2015 Northwood Bean Hole Bash
The
Northwood Bean Hole Bash committee is looking for additional members
to improve and expand the Northwood Bean Hole Bash for 2015.
We are
looking for volunteers to join the committee and attend monthly and
bi-weekly meetings closer to the event or just spend a few hours
working an event. Examples of opportunities available for this
family community event include: help with a Facebook page and/or
assisting in updating our website, ideas for new events and
improving current events, selling advertisements for brochure,
working on craft/flea market, set up, serving dinner, clean up and
many more. For additional information available contact John Difeo
at 944-6078 or Susan Allard at 608-5573. Community Service hours are
available for Coe-Brown students.
Our
next committee meeting is schduled for tonight, Wednesday, January
14, 2015, 7:00 PM at the Northwood Community Hall.
Letter To The Editor
The
Northwood Santa’s Helpers appreciate and send their thank you to the
citizens and businesses of Northwood for your assistance in
providing gifts to 46 children this year. Your gifts of toys, gift
cards and cash donations made it possible for families to see the
delight in their children’s eyes at the Christmas gifts and the warm
winter clothing for the coming cold winter days. The thank you notes
received from several families, let us know how much this program
assisted in making this a special Christmas for their children.
Thank you for making it possible for us to to continue this
community program through your support.
Thank
you to Northwood Heritage Tru Value Hardware, Northwood Post Office,
Wilder Flooring, Northwood Garage and Northwood TDBank for providing
space for our donation boxes.
On
behalf of the members of Northwood Fire-Rescue Association and the
families you assisted, may you and your family have a safe and
healthy New Year.
Open Democracy Walk
Monday,
January 19, the Northwood Congregational Church, UCC will host at
least 40 walkers from the Open Democracy/NH Rebellion Walk.
Walkers will be braving the winter weather traversing the entire
state, with our walkers originating from Portsmouth, ending in
Concord to meet the other walkers on January 21. The
walk is a non-partisan effort to make a statement about how special
interest money has infected our politics.
You are
invited to join us on Monday, January 19 in Northwood for a Potluck
Supper at 5:30 and a Town-Wide Martin Luther King, Jr. Service at
6:30. The church is located at 881 First NH Turnpike (Route 4),
just east of Coe Brown Academy. Noted Blues and Jazz
artist and activist T. J. Wheeler will be our featured speaker.
Learn
about what Open Democracy is all about, catch the passion of these
people for fair democracy, and celebrate the spirit of Rev. Dr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. with us. All are welcome.
If you
have questions, contact the Northwood Congregational Church, UCC at
942-7116 or at [email protected]
For more information about the walk check out
www.opendemocracy.me
Eighth
grade student Alivia is the 2014-15 Northwood School winner of the
VFW Patriot’s Pen essay contest. This year’s theme was “Why
America’s Veterans are Important to Me.” Congratulations to Alivia!
Also pictured is Mr. Daniel Barnhart, VFW Commander, Post 7217.
Letter
To The Editor
Stop
Common Core
If you
are a Registered Northwood Voter, please call Marie Correa,
942-7689, to sign the petition to get the following Warrant Article
on the Northwood Ballot:
“To see
if the Northwood School District will vote to reject and immediately
discontinue participation in the Common Core State Standards (CCSS)
and the Smarter Balance Assessment, in favor of our own locally
developed Northwood School District academic standards and
assessments, and recommend that the School Board form a committee
(consisting of representatives from the school board, school
administrators, teachers, and community members) to develop the
Northwood School District Academic Standards and Assessments.”
Call if
you want more information.
Sincerely,
Marie
L. Correa
Letter
Of Thanks
Benedict Groeschel
Jul 23,
1933
Jersey
City, New Jersey Died: Oct. 03, 2014
In his
memory, I wish to thank him for answering my prayer today. During
his ministry he had an association with Saint Padre Pio and was my
VCR mentor during my teaching of Confirmation CCD classes in
Lawrence, MA. His last days were in the service of EWTN and I
believe in his humble existence, he is destined to be Blessed
Joyce
L.
