Pelham News : Windham

Pelham-Windham close to regional crown

Salem Editor — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:17:00 GMT

The Pelham-Windham Razorbacks fourth-grade football team remained unbeaten and closed within one win of the New England regional championship following a 31-7 regional semifinal-round victory against the Nipmuc Warriors of Central Massachusetts on Saturday, Nov. 14.

That triumph followed a 25-6 state championship defeat of the rival Salem Rams on Nov. 8 at Stellos Stadium in Nashua.

The defense dominated against Salem, allowing one third-quarter touchdown.

Tyler Mercier and Joe Micciche set the tone for the unit on the first play from scrimmage, a 3-yard loss for the Rams. Chris Rozzi then pounced on a fumble after the next snap.

Austin Wentzel, Case Foster, Freddy Stamatatos, Jack Moro, Justin O’Connor, Brian Schwab and Brian Murdza also played well for the stifling defensive unit.

Meanwhile, Brandon O’Grady scored twice in the first half, with Peter Lawson and Zach Debay finding the end zone after the break.

Ty Longo also ran well, adding a point-after touchdown for the Razorbacks.

Up front, Austin Chausse, Graham Diack, Liam O’Connell, Zach Shields, Chris Barsalou, Anthony Suppa, Michael Yeaton, Andrew Schuler, Nick Cunio, Robert Rya, Colin Peterson and Kameron Priestly supplied strong blocking.

“There are no egos on this team, there are no attitudes, there are no bullies, there are no superstars, or people who think they are superstars,” said head coach Lou Longo. “It’s 26 kids at age 9 and 10 years old, who looked at each other and looked at the coaches and said that we want to make a run at the state championship.”

With a win against the Monroe, Conn., Lions at Falcon Field in Meriden, Conn., on Saturday, Nov. 21, the Razorbacks add a regional title. Kickoff is 9 a.m.

• • •

The Pelham-Windham eighth-graders beat Leominster, Mass., 26--6, on Saturday, Nov. 14. That team also plays for a New England championship against the Ridgefield, Conn., Raiders on Saturday, Nov. 21 at the same venue. Kickoff for that contest is 5 p.m.

The state champion Pelham- Windham fifth-graders fell in the regional semifinals to the Tyngsboro, Mass., Tigers, 26-0.

– Submitted by Bob Diack

Pelham and Windham retirement woes stem from state change

Salem Editor — Wed, 07 May 2008 19:13:00 GMT

BY JENN McDOWELL

Windham police Capt. Pat Yatsevich said he’s ready to retire after a long battle with illness, but worries about how the current funding and decision-making concerns surrounding the New Hampshire retirement system will affect his medical treatment.

Two years ago, Yatsevich was diagnosed with myeloma, a rare form of blood cancer in which excess white blood cells in his body began to mutate and attack his body.

After several treatments including a stem cell transplant in February 2007 costing over $100,000, Yatsevich went into remission.

In December 2007, Yatsevich said, tests revealed that his white blood cell counts were increasing rapidly. After follow-up testing over the next couple months, doctors told him the disease had resurfaced and that he may need another stem cell transplant, something he won’t be able to afford if he retires.

“If I was to retire, I could keep the same plan that the town has, however I’d have to make up the difference out of pocket,” said Yatsevich, who turned 45 this year and is now eligible to retire. “Until I know what’s going to happen with my health, I’m going to work as long as I can.”

With the struggle at the state level involving reforming the New Hampshire retirement system, Yatsevich is not the only one concerned about how his retirement would play out.

After years of the state’s using a flawed accounting method, it was discovered that the state’s retirement fund contained about $2.7 billion less than what officials initially thought, leaving the burden of recharging the system on municipal employers and, ultimately, taxpayers.

Legislators have been proposing ways to reform the system in a way that would please state and municipal workers, employers and taxpayers.

House Bill 1645, which made its way into the Senate recently, proposed slicing out an 8 percent annual increase in medical subsidy payments and transferring $250 million from the special account for medical subsidies into the corpus of the fund.

It would also have changed the composition of the New Hampshire Retirement System Board of Trustees from 12 to 14 members, which would include accounting and financial professionals.

For public safety employees, including police officers and fire fighters, the House bill would change the minimum retirement age to 50 and increase the amount of years they need to put in to qualify for retirement benefits from 20 to 25 years.

The Senate’s Executive Departments and Administrative Committee had their final discussion on approving a version of the House bill that would lean a little further in the employer’s direction.

