Hopkinton News : Dunbarton

Longer school year for students

Bow Editor — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 20:22:00 GMT

Though the Bow, Dunbarton and Hopkinton school districts missed only one day of school over the winter, the month of April has proven to be more costly than usual in terms of missed class time.

This year, April showers will bring additional school days in June.

Hopkinton

On Tuesday, April 17, Harold Martin Elementary School students missed their fourth school day in April, after losing power the day before and having one of the valves on the boiler malfunction once power was restored.

Maple Street Elementary School and Hopkinton Middle/High School resumed scheduled classes, thus missing three days in the month, for a total of four days.

Hopkinton High School graduation is still set for Saturday, June 9, but for other students, the end of the school year has been pushed back almost a week, from Thursday, June 14, to Wednesday, June 20.

“If we look at the year, overall, in terms of the number of days missed, it’s pretty normal. When we build our calendar, you kind of expect you’re going to use ‘X’ number of days,” said Hopkinton Superintendent Brian Blake. “I think if we would had a snowy winter and then all this rain, and we’re talking about eight or nine days out, we would be in a different situation. But the fact that we made it into April and hadn’t really missed any school proved good for us.”

Blake did note, however, that students have been affected in other ways.

“It hasn’t changed much in terms of when we plan to get out, but the weather has really wreaked havoc on sports,” he said. “By now I’m guessing we should have had six or seven baseball games. We’ve only had one and the softball team hasn’t even played yet.”

Bow

Currently, graduation for Bow High School will remain June 16, though district Superintendent Kathleen Holt said New England weather often changes plans.

“Of course, last year we had two flood days in May, which you can’t really plan on, so it’s hard to define what’s normal?” said Holt, speaking of losing days to rain and wind in addition to the anticipated snow days each year.

This year, Bow students will make up at least two school days and maybe three, depending on what the district decides to do about Monday, April 16, in which students were sent home shortly after 9 a.m. due to a loss of power.

The final day of school was originally set for June 14, but will now go into the next week, though Holt said she it has yet to be decided if or for how long students will attend classes on June 19.

Dunbarton

Dunbarton Elementary School Principal Brent Rogers said, as of yet, he is unsure if students will have to attend make-up days for lost class time.

Though Dunbarton is part of the Goffstown School District, Betty Ann Noyes, Dunbarton School Board member, said the elementary school missed an additional day because of lost power, but had classes Tuesday, April 17, when Goffstown had no classes, which she hopes will put the elementary school back on schedule with the rest of SAU 19.

Who’s on the ballot?

Bow Editor — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 21:13:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

When voters go to the polls on March 13 in Hopkinton and Dunbarton, they will be choosing candidates to fill open seats for town and school district positions.

Hopkinton

Two of Hopkinton’s most prominent officials have decided not to run for re-election.

Arpiar Saunders of the Hopkinton School Board and Selectman Clarke Kidder have decided to step aside at the end of their terms in March.

Kidder has been a selectman for the past three years and Saunders has been on the school board for 12 years.

Saunders, however, will run against outspoken resident and School District Treasurer Arnold Coda for a one-year term.

For Hopkinton Board of Selectmen, Chairman Louise Carr is seeking re-election to one of two open seats. Challengers for the two three-year terms are Tom Congoran, Scott W. Flood, and Joanie McIntire.

Those seeking re-election are town clerk/tax collector Sue B. Strickford for another three-year terms, and trustee of the trust funds Chairman Richard Gourley for three years.

On the budget committee, Chairman Karen Irwin, Daniel Coen and Patrice Gerseny are running unopposed for re-election for three three-year seats.

George W. Chase, Holly Gagne and Beth Taylor are competing for two three-year library trustee seats.

Sharon C. Baker is looking to assume a one-year term as supervisor of the checklist, and Patricia C. Smith is running for a three-year term as cemetery trustee.

Running for open school district positions in Hopkinton include the following: David Luneau, Marion L. Paxton and Peter B. Yunich are all vying for Saunders’ vacated three-year term on the school board. Charles Dibble is also running unopposed for another year as school district moderator, as is Sue Batchelder for a one-year seat as school district clerk.

Dunbarton

Selectmen Chairman Mert Mann will be challenged for a three-year seat on the board by David Pellenz.

School board member Brian Little will not seek another term, opening the door for Carl Metzger who joins incumbent Rene Ouellet on the ballot for two three-year seats.

Those running unopposed for re-election include the following:

Martha Rae, who is running for a three-year seat as tax collector; Bryan H. Clark seeking another three-year term on the board of assessors; Brigitte Cook is running for another three years on the ethics committee; Tiffany Dodd, seeking to retain her seat for another three years as library trustee; and Richard Schaeffer who wants to serve three more years as cemetery trustee.

Kirstin Petretta was appointed as a library trustee when Meegan McCorkle moved out of state last year. Petretta will run for another one-year term.

Because no one filed to run for a two-year term as a trustee of the trust funds last year, James Mann was appointed by selectmen. He will step aside this year and Jan VandeBogart will run unopposed for the seat.

Bill Jenkins will not seek re-election for his three-year seat as trustee of the trust funds, leaving the position vacant on the election ballot.