Northwood/Deerfield
Chesley
Memorial Library News
Submitted By Donna Bunker, Library Director
Give
your child the tools to become a successful reader! Join the “100
Books Before Club” sponsored by the Chesley Memorial Library with
help from Northwood School teachers. The program is open to any
child from birth to the start of kindergarten. Reading aloud to
children at birth strengthens their language skills and builds their
vocabulary – two important tools for learning to read when they
enter kindergarten. Join us at the library on Saturday, January 17,
at 10:30 a.m. to learn more about the program. You can register at
any time even if you are unable to attend the kickoff event. How
does the program work?
Register at Chesley Memorial Library and take home your first
reading log.
Track
Your Reading – Each time you read a book with your child, color in a
shape on the reading log.
Show us
Your Reading Logs – When you reach 25 books, bring in your reading
log and get a small prize.
Read
More Books! When you get all the way to 100, you will receive a
library tote bag and will automatically be entered in the 1,000
Books Before Kindergarten Club.
Letter
To The Editor
End of
an Era
An era
is coming to an end. I have heard from “reliable sources” that
long-serving town Road Agent Jim Wilson is not running for another
term, but is taking another job. This will also leave vacant his
job as, quoting from the town budget, “road laborer – general.”
First,
let us thank Jim for his service. This is not always a fun job,
especially in the heat of summer and the cold of winter. And he had
done it dutifully.
Going
forward, we face two questions: who will fill this position and how?
With regards to the latter, the Selectmen will once again present a
warrant article authorizing them to appoint the road agent rather
than it being an elected position as it is now.
I
support this change primarily because there is too much money
involved for this position to be left to the voters to fill. The
2014 current budget puts $407,668 in the Road Agent’s domain (paving
& reconstruction, cleaning & maintenance, snow & ice control).
If
we’re lucky, someone will run and be elected to this position who
knows what they’re doing and will work well with the Selectmen and
the Highway Advisory Committee. If we’re not, we may elect an
inexperienced and/or incompetent person for a three-year term. How
will we, as voters, know?
I would
rather have this position be in the hands of the Selectmen, as are
the positions of Town Administrator and Police Chief. They can
review applicants and their qualifications, and select someone who
can do the job. And if they don’t work out, then they can be
dismissed, rather than wait three years to be voted out.
Some
traditionalists will argue for the status quo from various angles,
but I would prefer to put the selection of the Road Agent in the
hands of the Selectmen.
Tom
Chase, member
Northwood Budget Committee
Letter
To The Editor
Did you
know Northwood teachers’ salaries today are exactly the same as they
were on July 1, 2010? In 2008, the salary scale for Northwood was
made and we are still under that same salary schedule seven years
later. Due to increasing costs, Social Security has increased 6.8%
as a cost of living adjustment since 2010, yet Northwood teachers’
salaries have increased 0%. Our teachers’ flat salaries (NO STEP AND
NO COST OF LIVING) have actually eroded due to the rising cost of
gas, heating oil, groceries, and other everyday items.
To put
this situation in perspective, a Northwood teacher with 13 years of
experience is getting paid on step seven and has been on step seven
every year since 2010. This same teacher has only made one step
increase since 2008. The present salary schedule influences both
retaining teachers and the ability to be competitive in the hiring
process, as each new candidate has to take at least a four year
downward slide on the pay schedule.
The
newly proposed one year contract to be voted on in March, is a small
step toward fair compensation for teachers. We encourage you to
learn more about the proposed teachers’ contract by attending the
deliberative session scheduled for February 5th. The proposed
agreement calls for other positive outcomes for our students and
staff including a longer school day and more clubs for students. A
“Yes!” vote in favor of the teachers’ contract is predicted to cost
the town a total of $88,449.
For
more information call or email a Northwood teacher at
[email protected].
A web search on Northwood Teachers for Learning will take you to our
website with additional information.
Sincerely,
Northwood School Teachers
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