The Senate version, if passed, would freeze the yearly increase in medical subsidy payments until 2012, at which time a four percent yearly increase would be instituted.

It would also leave the minimum age and time requirement for public safety employees to retire where they are, at age 45 with 20 years of service.

The Senate version would also retain the Board of Trustees’ current composition, proposing the use of specialized committees to aid in decision making.

According to Pelham Town Administrator Tom Gaydos, the town would have to shoulder an extra $190,000 in 2009-10 if nothing was done for the retirement system.

If House Bill 1645 were to pass, that impact would be greatly lessened to about $8,000. The Senate proposal would cost slightly more than that, although estimates are not yet available.

“What has to happen, in my opinion, is the system has to come in line with the rest of the world,” said Gaydos. “They’re going to break the backs of taxpayers. The taxpayers are not going to put up with this.”

He added he thinks eliminating the medical subsidy escalator as outlined in the House bill would have eventually brought the fund back in line.

If the bill were passed, Windham’s costs toward the retirement system would be a $248,385 total increase in taxes, according to the Local Government Center.

“The last thing we want to see is a stampede of teachers leaving because of retirement system shortfalls,” said Frank Bass, superintendent for Pelham and Windham schools. “I think everyone’s in a position of entrenchment.”

According to Fran DeCinto, the human resources director for Pelham and Windham schools, said the two districts have several retirements this year: eight teachers, one food service employee in Pelham; three administrators, five teachers and a library assistant in Windham.

At least two of those retiring in each district voiced their intention to leave because of the state of medical subsidy funding in the retirement system, DeCinto said.

Pelham Fire Chief Michael Walker said upping the minimum retirement age and increasing the amount of years public safety workers must put in before retiring would affect recruitment and retention in those careers.

“You’re actually exerting yourself more than a professional athlete,” said Walker, saying the stress and physical demands of the job are showing in statistical evidence that about half of firefighters fatalities are the result of cardiovascular problems, including heart attacks.

“Unless someone can show me statistics that indicate that as people we are in better shape and there’s better modeling for an extension of that age, I think on the other end you’re going to get higher costs on workman’s comp,” Walker said, adding many may try for a disability pension rather than retirement.

Extending the age would also requiring paying employees for longer periods of time, which also affects the tax rate.

“I hope it comes out that there’s some sort of compromise,” Walker said.

Payment shortfall in Pelham may prompt new school lunch policy

Salem Editor — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 20:42:00 GMT

BY JENN McDOWELL

The Pelham School Board is looking at adopting a new policy that would tighten the rules regarding school lunch money owed to the district.

The school district’s food service director, Megan Bizzarro, proposed a draft of the policy to the School Board at a meeting on Wednesday, April 9, which would allow the district to revisit costs associated with food service each year and apply stricter guidelines to help parents stay current with their child’s lunch account.

“No one likes this. I don’t like wearing the collector hat,” Bizzarro said, adding Pelham had about $1,600 owed in lunch accounts as of Monday, April 21.

Students who are not paid up on their lunch account receive alternative lunches, which might include a sandwich instead of the main course being offered that day, Bizzarro said.

Elementary school kids would be allowed to go over on their account by $5 before the account was frozen and the child had to get an alternative lunch. Middle schoolers would be allowed one meal before their accounts were frozen. High school students would not be allowed any overcharges on their account.

“That’s fairly typical of other districts,” said Bizzarro of the high school regulations in the policy, adding high school students have a greater responsibility and often pay for lunch themselves.

Lunch money that is still owed to the district at the end of the school year, Bizzarro said, is covered by the general fund in keeping with federal regulations.

“I know we are in a default budget,” Bizzarro told the board. “This is not something you could necessarily budget for, either.”

She added the shortfall in lunch accounts is not necessarily coming from low-income students and parents.

“The great majority of the money that is owed is from the full-pay category,” Bizzarro said.

She said the Litchfield School District fell into trouble with lunch money owed to the district and sent home bills every day and instituted a point of sale system so parents could pay online if it were more convenient. Currently, the school’s administration sends notices home when accounts become delinquent.

The School Board considered Bizzarro’s presentation the first reading of the policy, which will require at least two more readings and discussion before going into effect.

School Board member Cindy Kyzer asked whether the school district goes after parents for the lunch money the general fund offsets at the end of the year. Business administrator Kathleen Sargent said she was unsure whether the district pursued that money or not.

