School’s 10th anniversary celebration on June 9 were community members, school board members, faculty, students and alumni.

Some were visionaries who helped create the school; others were innovators who molded the school over the last decade; and others still were those committed to its continued excellence for years to come.

Two people representing Bow High School’s past were former principal George Edwards, who left Bow last year, and former school board member and building committee Chairman Marie McMillen.

Also present were first-year principal John House-Myers and school board members Anne Baier and Pansy Bloomfield, the current chairman, all parts of the school’s future as well.

But the students, said senior Katie Seraikas, are the heart of the school, which she displayed by inviting freshman Lori Zibel to represent the future and Jess Kaufman to represent Bow High School’s past.

Seraikas, of course, represented the present.

Kaufman was in the first class to attend all four year’s at the school. She graduated in 2001.

She spoke of the various academic and athletic achievements accomplished by the school in only a decade.

“As Bow enters its 10th year, my message to the students is to continue to create memories and traditions as they will serve you well long after you leave this campus,” said Kaufman.

Seraikas said she came up with the idea to hold a celebration for Bow High School’s 10th anniversary from House-Myers, who she said suggested it to the student senate at the beginning of the school year.

After the idea failed to take off, she adopted it as her senior project.

“We talked about it, but we didn’t really do anything, so I decided to take it on as a personal project,”
Seraikas said. “I knew it wasn’t going to be a project that changed my life forever, like when others do a project that’s really meaningful to them, but it was a good opportunity for me to challenge myself, personally, in leading a group of adults, something I’m not comfortable with.”

In addition to speeches and a cake cutting ceremony, there was a tree planting ceremony the day before, which House-Myers said is an obvious metaphor for Bow High School’s continued growth.