BY NICHOLAS BROWN

Manchester’s school leaders opted not to move forward with a plan to ship all of Hooksett’s high school students to Manchester High School West.

At least four Manchester school board members had said they favored the plan, as the west-side school will see an exodus of about 900 Bedford high school students over the next two years. Bedford is currently constructing its own high school/middle school.

But at a Monday, April 9, meeting, the Manchester board, in a split vote, chose to instead pursue an academy or magnet school plan that could fill West with specialized learning academies for students throughout the district.

Manchester school attorney Brad Cook, who helped draw up the current 20-year tuition contract that currently sends about 600 high school students to both Manchester Central and West high schools, said redistricting to ship all of Hooksett’s students to West would violate the deal, said Manchester schools superintendent Michael Ludwell.

After the meeting, Manchester Board of Schools Vice Chairman Leslee Stewart said, “I think with the board’s vote and the counsel’s opinion it’s safe to say we’re abiding by the contract.”

Hooksett School District Superintendent Charles Littlefield told Ludwell in private meetings that the Hooksett community wasn’t interested in redistricting.

“I heard loud and clear from the parents that there was a tradition in this community of attendance at either Central or West,” he said. “Some parents were very vocal about their opposition to a change.”

Littlefield said his understanding of the 20-year tuition deal – which makes space for 550 Hooksett students at Central and 350 at West – is that Hooksett must make a good faith effort to review its terms when Bedford leaves.

“We would negotiate, but obviously there are some things we wouldn’t want to put on the table,” he said.
“Redistricting is an avenue we’re not interested in.”

The Manchester board voted to pursue the academy, or magnet, schools option after some strong support from Manchester parents at meetings and public forums in recent weeks. Stewart said the program could include specialized learning academies for students with focused talents or interests, or specialized classes for struggling students. The academy/magnet concept could also include “anything we haven’t thought of yet,” she said.

The board, being advised by a Future of West High School Committee, had also considered redistricting, grade reconfigurations at city schools, and filling West with school district administrative offices, currently located in rented space.

Now Ludwell plans to return with some possible guidelines for kicking off an academy/magnet program to potentially launch in September 2008, said Stewart.

Littlefield said he likes the academy/magnet concept for West.

“This takes a problem – that is the unequal distribution of youngsters at Manchester high schools – and creates an opportunity.”