Kyzer suggested putting the lunch bills in with students’ progress reports and report cards.

Bizzarro said she will soon go before the Windham School Board to propose the policy, and did not want to speak on Windham’s outstanding food service accounts until the board had read and discussed the policy.

School Board Chairman Bruce Couture said Pelham used to have a “gentlemen’s agreement” with Windham in which Windham would help offset some of Pelham’s food service shortfalls, but that has stopped, as Windham also has outstanding lunch money owed, according to Bizzarro.

“In some districts, (school food service) makes money for the district,” Couture said.

Superintendent to stay on job

Salem Editor — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 00:33:00 GMT

BY DARRELL HALEN

Frank Bass is going to stay on as superintendent of schools in Pelham and Windham after apparently working out problems with two School Board members.

Bass had applied to become Manchester’s school superintendent just seven months after coming to SAU 28, the Windham and Pelham school districts. His move prompted Al Letizio Jr., chairman of the Windham School Board, to accuse two of his colleagues, Barbara Coish and Beverly Donovan, of creating a hostile work environment for Bass.

“They made it very unpleasant for him,” he said. After he put out word that Coish and Donovan should resign from the school board, Letizio said, Bass received an outpouring of support from the public and the two women individually approached the superintendent in a conciliatory manner, ironed out their problems and agreed to change their behavior.

At a Thursday, Feb. 7, meeting of the SAU 28 School Board, made up of the School Board members of both communities, Bass announced that he had resolved matters with Coish and Donovan and would stay on the job.

“I’m very excited about it,” said Pelham’s Cindy Kyzer, chairman of the SAU 28 School Board. “I think he’s doing a good job. He has a good vision for the district, and works hard.

Bruce Couture, chairman of the Pelham School Board, said he, too, is glad Bass wants to keep working in the two towns. Couture said previously that problems in Windham can adversely affect the Pelham district.

“They worked a lot of things out, and that meant a lot to both boards,” he said.

Although Letizio had said publicly that Coish and Donovan should step down, he never called on them at a meeting to do so. But they knew he was prepared to do it, Letizio said.

“It was a diplomatic effort to get it resolved,” Letizio said. “I agreed to not call for their resignations in exchange for them to change their behavior. It ended with a peaceful resolution.”

Coish said she had a “very nice” conversation with Bass last week in his office about working together. But she said she doubts that conversation had much of an influence on his decision to stay.

Pelham hosts tourney,wins three titles

Salem Editor — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 19:36:00 GMT

The Pelham Holiday Tournament, from Dec. 27 to 29, included more than 50 teams playing in separate boys and girls divisions for third- through eighth-graders.

Though welcoming to their many guests before and after play, the hosts were particularly inhospitable on the court, winning three of the nine division championships available.

The fifth-grade girls, as well as the sixth-grade and eighth-grade boys, won crowns, while the third- and fourth-grade girls reached the division finals before falling in overtime.

Third- and fourth-grade girls

After losing their first game to Groton-Dunstable by 13 points, the girls beat Hudson at the buzzer, then edged Windham, which finished without a victory. Both were two-point victories. In a rematch with Groton-Dunstable, the Pelham group of eight third-graders and four fourth-graders took the champions into OT, despite having just two experienced players.

The team, coached by Lisa Brown, included Hillary Faust, Sarah Benjamin, Abigail Conway, Rachel Alexander, Caitlin Ernest, Rachel Marion, Shannon Morin, Baylee Duarte, Abigayle Lachapelle, Morgan Walsh, Sarah Brown and Jessica Lessard.

Third- and fourth-grade boys

The Pelham boys ran into tough opponents in the first two games, losing in overtime to Bedford, 27-25, then falling to the eventual division champions, Lowell.

Tenacious defense from Collin Loring and Trevor Longo kept Pelham in the contest with Bedford. Other standouts included Cameron DeLoreto and Lukas Raza. Kyle Frank, Tim Walkup, Steven Jackson, and Tim Anderson playing well against Lowell.

But the locals earned a hard-fought 17-12 victory against Dracut to wrap up their tourney outing. Standouts on both ends of the floor for coach Craig Loring included Keith Brown, Jack Krzeminski and Tony Mantia.

Fifth-grade girls

Defense led Pelham to a title. The girls allowed 36 points in four lopsided wins. The locals moved through the opening round with a 40-7 drubbing of Dracut, a 20-10 victory over Lowell, and a 32-9 decision over Tyngsboro that featured 14 assists.

Chelmsford finally challenged the champs in the finals. Pelham, coached by Jim Philipson, led 9-6 at the half. But some aggressive man-to-man pressure defense held Chelmsford scoreless for 15 minutes of the second half in a 17-10 win.

Fifth-grade boys

Following a 53-45 win over previously unbeaten Wakefield on Dec. 22, fueled by Bryce Brown’s scoring and Nick Francoeur’s rebounding, Pelham had trouble early in the tourney opener and trailed Dracut by nine points at the break.

But Ryan Cloutier poured in eight second-half points, and Joe Costa sank two late-game free throws in the team’s 26-23 comeback win. Zach Masiello and Nick Wolfrom led a defense that allowed Dracut just four points.

Pelham then edged Hudson, 32-31, as Eric Guinasso want 3-for-4 from the line and Ryan Rondeau chipped in six points from inside the paint. Cloutier’s eight points included the game winner.

Despite strong efforts from Nolan Duffy, who scored nine points and grabbed several rebounds; Dylan Sylvestri, who it two free throws; and Ryan Nystrom, who added six second-half points, Pelham fell to Derry, 28-27.

Sixth-grade girls

Pelham opened the tourney with two convincing wins, 33-20 over Chelmsford and 26-14 over Tyngsboro.

The team’s lone blemish was a loss to the division champions from Hudson.

“How can you summarize heart and determination?” said coach Pattie Parece. “Every player did what was asked of them.”

Each of the girls said the team turned in a sterling defensive effort. The roster included Jordan Parece, Brianna Duarte, Hannah Paitchel, Minta Notini, Elissa Mogauro, Katie Haghdan, Niki DelSignore, Shelby Bedard, Michelle Langlois and Kaelyn Walsh.

Sixth-grade boys

Pelham proved its mettle, winning blowouts and tight games alike in winning the division crown.

James Sullivan, Chris Benjamin and Joe Slattery led a smothering press as the locals jumped to a 29-12 halftime lead, then cruised to a 45-38 win over Dracut in the tourney opener. Mike Coupal and Joe McArthur controlled the boards.

Windham then fell to Pelham, 39-20. Zach Conway led the attack with 10 points and eight rebounds. Derek Sage chipped in six markers.

The boys used a ferocious press to bolt to a 23-11 halftime lead over Hudson, then held off their foes’ comeback with a few key foul shots for a 39-36 victory.

Pelham’s Mike Pelletier helped the team to a 29-26 lead over Litchfield in the division final, but the rough-and-tumble visitors wouldn’t quit. Thanks to Ryan Frank and Jake Vaiknoras, who each took an offensive charge from a larger Litchfield opponent, and a solid team effort on both ends of the floor, the locals won, 60-50. Vaiknoras led the team with 20 points and 15 rebounds, while Pelletier finished with nine points and Kevin Sabine chipped in six for head coach Mike Larson.

Windham won once in three contests, crushing Dracut, 37-18.

Seventh-grade girls

Pelham won two of three contests at the holiday tournament, edging Hudson, 37-36, and Merrimack, 28-23. Only a loss to Billerica kept the locals from the division finale.

Seventh-grade boys

Pelham went 2-1, as did Windham, in a strong division.

Pelham lost only to eventual champion Lowell before handling Dracut, 34-30, and Hampstead, 38-26.

Windham’s only setback was to division runner-up Merrimack. The team defeated Groton-Dunstable, 32-24, and Tyngsboro, 39-27.

Eighth-grade boys

Pelham A rolled to the title with double-digit wins over Hampstead, Dracut West and Dracut East. The only potential stumbling block, Hudson, fell to the locals, 48-46.

Pelham B went winless, though the team played well against the division runner-up, Dracut East, falling 48-45.

Study committee formation will be on the ballot

Salem Editor — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 21:08:00 GMT

By Darrell Halen

The Windham and Pelham school districts share employees, resources and costs by belonging to School Administrative Unit 28.

But beginning in March, Windham voters might start the process of pulling their community out of the SAU.

A warrant article on the Windham school district ballot, if passed, would create a planning committee to study the impacts on each town if Windham were to eventually pull out.

“It’s coming to the point that if each had a superintendent for its own district, it would be beneficial,” said Windham School Board member Bruce Anderson.

Although it’s been cost effective for the two districts to share resources, both districts are growing, Anderson said.

Each community is pursuing high school projects. Windham, which currently sends its students to Salem High, is opening its own high school in 2009, while Pelham officials will be asking voters in March to buy land and construct a new high school in their town.

In the past few years, Anderson noted, School Board members made efforts to ease the heavy workload on its staff by bringing on an assistant superintendent in 2005 and giving each district its own business administrator this year.

Anderson acknowledged that Pelham might feel the greater impact if Windham withdraws from the SAU because its office is in a Windham-owned building. Pelham officials would have to find space to place its own SAU staff.

“It’s not spiting anyone,” said Anderson, who initiated the study committee warrant article during an early December Windham board meeting. “It’s what we think is best for both districts.”

The SAU has about a dozen employees, including Superintendent Frank Bass. Beginning in July it will have an annual budget of roughly $1,207,375.

Pelham’s contribution will be $601,199 while Windham will pay $606,176.

How much money each town contributes is based on its equalized property valuation and its number of students.

The communities also share the cost of preschool services.

In past SAU meetings, the subject of splitting up the SAU has been discussed by School Board members.

Eleanor Burton, a Pelham School Board member, said that during a semiannual SAU meeting in October, School Board members from both towns agreed to hold off on putting any warrant articles on their ballots in March and would revisit the issue at their next meeting in May.

Some of her Pelham board colleagues, she said, were unhappy that Windham members later decided to put a warrant article for a planning committee on their district’s March ballot.

“They thought it was unfortunate it was brought up before we met again,” Burton said.

Route 28 crash kills Pelham man

Salem Editor — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 18:29:00 GMT

BY DARRELL HALEN

A Pelham man was killed when his 2005 Toyota Prius collided with another vehicle on Route 28 in Windham.

Robert Saitow, 51, of Vassar Drive, Pelham, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash.

The accident occurred at 5:13 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 16, north of Aladdin Road.

According to Windham Police Capt. Patrick Yatsevich, it appears that the vehicles hit head on.

The other vehicle was a 1998 GMC Sierra pickup truck. Its driver, Eddy Dube, 59, of Stark Road, Derry, was airlifted to Boston Medical Center.

His injuries include a punctured lung and fractures to his pelvis, ribs, jaw and ankles. He underwent surgery that night.

The cause of the crash is under investigation by Windham police and the Derry Police Department’s traffic accident reconstruction unit.

Although police received several calls reporting the accident, there were no witnesses when officers arrived at the scene.

Anyone with information is asked to call Windham officer Greg Malisos at 603-434-5577.

Ready for school – Bass starts as new superintendent

Salem Editor — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 20:20:00 GMT

BY DARRELL HALEN

Frank Bass considers himself more of an education leader than a manager.

“I’m very upfront, out there,” said Bass, 55, the new superintendent of the Windham and Pelham school districts.

“You’re not going to find me at the desk all that often. At least I hope not. I like to be out and about, roll up my sleeves and be involved. I want to know what’s going on.”

Bass succeeds Elaine Cutler, who served the communities for four years and is retiring this summer.

He brings to the job, which he started July 2, roughly 30 years of experience working in education. He spent the last six years as the assistant superintendent for middle and secondary schools in Manchester.

His new job comes with a unique opportunity: to build a high school in Windham from the ground up – hiring its staff and bringing in comprehensive, state-of-the-art programming.

“We now have the opportunity to look at public high school like we’ve never had before ... I think the potential for us in Windham for this new school is extraordinary.”

The school is scheduled to open in the fall of 2009.

“When this high school is said and done, it will be one of the best in the state of New Hampshire, if not the best,” said Bass.

Bass grew up in North Haven, Conn., and received a bachelor of arts degree from the University of New Hampshire in English literature in 1974.

He earned a master’s degree in the same subject at Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vt., and a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction from Boston College.

He has held a variety of positions through his career, including seven years teaching English at Memorial High School in Manchester, three years as dean of academic affairs at Westford Academy, and six years as principal of Hollis Brookline High School.

When Bass worked in Manchester, the city undertook a $105 million renovation and construction project for its schools.While Windham is building its new school, Pelham School Board members are pursuing a plan to build a new high school on a new site in their town.

Bass’ experience working in secondary education was cited when he was chosen by school board members in the two towns to succeed Cutler.

“We liked the fact he had a lot of high school experience,” said Windham School Board member Bruce Anderson. “That was an important factor for Pelham and Windham right now.”

As superintendent, Bass will oversee a pair of school districts that together have more than 4,000 students and spend roughly $53 million a year.

He has a three-year contract. His starting salary is $115,000.

Bass describes himself as a “people person,” someone who can get people to trust him, is a catalyst for change, works quickly, and likes to get things done.

“I think I consider myself something of a lightning rod,” Bass said. “I like to take on a lot of responsibility. I like it to come through me. I can then take that responsibility and ferry it out to the appropriate people or resources to make it happen.”

He said he likes to look out for new and exciting opportunities for students and believes in building good relationships with people to achieve success.

“You can’t just present things, you have to have people buy into them,” he said. “There has to be an ownership, a sense of community and commitment.”

Bass and his wife, Judy, live in Manchester. They have two children: Steve, who recently graduated from Central High School in Manchester where he was valedictorian of his class, and Laura, who works at Brown Brothers Harriman, a private bank in Boston that offers international investment services.

Bass said he is excited about his new position, but admits to feeling a bit anxious, too.

“There is always a certain amount of anxiety coming into a new job,” he said. “You don’t know what to expect.”

To become familiar with the communities he will be serving, Bass went to the Firemen’s Ball in Windham in March.

Cutler had invited him, and it was an opportunity to meet local officials from the two towns.

Cutler is spending two weeks with Bass before she departs.

“I’m trying to absorb as much as I can,” Bass said. “Going around to the schools, talking with the principals, getting information from them. The (school) boards will be very helpful. What’s also nice is, we’re in the summer months, so July and August will be a great opportunity to come up to speed.”

Two new assistant principals chosen - Moulis named at Windham Middle School

Salem Editor — Wed, 02 May 2007 17:15:00 GMT

BY DARRELL HALEN

Daniel Moulis, an educator with a background in teaching social studies, will become the new assistant principal at Windham Middle School. He will begin his new job on July 1.

Moulis is succeeding Kori Becht, who was promoted to principal.

Moulis is currently a social studies teacher at Strong Middle School in Durham, Conn., a job he’s held for three years. Prior to that, he spent four years teaching social studies at Londonderry Middle School.

Moulis holds a bachelor of arts degree in history and a master’s degree in education from the University of New Hampshire. He is pursuing a certificate of advanced graduate studies at UNH.

His annual salary will be $65,000. Becht is replacing retiring principal Steve Plocharczyk.

Brennan takes spot at Pelham High School

Leland Brennan Jr. has been hired as the assistant principal at Pelham High School. He will succeed James Wilhelm, who is leaving the post, on July 1.

Brennan retired from the Whittier Regional Vocational School in Haverhill, Mass., where he spent 29 years, in 2004. He was dean of students when he stepped down.

He spent three years teaching biology at Triton Regional High School in Byfield, Mass., and is a four-year Army veteran.

Brennan holds a bachelor of science degree in physical education and biology from Moorhead State University, a master of public administration from Golden Gate University and a certificate of advanced studies from Suffolk University.

His annual salary will be $70,000.

Pair named as new administrators

Salem Editor — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 20:51:00 GMT

BY DARRELL HALEN

Two new business administrators have been named to support School Administrative Unit 28, which consists of the Pelham and Windham school districts.

Kathleen Sargent will serve as business administrator for the Pelham School District. She begins her new job on July 1.

Sargent is coming from SAU 44 in Northwood, where she has served as business administrator since 2004. She worked for the Raymond School District from 1990 to 2004.

Sargent holds a bachelor’s degree from Southern New Hampshire University.

Also coming on board on July 1 is Toby Eaton, who will serve as business administrator for the Windham School District.

He currently works as business administrator for SAU 51 in Pittsfield, a job he has held since last year. He worked for the Epping School District from 2003 to 2004.

Eaton holds a masters degree in business administration from Plymouth State University.

Sargent and Eaton are succeeding Business Administrator Brian Gallagher, who serves both districts. He is retiring this summer after three years on the job.

Last year, SAU 28 school board members decided to split his job into two positions, each one serving one school district.

Eaton will earn a starting annual salary of $80,000 while Sargent will begin at $65,000. Gallagher said Eaton will earn more because he will have greater responsibilities.

Eaton will oversee a Windham operating budget of roughly $30 million, a high school building project of approximately $50 million and the SAU’s budget.

Sargent will be responsible for a Pelham budget of roughly $24.2 million and a food service program.

New supt. named

Salem Editor — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 19:06:00 GMT

BY DARRELL HALEN

An assistant superintendent of schools for the Manchester School District has been chosen as the top administrator for Windham and Pelham schools.

Dr. Frank Bass was unanimously chosen by the members of the School Administrative Unit 28 school board, which consists of the school board members for Pelham and Windham.

He is succeeding Superintendent Elaine Cutler, who is retiring. He will take over on July 1.

Bass is completing his fifth year in his current job as assistant superintendent of schools for the Manchester School District, where he oversees secondary education, curriculum and programs for at-risk students.

“I think one of the highlights to both districts is the fact he has quite a background and depth of experience in secondary education,” said Bruce Anderson, chairman of the SAU school board, who announced Bass’ selection.

“That’s been his focus in Manchester.”

That experience is important to Windham, which is building a high school, and to Pelham, which has some decisions to make about the future of its high school, Anderson said.

Anderson said that board members also believe Bass will interact well with the public.

Two other administrators who were finalists for the job were John Moulis, the superintendent of the Berlin School District and Superintendent Kathleen Murphy of the Newmarket School District. All three finalists were interviewed by the SAU school board on Friday, March 9.

Anderson said board members had a tough choice to make and believe all three were qualified for the job. They had to determine whom they thought would be the best fit for the district, he said.

Bass previously served six years as principal of Hollis-Brookline High School. He has worked as an English teacher, coordinator of programs for highly capable students and adjunct professor, according to the announcement.

Bass received a bachelor’s degree in English literature from the University of New Hampshire, a master’s degree in the same subject from Middlebury College and a doctorate in curriculum and instruction from Boston College.

Bass will earn a starting annual salary of $115,000.

Search narrows to three – Superintendent finalists all from New Hampshire

Salem Editor — Wed, 21 Feb 2007 19:39:00 GMT

BY DARRELL HALEN

Three school administrators in New Hampshire have been named finalists for the job of superintendent of the Pelham and Windham school districts.

Assistant Superintendent Frank Bass of the Manchester School District; John Moulis, the superintendent of the Berlin School District; and Superintendent Kathleen Murphy of the Newmarket School District are in the running for the job.

The person hired will succeed Elaine Cutler, who is retiring at the end of June.

The announcement of the finalists is the culmination of a nationwide search for Cutler’s replacement, according to a press release issued by the school board members of the two communities.

“The announcement of the finalists is the result of many hours of review of application materials, comprehensive interviews of semifinalist candidates and careful assessment of qualifications of candidates by a Superintendent Search Committee,” the statement read. “This committee was comprised of various community members, and included representatives from the school districts, the school boards, parents and students.”

School board members will interview the finalists in early March and select whom to hire shortly afterwards.

The advertised salary range for the position is $105,000 to $120,000 a year.

Where the gaps are – Area schools review test scores to improve learning

Salem Editor — Wed, 21 Feb 2007 19:13:00 GMT

BY DARRELL HALEN & MATT HERSH

School officials in Salem, Pelham and Windham are reviewing the results of New England Common Assessment Program scores. Last fall, the test was given to students in grades 3 through 8 throughout New Hampshire.

NECAP, which was first used in 2005, is designed to measure student performance on grade level expectations – known as GLEs – used by New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.

Results are used for school improvement and accountability, and to comply with requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind law.

Students are tested in reading and math, while students in grades 5 and 8 are also tested in writing.

They were tested in the fall of 2006 on content they had learned through the end of the previous grade.

Test-takers place at one of four levels in each subject: proficient with distinction, proficient, partially proficient or substantially below proficient.

Some Salem scores need improvement

After receiving scores, Salem officials are discussing ways to improve learning in coming years.

Though most of Salem’s scores are on par with the state averages or better, there are also areas which are better and others which need improvement.

The district’s math scores were most notable, with 71 percent of students achieving a proficient or proficient with distinction score. This number beats the state average of 65 percent.

Assistant Superintendent Marilyn Woodside said she was also pleased to see the number of students who achieved reading scores of proficient or proficient with distinction. Salem’s students beat the state averages in all grade levels.

Still, within these high scores, there were some drops as students moved from grade to grade.

Since NECAP is an annual test, Woodside said it can be valuable in tracking the progress of each group of students as they grow.

In analyzing these patterns, officials found a few groups whose scores declined over time.

As grade 6 students moved to the next level, their scores dropped slightly in reading. A similar decrease was seen from grade 7 to grade 8.

Woodside and other members of the school board also said they were concerned with the writing scores of their fifth- and eighth-graders.

While both groups scored higher than the state average, the discrepancy between the number of fifth-graders who scored in the top two levels and the number of eighth-graders who did the same is alarming, Woodside said.

Sixty-six percent of fifth-grade students scored in the top two rankings, while only 45 percent of eighth graders did. This means 55 percent of eighth-grade students scored as partially proficient or below proficient.

The state showed similar averages with 58 percent of eighth-grade students in the bottom two categories.

“It’s amazing how low the scores are,” said school board member Pamela Berry. “That just screams the state is in trouble.”

Though Woodside is still looking into the results to find patterns and analyze them further, Superintendent Michael Delahanty said he’d like to see Salem’s scores improve in the future.

“We want to be better than just average,” he said.

Delahanty cited the success of the district’s math program as a model for making strides in the right direction.

“We have something that’s working,” he said. “We just have to move that model to our other programs.”

Pelham scores encouraging

“I think, overall, we were encouraged by the results,” said Roxanne Wilson, assistant superintendent for the Windham and Pelham school districts.

Pelham students are making incremental improvements in mean scaled scores and in the percentage of students demonstrating proficiency, according to Wilson.

Since 2005, Pelham had growth of 4.5 percent of its total students, or about 46 more students, who met proficiency. Pelham improved its scaled score points for a total average increase of 1.5 percent, according to Wilson.

In some areas, Pelham students did better than the statewide results. Data indicates that 86 percent of Pelham third-graders are proficient in reading, compared to 75 percent of the state.

Among grade 7 students, 82 percent of Pelham kids were proficient in reading, compared to a state average of 67 percent.

In some areas, they are on par: grade 6 math (67 percent, both Pelham and state), grade 7 math (63 percent in Pelham, 62 percent state) and grade 8 math (56 Pelham, 57 state).

Comparing the percentage of students who placed at proficient last fall against those who did so in 2005, improvements were made in almost all subjects of all grades.

Wilson said she was disappointed by writing test results of Pelham’s fifth- and eighth-graders. Only 41 percent of fifth-graders scored at the proficient level, while 54 percent of grade 8 test-takers were proficient.

Windham doing well

Results indicate that all grades scored higher than the state in mean scaled scores and the percentage of students demonstrating proficiency, according to Wilson.

“Windham had had some great scores,” Wilson said.

In some areas, Windham students scored significantly higher than the state in the percentage of students placing at proficient levels.

In math, 89 percent of third-graders demonstrated proficiency, compared to 69 percent of the state.

Of the grade 7 students tested in math, 88 percent demonstrated proficiency, compared to 62 percent of the state.

The percentage of children who are meeting proficiency rose roughly 5 percent from the previous year.

The only grade that did not improve in the percentage of proficient students and in mean scaled scores was in grade 4.

The percentage of proficient students dropped from 83 to 80 percent in reading, while the percentage went from 82 to 80 percent in math. Mean scaled scores remained constant.

Search underway for new school chief

Salem Editor — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 15:27:00 GMT

BY DARRELL HALEN

The search is on for a new superintendent for the Windham and Pelham school districts.

With Superintendent Elaine Cutler retiring this summer, the School Administrative Unit 28 school board, consisting of the school board members of each community, are searching for her successor.

Applicants have until Jan. 19 to submit their applications for the job, which offers a salary range of $105,000 to $120,000.

Cutler’s replacement will oversee six schools and 650 employees. The two school districts, which spend more than $40 million combined, have a total student enrollment of approximately 4,396 students.

According to a job notice, school board members are looking for candidates who have experience in several areas, including education law, strategic planning, building and renovating buildings, problem solving and central office operations.

The superintendent and SAU staff work out of offices in Windham.

Cutler came to the job in 2003, replacing Raymond Raudonis who held the job for 15 years. She cited family health issues as one of the reasons for stepping down this year.

Her contract runs through June 30, although she said she may continue serving in July.

“I may do some transitional work with the new person,” Cutler said.

The New Hampshire School Boards Association, based in Concord, is being paid $8,000 to help with the search.

Bruce Anderson, chairman of the Windham school board, said a selection committee, probably consisting of five or six members from each town, will be formed.

The committee, working with the NHSBA, will likely whittle the pool of applicants to five or six candidates, interview them, and narrow the field to two or three finalists for the SAU school board to interview, Anderson said.